As the racers rolled to the start of the 2016 Paris-Roubaix, there was a single bike on a team car with a race numberBen Delaney / Immediate Media
Sagan’s Specialized S-Works Roubaix had meaty gearsBen Delaney / Immediate Media
Sagan’s Roubaix had mechanical Dura-Ace, while his first-100km Tarmac had Di2Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
While riders have multiple (and often identical) bikes, they are only issued one race number per eventBen Delaney / Immediate Media
As is the tradition, Sagan had the cobble sectors taped to his stemBen Delaney / Immediate Media
Sagan’s SRM head unit likely had some impressive numbers recorded in it by day’s endBen Delaney / Immediate Media
Sagan started on 26mm tubulars, but rode the last two thirds of the race on 30sBen Delaney / Immediate Media
Sagan has his own logo, which often pops up on his gearBen Delaney / Immediate Media
Note how all his teammates’ bikes have numbers on them before the startBen Delaney / Immediate Media
The empty holder says planned bike changeBen Delaney / Immediate Media
Roval CLX60 wheels for aero benefit in the fast opening hoursBen Delaney / Immediate Media
Sagan logo on PrologoBen Delaney / Immediate Media
You see the theme here?Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Good thing Sagan runs a long Zipp SL Sprint stemBen Delaney / Immediate Media
Scotch tape might not be the most elegant solution, but it gets the job doneBen Delaney / Immediate Media
Di2 sprint shifters poke out of the Supacaz tape. Sagan opted for mechnical Dura-Ace once the race hit the stonesBen Delaney / Immediate Media
Sagan had an SRM power meter for each bikeBen Delaney / Immediate Media
While Sagan and Fabian Cancellara have opted for mechanical Shimano for the cobbles, a majority of the Shimano-sponsored riders this year used the electric option, including race winner Matthew HaymanBen Delaney / Immediate Media
Sagan went with 26mm to start the dayBen Delaney / Immediate Media
Peter Sagan started the 2016 Paris-Roubaix with his dedicated cobbles bike atop the first team follow car. As the 258km race left Compiegne, Sagan pedaled away on a Specialized S-Works Tarmac with deep aero wheels and 26mm tubulars.
Advertisement
“The energy savings in the early part of the race is critical,” Specialized team liaison Gianpaolo Mondini said before the race. “He will switch after about 100km.”
On the follow car, Sagan had his Specialized S-Works Roubaix with fat 30mm FMB/Specialized tubulars.
Note how all his teammates’ bikes have numbers on them before the start: note how all his teammates’ bikes have numbers on them before the start
Notice something missing here? While Sagan’s teammates all had number plates on the bikes they started the race on, Sagan did not
Most other riders opted to split the difference, and start and (hopefully) finish on 28mm tubulars.
The other notable difference was the drivetrain. The Tarmac had Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 with sprint shifters; the pavé set-up had mechanical Shimano Dura-Ace.
Sagan’s top rival Fabian Cancellara has long favored mechanical Dura-Ace over Di2, and again started the race on the cable-actuated group. These two riders are increasingly in the minority, however, with a dozen teams at Paris-Roubaix using Di2 for some if not all of their riders.
Sagan’s roubaix had mechanical dura-ace, while his first-100km tarmac had di2: sagan’s roubaix had mechanical dura-ace, while his first-100km tarmac had di2
Sagan’s Specialized S-Works Roubaix had mechanical Shimano Dura-Ace with 30mm tubulars
Advertisement
Be sure to visit Cyclingnews.com for complete coverage of Paris-Roubaix.
