The cobbled Classics are some of the most interesting races of the year for bike tech, and of course the Tour of Flanders is no different. Although Paris-Roubaix has seen more extreme setups over the years, Flanders’ combination of cobbles and steep climbs means teams can’t usually just rock up on the same bike they use all year, and they’ve refined their choices over winter as well as earlier Classics like Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
Before he captured the chaos of the Koppenberg, photographer Xavier Pereyron went behind the scenes to check out this year’s selection of bike tech at the Ronde van Vlaanderen.
Eddy Merckx bikes has returned, and the Flanders-Baloise team are riding them in 2024.
Related questions you can explore with Ask Cyclist, our new AI search engine.
Wonder what Eddy’s thoughts on 30mm tyres at Flanders are.
Once a sight reserved for the front end of stages races, Movistar have become a Classics powerhouse in part thanks to the owner of this Canyon Aeroad, Oier Lazkano.
The 54/41 chainring isn’t anything crazy these days.
Movistar's SRAM sponsorship means they use Time pedals.
Jayco-AlUla's Giants are one of, if not the, best looking bikes in the men's peloton.
After the UCI's new regulations on turned-in hoods, the teams are limited in how far they can turn in, Jayco-AlUla are taking the gains they can.
Bling for Bling. Michael Matthews almost had back-to-back Monument podiums but got punished for his sprint and relegated.
Stunning.
Vittoria seems to run the show this season, with its Corsa Pro tyres seemingly the most prominent in the peloton.
Jayco-AlUla are Shimano all round.
Intermarché's Cubes are probably the most aesthetically underrated in the WorldTour, this one's Biniam Girmay's.
They use Continental GP 5000s on Newmen wheels.
Their Shimano Dura-Ace groupset is paired with Look's new pedals.
Groupama-FDJ have moved on from Lapierre for the first time in 2024, this Wilier propelled Stefan Küng to 41st! Their best placed finisher was Valentin Madouas in 16th.
Guess whose bike this is.
This one gives the game away.
The chosen one. Soon to be lofted at the finish line.
Decathlon's Van Rysel bikes are another 2024 addition, and they could hardly have wished for a better start, Oliver Naesen was the team's highest placed finisher in seventh. This particular bike didn't make it to the finish with Edvald Boasson Hagen.
They're very clean.
The team switched out their Shimano Dura-Ace chainrings for lightweight Carbon-TI ones.
While EF changed their kit to a pretty rubbish black number, their Cannondale bikes maintained enough pink that they'd stand out on the road.
They were running 30mm Vittoria Corsa Pro tyres.
Their chainring switch has always been for a spider chainring, this year's is FSA's K-Force Team Edition.
Visma-Lease a Bike's fleet was up against it with no Wout van Aert.
They were also on 30mm Vittorias.
Their Cervélo S5s are all fitted with SRAM Blip shifters on the inside of the drops.
Despite a new SRAM Red on the horizon, it's still the old version currently for Visma.
BMC are out of the WorldTour but still appearing at big races with Swiss team Tudor.
They're committing to edging the boundary of the UCI's regulations.
Matteo Trentin rode this Sella Italia 3D printed saddle to a solid 19th.
Soudal-QuickStep's Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8s were light on bar tape.
They use Specialized parts wherever possible.
And it's full Shimano Dura-Ace. Julian Alaphilippe finished 70th.
It wasn't a great day out for Bahrain Victorious and their Meridas.
They were also using the same Carbon-TI chainrings as Decathlon-AG2R.
And keep their bars as narrow as possible.
It's only a matter of time before we never see a road shoe again. Aero shoe covers are taking over – although in this instance they're probably more helpful for keeping out the dirt than reducing drag.
Shoe brand Nimbl is owned by Cervélo and Lease a Bike owner Pon Holdings, but Uno-X's Alexander Kristoff is also sporting Nimbl footwear. The team's Dare bikes have Shimano Dura-Ace groupsets with an FSA crankset.
Good or bad advert for the shoe covers? You decide.
Despite taking a battering around the toe area, that front portion is incredibly white.
Finally, women's World Champion Lotte Kopecky rode this lovely S-Works Tarmac SL8 to a disappointing – for her – fifth.
Roubaix next. Let there be mud.
