Disc brakes, tubeless tyres, 1X drivetrains, inner tubes and more
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Bahrain-Merida on the start ramp ahead of their stage effort(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Many teams will use time trial specific bidons like this Elite Chrono CX option(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
SRAM Blip satellite shifting buttons sit at the end of the handlebar extensions to change gear while in an aero position(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Team Sunweb's Cervelo P5, another relatively new TT model that uses disc brakes(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
A Sunweb mechanic works on a team bike ahead of the stage(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
EF Education First's Cannondale SuperSlice(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The US-registered squad paired their Vision Metron wheels with tubeless tyres from Vittoria(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The Cannondale SuperSlice bikes are yet to receive the pink/blue paint design of the new team colours(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The Vision Metron chainring is marked up as a 60-tooth and is used in conjunction with CeramicSpeed's OSPW system(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
A look at the new wheels from Vision(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Grip tape is often used on handlebar extensions instead of traditional handlebar tape(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
A mechanic attaches a bottle cage ahead of the stage(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Katusha-Alpecin's bikes are paired with SRAM RED eTap AXS drivetrains with several riders opting for a 1X setup(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Katusha-Alpecin's Canyon Speedmax CF SLX(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Another custom SRM computer, this time belonging to Ivan Garcia Cortina(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Omar Fraile's Argon 18 E-119(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Jakob Fuglsang's bike is wheeled to the team bus ahead of the stage start(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Jasper Philipsen's Colnago K.One(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Lotto Soudal's Ridley Dean Fast TT bikes(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Lotto Soudal are another team to use the Campagnolo Bora WTO 77 in a tubeless setup(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Look Keo Blade Carbon and Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 make up the vast mojority of pedals used at the Tour de France(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
A look at a Lotto Soudal rider's cockpit setup(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Julian Alaphilippe's S-Works Shiv TT. All of the Deceuninck-QuickStep riders raced with special Riding for Focus rear wheels raising awareness for the Specialized Foundation's program(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Deceuninck-QuickStep were another team to use special wax lubricants on their chains(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
This Trek-Segafredo rider used a Pro Textreme front wheel with the branding covered to stop any sponsor conflict. A front derailleur also appears to have been replaced with a sturdy chain catcher and set up in a 1X setup(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Older Specialized Shiv TT bikes were available as spares on the team car roofs(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Shimano Dura-Ace 9000 series cranksets were also equipped on the spare bikes(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
A Team Ineos Pinarello Bolide(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Team Ineos use a mix of Shimano and Stages power meters depending on rider preference(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
A look at the Team Ineos drivetrain setup for the stage(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Pinarello's 3D-printed titanium cockpits were first seen at the 2017 Tour de France Grand Depart in Dusseldorf(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The cockpits are completely custom for each rider and cost in excess of £10,000(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
A look at the unique down tube design on the Pinarello Bolide(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
As you might expect, the Bolide uses a proprietary seat post(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Team Ineos pair their bikes with Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 C60 front wheels and Pro Textreme Disc rear wheels(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Dylan Van Baarle warms up ahead of the stage(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Geraint Thomas checks over his Pinarello Bolide ahead of the stage start(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Team Ineos warm up ahead of the stage with large crowds(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The Merida Warp TT is another bike with the external steerer design(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
58-tooth chain rings were a common sight on the startline in Brussels(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Total Direct Energie's spare bikes look to be in last season's team colours, although seemed suitable for the famous race(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The Total Direct Energie Wiliers are another disc brake equipped TT bike(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The French Pro Continental team use wheels from FFWD(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Spare bikes on team cars mean changing a wheel in a TTT is unlikely to be necessary(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Tour de France edition Look Keo Blade Carbon pedals for this Total Direct Energie rider(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The Wilier design also features an external hinged steerer instead of the traiditional internal steerer seen on most modern road bikes(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Spare bikes sit easily accessiblee on top of the Bahrain Merida team cars(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Bahrain Merida recently signed a multi-year contract with McLaren, who have been working closely with the team on aerodynamics(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
More 58-tooth chainrings on display(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Team Ineos wait for the call to head to the start ramp (Image credit: Pete Goding.)
