Alessandro Petacchi’s (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) Specialized Venge stands in the rain in Peebles - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
39-year-old Petacchi (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) removed the integrated aerodynamic spacer on the Venge and uses a kinked – and long – alloy stem to get even lower - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Mark Cavendish’s (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) CVNDSH branded Specialized Venge nestled in among the six team bikes - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
A mechanic checks the SRAM brakes on Cavendish’s Venge. - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Alex Dowsett (Movistar) is rider who likes a long stem. FSA have noted a trend among pros to ride smaller frames and compensate with longer stems and more saddle setback - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
A Movistar rider with the day’s obstacles noted down. With an autumn storm blowing in, he’ll be looking forward to FINAL most of all - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Nairo Quintana (Movistar) heads to the start with an aero version of the Catlike Whisper. The Spanish brand hasn’t made any concession to ventilation - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Domestic team IG-Sigma Sport use a mixture of Specialized Venge and Tarmac SL4 framesets. Peter Williams’ SL4 was equipped with Shimano Ultegra Di2 - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
The Node4-Giordana team ride the same Pinarello Dogma 65.1 frames as Team Sky, but match theirs with a Campagnolo Super Record 11-speed groupset - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
The Italian flavour on the Node4 bikes continues with this one-piece stem and bar provided by Most, Pinarello’s component arm - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
In 2014, Raleigh’s top bike will be the Militis Team, an electronic groupset-compatible update, ridden at the Tour of Britain by Australian Tom Scully (Team Raleigh) - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
The frame uses Raleigh’s full carbon C6 fork - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Scully is using an FSA K-Force Light SRM crank - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
The internal cable routing port on the Militis Team exits the chainstay from a fairly central location - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Philip Deignan’s (United Healthcare) aerodynamic NeilPryde Alize was dripping before the stage start - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Deignan – who’s off to Team Sky in 2014 – is a Rotor Q-Ring user - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
United Healthcare use exotic TRP R970EQ brakes which are claimed to weigh 116g per unit - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
TRP R970EQ are machined magnesium arms with titanium bolts - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Dan Martin’s (Garmin-Sharp) Cervélo R5 lies propped against the team bus - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
The Irish AN Post-Chain Reaction squad ride Vitus Vitesse bikes – a brand made famous by the team’s godfather figure, Sean Kelly - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Thomas Lövkvist’s (IAM) Scott Addict with DT Swiss RRC 46 tubular wheels was one of the stealthier bikes at the Tour of Britain - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Lövkvist’s SRM speed sensor was mounted on the front wheel - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
MTN-Qhubeka’s Trek Madone 7-Series were propped up and ready to go as the rain fell a little harder just before the start - Sam Dansie/BikeRadars
Rapha-Condor-JLT rider Hugh Carthy left it late to get to start on his carbon Condor Leggero. - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
A witty Peebles butcher capitalises on Bradley Wiggins presence - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Crowds packed into the picturesque Scottish Borders town of Peebles to wave off Tour of Britain riders on a wet and wild stage 1 to Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfriesshire this morning.
Raleigh used the opportunity to show off the new Militis Team bike that will crown Raleigh's 2014 road range. Raleigh claims the frame weighs 880g for a size 53cm and the accompanying C6 fork, 385g.
In 2014, raleigh’s top bike will be the militis team, an electronic groupset-compatible update, ridden at the tour of britain by australian tom scully (team raleigh): in 2014, raleigh’s top bike will be the militis team, an electronic groupset-compatible update, ridden at the tour of britain by australian tom scully (team raleigh) - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Raleigh's new Militis Team bike
Philip Deignan (United Healthcare) – who will bolster Team Sky’s climbing power in 2014 – was running rare and expensive Magnesium TRP R970EQ brakes on his NeilPryde Alize.
Alessandro Petacchi (Omega Pharma-QuickStep is back in the peleton after a three month retirement and his Specialized Venge had some neat touches to help him get as aerodynamic as possible.
Meanwhile Kristian House (Rapha-Condor-JLT) had a made to measure steel frame riding spare on the team car – which BikeRadarwill feature later in the race.
Sam Dansie is a former contributor to BikeRadar. With 15 years experience working in cycling media, Sam also worked for Procycling and was a script writer for GCN.
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