Wrong chainring bolts the cause of Rui Costa's Tour de Romandie mechanical
Rotor reveals incorrect chainring bolts were used on Costa's chainset
Rui Costa's chainring failure at the Tour de Romandie prologue earlier in the week was down to the use of incorrect chainring bolts, not an equipment failure, Cyclingnews can report.
The information originated from an email from the Intermarché-Circus-Wanty team to Rotor on the mechanical issue.
Upon making his initial starting effort down the Prologue start ramp Costa ripped out all four of his chainring bolts. The broken bolts were later found on the start podium.
It transpired the wrong chainring bolts were accidentally used which caused the mechanical. Shorter single chainring bolts had been used instead of the longer bolts needed to run a double chainset. Meaning the big chainring was not fully supported. Team mechanics have been instructed to double-check all bikes to ensure they have the correct bolts.
It transpires that Costa was using a double chainset, but with the shorter chainring bolts designed for single chainrings fitted in error. The shorter bolts would have had minimal thread engagement which wouldn't have held up to Costa's starting effort, resulting in the bolt failure.
Cyclingnews has reached out to the team for comment but hasn't received a response at this time. We will update this story if we receive further clarification.
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Tom joined the Cyclingnews team in late 2022 as tech writer. Tom has over 10 years experience as a qualified mechanic with 5 or so of those being spent running an independent workshop. Tom has ridden and raced bikes from an early age up to a national level on the road and track and has ridden and competed in most disciplines, even the odd bit of bike polo. Tom is as happy tinkering away in the garage as he is out on the road bike exploring the Worcestershire lanes.