Conor Dunne (Israel Cycling Academy) has this special Irish champion’s De Rosa(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
A side view of Specialized’s still to be presented new road shoe(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
The meaty KTM seat stay junction point(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
The KTM bar system(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
The KTM is fitted with Versus wheels and SRAM disc brakes(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
A close-up look at Conor Dunne’s De Rosa(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
The massive seat tube area of the De Rosa will improve aerodynamics(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
This Israel Cycling Academy rider has a Pininfarina De Rosa(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
A Sel Brasil rider has this Dynatek bike for the Vuelta a San Juan(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
The Dynatek head tube is complemented by some bright shrink wrap(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
Several teams had mixed bike brands, perhaps providing their own equipment(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
Nairo Quintana is using Campagnolo 12 speed(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
The Deda Alanera carbon one-piece bars were in use at UAE Team Emirates(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
UAE Team Emirates have these subtle race number holders(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
Fernando Gaviria prefers a Deda 35 stem for sprinting(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
The Caja Rural have on problem with using Shimano Ultegra(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
Felix Nodarse of Cuba had to use a Shimano frame provided by the neutral service(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
The slick looking Lotto Soudal SRM power meter(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
Neri Sottoli-Selle Italia are using KTM bikes in 2019(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
The Beltrami Tsa – Hopplà team have these Argon 18 disc brake bikes(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
This front view shows the single Boa dial and it wire system(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
Deceuninck - Quick-Step’s Remco Evenepoel and Iljo Keisse are wearing black and white version of the new shoe at the Vuelta a San Juan (Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
The matt black UAE Team Emirates Colnago await the riders(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
The standard-issue Bora-Hansgrohe Specialized S-Works Venge(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
Peter Sagan’s glittering S-Works Venge(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
The Androni Giocattoli team have these unusual bidons from water sponsor Lauretana(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
The bright green Caja Rural De Rosa bikes are fitted with Shimano Ultegra(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
This Brazilian rider was lucky to have Lightweight wheels alongside a Shimano 105 crankset(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
Not all the bikes were new for 2019(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
Sporting Tavira are also using KTM bikes in 2019(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
Winner Anacona of Movistar was happy to show off his Campagnolo 12-speed(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
Movistar use this good-looking Power2Max power meter (Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
These Vittoria wheels are made from Graphene (Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
This Fuji bike was perhaps originally made for the Geox team(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
The Bolivian Start Cycling Team use the Taiwan brand Aster(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
Start Cycling Team use mechanical Microshift gears(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
The Microshift levers are basic but functional(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
Another look at the Campagnolo Super Record EPS 12-speed rear derailleur(Image credit: Stephen Farrand/Immediate Media)
The Vuelta a San Juan has attracted some of the biggest teams in the peloton but also much smaller Continental and national teams from across South America, creating a contrast in ability and equipment.
Many of the WorldTour teams have transitioned to disc brakes during the winter and have the best electronic groupsets from Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo. In contrast, the riders in the smaller teams are often on different bike brands and components, with some frames showing years of use.
The lower teams
The Pro Continental teams are a step down from the WorldTour level and their kit showed it. The Israel Cycling Academy are riding on De Rosa bikes and Conor Dunne has a special white, orange and green colour scheme for his custom made bike to highlight he is Irish national road race champion.
Stephen is one of the most experienced members of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. Before becoming Editor-at-large, he was Head of News at Cyclingnews. He has previously worked for Shift Active Media, Reuters and Cycling Weekly. He is a member of the Board of the Association Internationale des Journalistes du Cyclisme (AIJC).
