This article was first published on Cyclingnews
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad marks the beginning of the season proper. With over 12km of Kassien or pavé the race is also the first cobbled Classic of the year and with nowhere to hide, the bikes, as well as the riders, need to arrive prepared for the first cobbled test of the 2018 season.
Michael Valgren (Astana Pro Team) attacked in the closing kilometres to take the Dane’s biggest victory to date. Riding aboard an Argon 18 Gallium Pro, Valgren was equipped with a mix of Shimano and FSA components, while Corima provides the Kazakh teams with wheels.
Usually racing on Schwalbe tyres, the majority of the Astana team swapped in the legendary handmade FMB Paris-Roubaix tyres, with Valgren opting for 25mm tubulars for the fairly tame cobbles of Flanders.
More surprisingly, however, was that Valgren won the WorldTour race using a Shimano Ultegra cassette, showcasing that perhaps the most expensive components aren’t always the most necessary.
Sep Vanmarcke (EF Education First-Drapac) put in a flurry of attacks throughout the race, eventually settling for third place.
Racing on a Cannondale SuperSix Evo, Vanmarcke and Valgren opt to race on all-round race bikes that are as at home in the Alps as on the cobbles as opposed to a potentially comfier and less fatiguing endurance frame model.
While Valgren opted for FMB tubulars, Vanmarcke switch from his regular 25mm Vittoria Corsa tubulars for 28mm Vittoria Corsa Control tubulars, which feature a file tread pattern.
Along with his Team Sky teammates, second place finisher Lukasz Wisniowski raced the Classics opener aboard the cobble specific Pinarello Dogma K10.
The Pinarello Dogma K10 retains many of the design features of sister model, the Pinarello Dogma F10, but with a taller head tube, larger tyre clearances and a slacker geometry.
Like Valgren, Wisniowski stuck with regularly sized 25mm tubulars but opted for the more robust Continental Competition RBX model as opposed to the Competition Competition ALX tubulars Team Sky run in traditional road races.
Click or swipe through the gallery above for a closer look at the trio’s bikes.
Full specifications
Michael Valgren: Argon 18 Gallium Pro
- Frame: Argon 18 Gallium Pro
- Fork: Argon 18 Gallium Pro
- Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
- Rear brake: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
- Brake/shift levers: Shimano Dura-Ace R9150
- Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace R9150
- Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace R9150
- Cassette: Shimano Ultegra, 11-28
- Crankset: FSA Powerbox, 53/39
- Wheels: Corima 32 WS
- Tyres: FMB Paris-Roubaix, 25mm
- Handlebars: FSA Energy alloy
- Stem: FSA K-Force Light
- Tape/grips: Prologo
- Pedals: Look Keo Blade Carbon
- Saddle: Prologo Dimension Nack
- Seatpost: FSA K-Force Light
- Bottle cages: Tacx Deva
Lukasz Wisniowski: Pinarello Dogma K10
- Frame: Pinarello Dogma K10
- Fork: Pinarello Onda F10
- Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
- Rear brake: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
- Brake/shift levers: Shimano Dura-Ace R9150
- Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace R9150
- Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace R9150
- Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100, 11-30
- Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
- Crankset: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 with Stages power meter, 53/39
- Wheels: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 C24
- Tyres: Continental Competition RBX, 25mm tubular
- Handlebars: MOST
- Stem: MOST
- Tape/grips: MOST
- Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
- Saddle: Fizik Antares
- Seatpost: Pinarello Dogma K10
- Bottle cages: Elite Ciussi
- Computer: Wahoo Elemnt Bolt
Sep Vanmarcke: Cannondale SuperSix Evo HiMod
- Frame: Cannondale SuperSix Evo HiMod
- Fork: Cannondale SuperSix EVO, SAVE, BallisTec Hi-MOD full carbon
- Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
- Rear brake: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
- Brake/shift levers: Shimano Dura-Ace R9150
- Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace R9150
- Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace R9150
- Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100, 11-28
- Crankset: Cannondale SISL with SRM power meter, 53/38
- Wheels: Vision Metron 40
- Tyres: Vittoria Corsa Control, 28mm tubular
- Handlebar: FSA Energy alloy
- Stem: FSA OS-99
- Tape/grips: Prologo
- Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
- Saddle: Prologo Nago
- Seatpost: FSA K-Force Light
- Bottle cages: Tacx Deva