Pro bike: Wilco Kelderman's Bianchi Oltre XR2
By Sam Dansie
Unfussy race machine for rising Dutch star
Wilco Kelderman has been touted as the next star of Dutch cycling. The label usually comes attached to a big bag of public expectation, but the 23-year-old Belkin rider appears to be carrying it lightly this season. He took seventh at the Giro d'Italia in May – only his second grand tour – and is currently third at the Critérium du Dauphiné where he was almost able to match the pace of Chris Froome (Team Sky) and Alberto Contador (Tinkoff Saxo-Bank) up the slopes of the Col de Béal yesterday.
Kelderman is riding the very stiff Bianchi Oltre XR2, an all-round race bike in a standard team setup. That means Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 throughout, FSA components and, for him, a San Marco saddle tipped slightly forward.
The frame – ridden by most of the team’s stage race group – is a size 57cm. The frame is designed to be as stiff as possible, but there are some nods to comfort: the Oltre XR2 is built with slim seatstays to reduce road vibration and reduce weight without losing power transfer.
Kelderman is built in the Dutch mould – tall and very slender – meaning most of the kit sizes are on the lengthy side too – especially concerning leg measurements. Saddle to the centre of the bottom bracket is 788mm for example.
The bike, though an all-rounder, makes a significant nod to aerodynamics. Cables are internally routed and the front end's sculpted tapered head tube keeps frontal area to a minimum.
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