A look at the Bahrain-Merida Merida Warp TT bikes ahead of Stage 2(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Like Team Ineos, Groupama-FDJ are one of the teams that work closely with Shimano(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Arkea-Samsic's Warren Barguil and Andre Greipel head out for a recon(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Warren Barguil syncs his phone and computer ahead of the recon(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Several team mechanics at the Tour de France will have customised tool boxes, prioritising their most used and favourite tools(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Box-fresh white Sidi Shot shoes for the Tour de France(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Maxime Bouet pairs his power meter ahead of the stage(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Many of the latest time trial framesets have adopted disc brakes over rim brakes(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
A look at an Arkea-Samsic cockpit(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
For road and time trial bikes, all riders use data transmitters, usually attached underneath the saddle to the rear(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Deceuninck-QuickStep's Michael Morkov heads out on a recon on the new Specialized Shiv TT(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The new Shiv TT has been completely redesigned from its predecessor and again is disc brake only(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The French Pro Continental team chose to warm up on their road bikes on the turbo trainers(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Arkea-Samsic were using unbranded rear carbon wheels on their BH time trial bikes(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The Lapierre Aerostorm DRS features a fairing over the rear brakes to reduce turbulance(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The massive seat cluster area offers an opportunity for sponsor real estate(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Groupama-FDJ pair their bikes with wheels from Shimano's wheel and finishing kit brand Pro(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Stefan Kung's custom painted Lapierre Aerostorm in the colours of the Swiss national champion(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The relatively flat course in Brussels meant big chainrings and small cassettes were th order of the day(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
A look at Stefan Kung's cockpit setup(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The front ends of the Groupama-FDJ Lapierre time trial bikes(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Most teams at the race will have second time trial bikes in case of any mechanicals but a second team car will also follow with road bikes for an absolute worst case scenario(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Alejandro Valverde and Mikel Landa head out for a recon of the course(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Movistar were using the new Campagnolo Bora WTO 77 on the front of their Canyons(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Each rider will have custom cockpit setups to suit them(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
UAE Team Emirates' Colnago K.One(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The Campagnolo Bora Ultra rear disc wheel has a large carbon weave visible(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Mitchelton-Scott use Lightweight Autobahn rear disc wheels(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Mitchelton-Scott are the only team at the race to use Pirelli tyres(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The Bianchi Aquila has a front end fairing to cover the front brake caliper(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
A look at a Jumbo-Visma cockpit setup(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Like the Speecialized Shiv, the Bianchi Aquila features super-low seat stays(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Many riders will often have additional grip on their saddles to help to stay in position(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Several teams' chains featured a special wax lubricant likely optimised for the short stage(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Another look at the stage winning Jumbo-Visma Bianchi Aquila TT bikes(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Rudy Project's new TT-specific helmet The Wing(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The updated Merida Warp TT was launched ahead of last year's Tour de France(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Former Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali heads to the start line(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
A look at Matej Mohoric's drivetrain setup(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Like Movistar, UAE Team Emirates used the new Campagnolo Bora WTO 77 front wheel with a tubeless tyre setup(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The UAE Team Emirates Colnagos ready to race(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Astana had their older TT bikes setup on the turbo trainers and their new Argon 18 E-119 Disc ready to race(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Astana use tri-spoke front wheels from French brand Corima(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The new Argon 18 E-119 is another new TT bike equipped with disc brakes(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
The stage winning Jumbo-Visma team get ready for the stage recon(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Jumbo-Visma race on Bianchi Aquila paired with Shimano components and wheels from Pro(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Bahrain-Merida use SRM Origin cranksets with Shimano components(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Bahrain-Merida use wheels from Fulcrum(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Matej Mohoric is a former national champion of Slovenia and races with a custom SRM PC-8 computer celebrating his victory(Image credit: Pete Goding.)
Stage 2 of the 2019 Tour de France was a 27.6 kilometre team time trial from the centre of Brussels to the iconic Atomium sculpture in the north of the city. Team Ineos were first off of the start ramp and held the fastest time throughout the day until Jumbo-Visma – the final team to take to the course – bettered the British squad by 20 seconds to take their second stage in as many days.
Last week, Specialized launched their new S-Works Shiv TT bike, which was first seen at the Giro d’Italia in May. Available as a disc brake only model, the bike follows a trend of range-topping TT bikes to only be available with the braking technology as different manufacturers converge to the ultimate aerodynamic design.
Deceuninck-QuickStep ran Roval 321 rear disc wheels featuring colourful graphics highlighting the Specialized Foundation’s Riding for Focus program. Speaking to Cyclingnews ahead of the stage, Specialized said that both Deceuninck-QuickStep and Bora-hansgrohe would be racing the stage on S-Works Turbo Cotton clincher tyres with inner tubes as opposed to the traditional tubular option.
Tubeless tyres have increasingly become a presence this season and the team time trial stage was no different. EF Education First, UAE Team Emirates and Lotto Soudal were all seen with Vittoria Corsa Graphene 2.0 tubeless tyres being used on their respective wheelsets.
Katusha-Alpecin and Trek-Segafredo have both been using SRAM’s new RED eTap AXS drivetrains this season and for the relatively flat course in Brussels, several riders opted for 1X drivetrain setups.
Click through the extensive gallery above for a closer look at the tech on display at Stage 2 of the 2019 Tour de France.
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