Pro bike: Peter Sagan’s Cannondale Synapse Evo Hi-Mod

<source media="(max-width: 320px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-5cb99iyw00m6-2a20129.jpg?quality=90&resize=160%2C208, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-5cb99iyw00m6-2a20129.jpg?quality=90&resize=320%2C416 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-5cb99iyw00m6-2a20129.jpg?quality=90&resize=410%2C533 3x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 375px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-5cb99iyw00m6-2a20129.jpg?quality=90&resize=190%2C247, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-5cb99iyw00m6-2a20129.jpg?quality=90&resize=380%2C494 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-5cb99iyw00m6-2a20129.jpg?quality=90&resize=410%2C533 3x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 992px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-5cb99iyw00m6-2a20129.jpg?quality=90&resize=136%2C176, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-5cb99iyw00m6-2a20129.jpg?quality=90&resize=272%2C353 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-5cb99iyw00m6-2a20129.jpg?quality=90&resize=408%2C530 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-5cb99iyw00m6-2a20129.jpg?quality=90&resize=410%2C533 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(min-width: 993px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-5cb99iyw00m6-2a20129.jpg?quality=90&resize=155%2C201, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-5cb99iyw00m6-2a20129.jpg?quality=90&resize=310%2C403 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-5cb99iyw00m6-2a20129.jpg?quality=90&resize=410%2C533 3x" type="image/jpeg"> <img class="wp-image-330320 size-portrait_thumbnail image-handler__image image-handler__image--aspect no-wrap js-gallery-grid-src-image" src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-5cb99iyw00m6-2a20129.jpg?quality=90&resize=295%2C383" width="295" height="383" data-crop-width="" data-crop-height="" alt="Peter Sagan's (Cannondale Pro Cycling) new Cannondale Synapse Evo Hi-Mod. Cannondale supplies the rising superstar with a custom frame geometry, with the more aggressive stack of a 54cm SuperSix Hi-Mod but the reach of a 58cm size" title="1364749122801-5cb99iyw00m6-2a20129" style="width: auto; height: 100%;"> Peter Sagan’s (Cannondale Pro Cycling) new Cannondale Synapse Evo Hi-Mod. Cannondale supplies the rising superstar with a custom frame geometry, with the more aggressive stack of a 54cm SuperSix Hi-Mod but the reach of a 58cm size James Huang/Future Publishing

Peter Sagan (Cannondale Pro Cycling) didn’t win the 2013 Tour of Flanders but he was awfully close, finishing 1:26 down from winner Fabian Cancellara (Radioshack Leopard) . It was arguably still a victory for team sponsor Cannondale , though, as Sagan gave the company’s new model its best result to date. Cannondale isn’t revealing any details yet but given the company’s naming conventions, we’re going to go ahead and christen it the Synapse Evo Hi-Mod.

Visually, Sagan’s new Synapse is a complete departure from the current version, though it’s clearly still designed for comfort on rough surfaces. The stays are even flatter than before, while the seat tube has shed its pseudo-aero profile for a round-to-flat shape that radically splits in two down by the bottom bracket.

The fork blades are more aggressively scalloped than before, too, although they’re still built with unusually forward-swept legs with dropouts that reach back to the hub to retain a normal rake.

Cannondale also appears to have made the new Synapse an even higher-performance model with a newly tapered front end (we’re guessing 1 1/8in to 1 1/4in), fully split seat stays that are spaced further apart at the seat cluster, and chain stays that are even broader than before. Cable routing is now internal, too, and suffice to say that we expect the new bike to shed a fair bit of weight.

<img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-1esq2cy19vdfc-1000-100-49b7e37.jpg?quality=90&lb=800,1067&background=white" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-1esq2cy19vdfc-1000-100-49b7e37.jpg?quality=90&lb=728,970&background=white 728w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-1esq2cy19vdfc-1000-100-49b7e37.jpg?quality=90&lb=556,741&background=white 556w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-1esq2cy19vdfc-1000-100-49b7e37.jpg?quality=90&lb=355,473&background=white 355w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-1esq2cy19vdfc-1000-100-49b7e37.jpg?quality=90&lb=340,453&background=white 340w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122801-1esq2cy19vdfc-1000-100-49b7e37.jpg?quality=90&lb=320,426&background=white 320w, " sizes="(min-width: 992px) 940px, (min-width: 768px) 728px, (min-width: 576px) 556px, calc(100vw - 20px)" width="800" height="1067" class="wp-image-330331 alignnone size-full img-container__image" alt="The radically split seat tube base on Cannondale's new Synapse Evo Hi-Mod" title="1364749122801-1esq2cy19vdfc-1000-100-49b7e37" data-source-name="James Huang/Future Publishing"> The radically split seat tube base on cannondale’s new synapse evo hi-mod : James Huang/Future Publishing The radically split seat tube base

As with Sagan’s SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod , Cannondale has supplied the Slovakian cycling superstar with a custom geometry to better suit his aggressively long and low position.

