Greg Van Avermaet's golden Giant TCR Disc - Gallery

Image 1 of 16

Team CCC's Greg Van Avermaet opened his Spring Classics campaign at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad race in Gent, Belgium aboard an all-new Giant TCR Disc. With the weather predicted to play a big part in the day's proceedings it came as no surprise that he and his teammates would ditch their rim-brake bikes. Opening Weekend has, after all, traditionally been used as a platform by teams to trial and dial in new equipment changes ahead of the bigger Monuments.

We first spotted the all-new Giant TCR at the World Road Race Championships in Yorkshire last September and then again at the Tour Down Under, albeit, in both circumstances, the bike featured rim brakes. While Giant has yet to make any big noise about its all-new TCR, we have it on good authority that the official launch has been postponed owing to delays caused by the coronavirus.

Visually, Van Avermaet's TCR Disc follows very much the same design blueprint as the rim-brake version featuring his unmistakable gold-painted colour scheme - a nod to his 2016 Olympic road race victory. 

But unlike current road bike design rhetoric that preaches exclusively of dropped seatstays and aerodynamics, Giant has managed to keep the look of the new TCR cleaner and more classic. While the firm has retained the ISP integrated seatpost, notable changes include a subtly redesigned fork with better clearance for wider tyres, internal hose and cable routing, and an integrated down tube port for the Di2 junction box. 

Unsurprisingly, Van Averamet's Giant TCR Disc utilises a full Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9170 groupset complete with 54/42T chainrings and 11-30T cassette. Despite the evergrowing curiosity of tubeless tyres in the pro peloton, the Belgian chose to play it safe by calling upon a set of Cadex 42 tubular wheels shod in Vittoria Corsa 28mm tyres. 

The build also features several clever little additions, including a brace of strategically positioned sprint shifters integrated into the drops and a Giant Uniclip SpeedShield Fender affixed to the saddle's undercarriage. The finishing kit comprises a Giant-branded Contact SLR Integrated drop handlebar, Giant bottle cages and a Cadex Boost saddle.

Despite finishing in 13th position and not getting the result he had hoped for Van Avermaet was impressed with how his TCR Disc performed over the gruelling 200km course. "I'm really happy with it. There were no problems and overall there was a good feeling - it's a really good bike for the cobbles and it will be my Classics bike."

Compatriot Jasper Stuyven went on to win Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, after outsprinting Yves Lampaert to the finish line in Ninove.

Click through the gallery above for a closer look at Greg Van Avermaet's Giant TCR Disc

Greg Van Avermaet's Giant TCR Disc full bike specifications

• Frameset: Giant TCR Advanced SL MY21 Disc
• Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace R9170 Disc
• Rear brake: Shimano Dura-Ace R9170 Disc
• Brake/shift levers: Shimano Dura-Ace R9170
• Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace R9170
• Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace R9170
• Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace 11-30T
• Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace HG901
• Crankset: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100-P dual-sided power meter, 54/42T
• Bottom bracket: Shimano Dura-Ace
• Wheelset: Cadex 42 tubular
• Tyres: Vittoria Corsa tubular 28mm
• Handlebars: Giant Contact SLR Integrated
• Bar Tape: Giant
• Stem: Giant Contact SLR Integrated
• Pedals: Shimano PD-R9100
• Saddle: Cadex Boost
• Seatpost: Giant ISP
• Cycling computer: Garmin Edge 530 (not shown)
• Bottle cages: Giant Airway Sport
• Bottles: Elite Fly Team
• Rider height: 1.81m
• Rider weight: 74kg