Shimano Dura-Ace components provide the shifting and stopping power for the Dane(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Valgren's Gallium Pro was paired with Corima 32 WS carbon wheels(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Vanmarcke opted for 28mm Vittoria Corsa Control tubular tyres(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
For many, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad marks the beginning of the European season and with over 12 kilometres of Kassien or Pavé the race is also the first cobbled Classic of the year. With nowhere to hide, the bikes as well as the riders need to arrive well prepared for the first cobbled test of the 2018 season.
Michael Valgren (Astana Pro Team) attacked in the closing kilometres of the 196km test to take the Dane’s biggest victory to date. Riding aboard an Argon 18 Gallium Pro, Valgren was equipped with a mix of Shimano and FSA components, while Corima provides the Kazakh teams with wheels.
Usually racing on Schwalbe tyres, the majority of the Astana team swapped in the legendary, handmade FMB Paris-Roubaix tyres, with Valgren opting for 25mm tubulars for the cobbles of Flanders.
More surprisingly, however, was that Valgren won the WorldTour race using a Shimano Ultegra cassette, showcasing that perhaps the most expensive components aren’t always the most necessary.
Sep Vanmarcke (EF Education First-Drapac) put in a flurry of attacks throughout the race, eventually settling for third place. Racing on a Cannondale SuperSix Evo, Vanmarcke and Valgren opted to race on all-round race bikes that are as at home in the Alps as on the cobbles, as opposed to a potentially comfier and less fatiguing endurance frame model.
While Valgren chose FMB tubulars, Vanmarcke switched from his regular 25mm Vittoria Corsa tubulars for 28mm Vittoria Corsa Control tubulars, which feature a file tread pattern.
Along with his Team Sky teammates, second place finisher Łukasz Wiśniowski raced the Classics opener aboard the cobble specific Pinarello Dogma K10.
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The Pinarello Dogma K10 retains many of the design features of sister model, the Pinarello Dogma F10, but with a taller head tube, larger tyre clearances and a slacker geometry.
Like Valgren, Wisniowski stuck with the regularly sized 25mm tubulars but selected the more robust Continental Competition RBX model as opposed to the Competition Competition ALX tubulars that Team Sky run in traditional road races.
Click or swipe through the gallery above for a closer look at the trio’s bikes.
Michael Valgren
Frame: Argon 18 Gallium Pro Fork: Argon 18 Gallium Pro
