A look at the bikes in action in the opening team time trial stage
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The Rusvelo riders on their Colnago TT bikes(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The hidden front brake on the BMC Time Machine 01(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Kanstantsin Siutsou has a red and green brake cover on his Pinarello Bolide as Belarus national time trial champion(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Wiggins has a custom grip section on his Fizik saddle(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
A special Pinarello Bolide awaits Bradley Wiggins(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Giorgio Cecchinel's Cipollini bike has this robust seat post area(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Ag2r-La Mondiale riders before they start their recon ride(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Domenico Pozzovivo used this EKOI aero helmet(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
This is Luca Dodi's Merida TT bike(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Guerciotti TT bike has a massive seat stay shape(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
CCC Polsat uses Italian brand Guerciotti(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The MTN-Qhubeka riders used these bright yellow Trek bikes(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Bardiani-CSF team use Cipollini RB14 bikes(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Neri Sottoli riders warmed up on their Cipollini road bikes(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Sebastian Lander's 3T cockpit on his BMC time trial bike(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The split head tube of the Wilier Triestina TT bike(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Wilier Triestina seat post(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The head tube of the Fuji bike(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The NetApp-Endura Fuji bikes hide the batter behind the seat post(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Team Sky riders warm up all together(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Team Sky riders warm-up(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Yannick Eijssen's BMC Time Machine 01(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Neri Sottoli use Cipollini RB1000 TT bikes(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The UCI commissaries checked every bike before the riders studied the course(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Many of the 16 teams in action at the Giro del Trentino used the opening team time trial to test their aero bikes, equipment and warm-up routines before the rapidly approaching Giro d'Italia.
The 13.4km TTT was covered at an average speed of 56.620km/h, making aerodynamics but also bike handling vitally important.
Before the riders could begin a final reconnaissance of the 13.4km course on closed roads, the UCI judges carefully measured every bike to ensure it fitted within the length limitation rules. A spirit level was also used to check that saddles were horizontal, with several mechanics forced to make rapid adjustments before the bikes were approved for competition.
Bikes are becoming more and more aerodynamic, with both front and rear hidden brakes no the norm rather than the exception. The Time Machine used by the BMC squad has an integrated front brake in the fork and a rear brake under the bottom bracket, while Team Sky's Pinarello Bolide has small cover on the front and rear brakes.
Hidden head steerers are also becoming far more common if not de-rigor, with the Colombia team's Wilier Triestina bikes having the biggest and most innovative look thanks to a split head tube design.
Click here to see the full gallery of time trial bike images.
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