While teammate Maciej Bodnar’s standard 58cm Synapse Evo Hi-Mod comes with a 207mm-long head tube, Sagan’s bike is built with a similar reach but the stack of a 54cm size, complete with a head tube that’s more than 60mm shorter.

Somewhat amazingly considering how different the production SuperSix and Synapse families are in terms of positioning, Sagan’s custom fit is virtually identical between his two machines. The one exception is a 15mm lower saddle height on his Synapse Evo Hi-Mod, which was likely done to help maintain proper pedaling performance while he bounces across the cobbles.

The build kits are similar, too, including a SRAM Red 2012 transmission and brakes with a PC-1070 cassette, Vision Metron carbon tubular wheels wrapped with Kenda-badged tires, 175mm-long Cannondale SiSL2 crank arms with an SRM power meter and SRAM Red 2012 53/39T chainrings, a Fizik Aliante saddle, and a 120mm-long, OS-99 carbon-wrapped aluminum stem and 42cm-wide, traditional-bend Energy T aluminum handlebars from FSA .

<img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122830-19thfca8qflcp-67fdc05.jpg?quality=90&lb=800,533&background=white" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122830-19thfca8qflcp-67fdc05.jpg?quality=90&lb=728,485&background=white 728w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122830-19thfca8qflcp-67fdc05.jpg?quality=90&lb=556,370&background=white 556w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122830-19thfca8qflcp-67fdc05.jpg?quality=90&lb=355,236&background=white 355w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122830-19thfca8qflcp-67fdc05.jpg?quality=90&lb=340,226&background=white 340w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/1364749122830-19thfca8qflcp-67fdc05.jpg?quality=90&lb=320,213&background=white 320w, " sizes="(min-width: 992px) 940px, (min-width: 768px) 728px, (min-width: 576px) 556px, calc(100vw - 20px)" width="800" height="533" class="wp-image-330342 alignnone size-full img-container__image" alt="Peter Sagan (Cannondale Pro Cycling) prefers the traditional bend of FSA's Energy T aluminum handlebar" title="1364749122830-19thfca8qflcp-67fdc05" data-source-name="James Huang/Future Publishing"> Peter sagan (cannondale pro cycling) prefers the traditional bend of fsa’s energy t aluminum handlebar: James Huang/Future Publishing FSA’s Energy T aluminum handlebar has a traditional bend

Sagan has switched things, however, by subbing in Fizik K:ium tubular metallic saddle rails and slightly shallower, 40mm-deep wheels in place of his usual carbon rails and 50mm-deep hoops. Plus, there’s the sturdier FSA SL-K seatpost instead of the K-Force, to handle the greater extension.

We weren’t able to get an actual weight but the similarly equipped SuperSix Evo comes in at 7.29kg (16.07lb) so we’d expect this Synapse Evo Hi-Mod to be a bit heavier.

We hope you enjoy this in-depth look at Sagan’s new machine – as a bonus, we’ve included detailed shots of his SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod, too.

Complete bike specification

Frame: Cannondale Synapse Evo Hi-Mod, custom 58x54cm geometry Fork: Cannondale Synapse Evo Hi-Mod Headset: Cannondale Synapse Evo SL, 1 1/8in to 1 1/4in tapered Stem: FSA OS-99, 120mm x -6 degrees Handlebar: FSA Energy T, 42cm (c-c) Tape/grips: Fizik Brakes: SRAM Red 2012 w/ carbon-specific pads Brake levers: SRAM Red 2012 DoubleTap Derailleurs: SRAM Red 2012 Shift levers: SRAM Red 2012 DoubleTap Cassette: SRAM PG-1070, 11-26T Chain: SRAM PG-1070, 11-26T Crankset: Cannondale Hollowgram SiSL2, 175mm, w/ SRAM Red 2012 53/39T chainrings Bottom bracket: Cannondale BB30 Wheels: Vision Metron 40 tubular Pedals: Speedplay Zero Stainless Saddle: Fizik Aliante K:ium Seatpost: FSA SL-K SB20 Bottle cages: Elite Ciussi (2) Critical measurements

Rider’s height: 1.84m (6ft) Rider’s weight: 75kg (165lb) Saddle height, from BB (c-t): 755mm Saddle setback: 80mm Seat tube length, c-c: 455mm Tip of saddle nose to c of bars: 620mm Saddle to bar drop: 105mm Head tube length: 144mm Top tube length: 580mm