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Road

Steel is real: Alessandro Ballan's Lampre-Fondital custom Wilier

By Cycling News published 17 April 2006

Having ridden so well since mid-February when he won the prestigious Trofeo Laigueglia, right up...

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Image 1 of 29

Steel is real(Image credit: Anthony Tan)

An slightly oversized top tube.(Image credit: Anthony Tan)

Frédéric Guesdon's Lapierre(Image credit: Anthony Tan)

Go the canti's!(Image credit: Anthony Tan)

An slightly oversized top tube.(Image credit: Anthony Tan)

And a tapered downtube.(Image credit: Anthony Tan)

31.8mmm oversized(Image credit: Anthony Tan)

The lanky though flexible Ballan(Image credit: Anthony Tan)

Go the canti's!(Image credit: Anthony Tan)

A closer look(Image credit: Anthony Tan)

Pulling the lever(Image credit: Anthony Tan)

32 hole hubs and soldered spokes(Image credit: Anthony Tan)

Steel is real - Alessandro Ballan's Lampre-Fondital cr-mo Wilier.(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

An slightly oversized top tube.(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

And a tapered downtube.(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

Ritchey carbon forks with extended rake for comfort.(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

31.8mmm oversized bars and stem.(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

Better hurry up - Alessandro Ballan's spare bike was still in the process of being made a day before the start of Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

The lanky though flexible Ballan sits very low when riding in the drops.(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

Hmm, they're not Campagnolo brake blocks...(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

Frédéric Guesdon's Lapierre - arguably the most modified of any of the bikes seen for Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

Ritchey's WCS stem.(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

Go the canti's! Rustproof they're not, but they certainly do work when the going gets tough.(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

A closer look at one of the cantilever brake arms.(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

Pulling the lever at the headset downwards...(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

... opens up the brakes to allow the 27mm wide tyre and front wheel to pop out for wheel changes.(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

32 hole hubs and soldered spokes - the tying and soldering helps keep the wheel straight if a spopke breaks.(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

This is actually Lapierre's aluminium cyclocross frame, modified for Roubaix.(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

The rear cantilever brake - using Shimano's Deore XT mountain bike brake blocks.(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)

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