Snow doesn’t effect many races on the WorldTour calendar, but when it falls, the event falls with it.
The cancellation of Kuurne Brussels Kuurne left us with plenty of free time to cast an eye, and a camera lens, across the technology deployed this season by cycling’s biggest teams.
We got up close up to Mark Cavendish’s Specialized Venge, noted the switch from Campagnolo Eurus alloy rims to Campagnolo Bora Two Ultras at Lotto Belisol, and admired Edvald Boasson Hagen’s Norwegian-liveried Pinarello Dogma 65.1 Think 2.
Here are some of the highlights of our visit to Belgium’s coldest town.
RoadCyclingUK traveled with Hammer Sports, organisers of the Hammer Sportive, and UK distributor for Thompson Bikes
A fleet of flagship EMX-525 from Belgian legend, Eddy Merckx, hang in the Topsport-Vlaanderen truck, still bearing the race numbers from the previous day’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Question: who was set to roll on Zipp 404 Firecrests, glued with FMB Paris-Roubaix CX Competition tubs?
Answer: last year’s KBK winner, Mark Cavendish (as well as many of his Omega Pharma-QuickStep teammates)
The Norwegian flag on this Pinarello Dogma 65.1 Think 2 makes it easily identifiable as the property of national champion, Edvald Boasson Hagen
Mauro Finetto’s Cipollini RB1000 could scarcely have looked more Italian beneath a snow-laden Belgian sky
Like several other teams, Finetto’s Vini Fantini-Selle Italia team opted for cobble-resistant Ambrosio rims
Orica Greenedge label their Scott Foil Team Issue bikes on the underside of the downtube for the benefit of mechanics who need to pluck them from the team car roof in a hurry
Lotto Belisol mechanic, Frederick Moons, swaps a cassette from a Campagnolo Eurus aluminium rim, used in the previous day’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, to a 50mm, Campagnolo Bora Ultra Two hoop
Returning Gee Thomas’ SRM power meter would be a simple task if it fell from the handlebar mount
