Stuart O’Grady’s Paris-Roubaix bike was a specially built Cervélo R3, very similar to last year’sJames Huang
The rear end was approximately 1cm longer to yield a slightly softer ride and more stable handling.James Huang
Increased fork rake offsets the longer chain stays to maintain overall fore-aft weight distribution.James Huang
Cervélo’s ‘squoval’-shaped downtube is claimed to maximize structural efficiency with minimal weightJames Huang
The seat tube starts out at the bottom bracket with a similar profile but ends up round up top.James Huang
The bottom end of the Cervélo R3 is impressively beefy to deliver good drivetrain response.James Huang
Not surprisingly, the bottom bracket area is plenty stout.James Huang
Massively oversized chain stays…James Huang
…are matched to slim seat stays for a solid feel under power but a comfortable ride over the bumpsJames Huang
Not many riders get to wear this decal on their top tube. This one had to be earned the hard way.James Huang
Full-length brake housing is sealed from contaminants, although O’Grady didn’t need it in the dryJames Huang
The team skipped over its usual Zipp carbon tubulars in favour of more traditional handbuilt wheels.James Huang
The Shimano Dura-Ace rear hub may not be sexy but it worksJames Huang
Heads out or heads in? The debate rages on but Team CSC mechanics have clearly made their choice.James Huang
O’Grady tackled the Paris-Roubaix cobbles on a pair of Ambrosio aluminium box-section tubular rims.James Huang
27mm Vittoria tubulars offer more security and comfort than more standard 22mm- or 23mm-wide optionsJames Huang
O’Grady switched to a Prologo Scratch TR saddle this year.James Huang
The saddle shell isn’t just reinforced with bits of carbon; it really is carbon fibre composite.James Huang
The team swapped over to 3T for some of its componentry sponsorship this year.James Huang
The bars are labelled as a 3T Ergosum Pro…James Huang
…but the bend suggests they might be e a rebadged sample of the FSA bar that O’Grady used last year.James Huang
Standard Dura-Ace brake callipers front…James Huang
…and rear show relatively tight clearances but mud was a non-issue at this year’s Paris-Roubaix.James Huang
Standard Dura-Ace STI Dual Control levers control the action up front.James Huang
FSA still supplies the team with cranksets.James Huang
O’Grady’s uniquely built Speedplay pedals omit the usual plastic bodies for better action in mud.James Huang
Tacx Tao cages offered a secure hold on bottles as O’Grady passed over the cobbles.James Huang
O’Grady’s usual Sigma computer kept track as the kilometres ticked by.James Huang
Team CSC mechanics definitely had a system for making sure every bike was properly prepped.James Huang
Team CSC mechanic Roger Theel preps O’Grady’s bike the day before the big event.James Huang
While many other teams resorted to new, and often unorthodox, creations at this year’s Paris-Roubaix, Team CSC went with a time-tested setup in its quest for a third consecutive cobblestone trophy. The team couldn’t quite pull off the win in the end, but their only slightly modified Cervélo R3 machines proved themselves once again.
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O’Grady’s Cervélo R3 was a near carbon copy of the bike that carried him to victory at last year’s queen of the classics with only minor changes in componentry. Just as before, the frame’s rear end was extended by 1cm to deliver a slightly smoother ride and more stable handling. Rake on the accompanying Alpha Q GS-10 fork was similarly increased to 50mm to retain overall weight balance front-to-rear but otherwise there were no special concessions made to increase tyre clearances at either end.
Some of this consistency may have to do with the frame’s built-in design attributes: the front triangle and chain stays are appropriately massive for snappy reflexes but, as always, the R3 seat stays are almost impossibly spindly for a smoother ride over the cobbles.
Much of last year’s equipment carried over as well, including the traditional box-section tubular rims laced to standard Dura-Ace hubs front and rear with stainless steel spokes in a three-cross pattern. Nearly all of the remaining componentry wore the Dura-Ace badge as well, save for the carbon FSA carbon crankset, and Vittoria once again provided the corresponding 27mm-wide tubular rubber. Pedals were the familiar specially modified Zeros from Speedplay.
In fact, virtually nothing on O’Grady’s bike was new relative to 2007. Lone exceptions included a new Scratch TR carbon-shelled saddle from Prologo and the ARX Team stem and Ergosum Pro bar from new sponsor 3T (although the shape of the latter bore a striking resemblance to O’Grady’s FSA bar from last year).
Call it boring or unimaginative if you like but O’Grady’s Cervélo was one of the lightest Paris-Roubaix bikes we handled; actual weight was just 7.5kg (16.5lb). Regardless, the results speak for themselves. O’Grady ended up in fifth place only nine months after his horrific crash at last year’s Tour de France and 2007 Paris-Roubaix winner Fabian Cancellara continued his incredibly successful spring campaign only one step down from Quick Step’s Tom Boonen.
Was CSC’s Cervélo R3 rerun boring and unimaginative? Perhaps, but it was also undeniably effective.
Not many riders get to wear this decal on their top tube. this one had to be earned the hard way.: not many riders get to wear this decal on their top tube. this one had to be earned the hard way.
Full specification
Frame: Cervélo R3 Paris-Roubaix Special w/1cm chain stay extension
Fork: Alpha Q GS-10, 50mm rake
Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace BR-7800
Rear brake: Shimano Dura-Ace BR-7800
Levers: Shimano Dura-Ace STI Dual Control ST-7800
Front derailleurs: Shimano Dura-Ace FD-7800-F
Rear derailleurs: Shimano Dura-Ace RD-7800-SS with FSA ceramic pulleys
