Bike check: Gunnar Holmgren’s national champ VéloColour painted Cannondale SuperX

Under-23 Canadian cyclocross champion Gunnar Holmgren has a brand new paint job on his Cannondale SuperX race whip. Holmgren has already had a great 2018 season winning both days of the UCI race weekend in Sherbrooke, Que. in the elite category, taking the U23 Canadian title and then the UCI the following day in Peterborough, Ont. against the elites. Not bad for a 19-year-old from Orillia, Ont. but he’s already got his sights on the final part of his season in Europe.

Holmgren will race overseas in the heartland of cyclocross aboard the sparkling new paint job done by the fine folks at VéloColour in Toronto. After finishing fourth in the U23 Pan Am Championships at the Silver Goose in Midland, Ont., Holmgren looks poised to show is mettle against the worlds best. The Christmas Cross period is jam-packed with opportunities to show off his form and the new paint scheme. But his first race aboard the new paint scheme will be at the UCI C2 race weekend at North Carolina GP on Dec. 8 and 9.

The masking for the design on the fork. Photo: VéloColour

It has to go on just right. Photo: VéloColour

Carefully applying the design to the fork of the Cannondale SuperX. Photo: VéloColour

In the paint booth with VéloColour.

As Canadian champion, Holmgren has earned a very patriotic red paint scheme. Photo: VéloColour

VéloColour do all the work in-house at their studio in Toronto. With a tight timeline after winning the championships to when Holmgren needed the bike back, they had a fast turn around on the frame. Masking and painting are just two of the many steps that go into achieving the desired aesthetic.

Red, white and black were the choosen colours for the national champions bike. Photo: VéloColour

Here you see the outcome of the masking and painting process shown above. Photo: VéloColour

Gunnar Holmgren's got a customVéloColour

Holmgren was junior national champion in 2016 and added the U23 title in 2018. Photo: VéloColour

The glossy red paint scheme is sure to stand out on the start line. We gather the vibrant colour will peak through the mud nicely and make Holmgren easy to stop during races. The frame has tones of nice little details like the maple leaf with viking helmet on the top tube to celebrate his two championship victories, one in 2016 as a junior and the more recent U23 from 2018. The slogan #GUNNARWHO? is also emblazoned on the top tube. Holmgren gets a matching red stem and seat post as well. The details on the fork are a particularly nice touch and show the final result of the masking being done above.

Gunnar runs Shimano Di2 shifters with buttons on the tops so we can still keep his gearing just right regardless of his hand position. He runs a 1x Cannondale Hollowgram Si Crankset with Shimano’s XT mountain bike rear derailleur.

The frame looks even better once the bike was built up. Photo: VéloColour

Photo: VéloColour

Maple leafs hide in the details of the fork. Photo: VéloColour

The seat tube also gets the same pattern as the fork. Photo: VéloColour

The VéloColour and SuperX logo on the chainstays. Photo: VéloColour

Holmgren is supported by local Orillia bike shop The Crank & Sprocket whose stickers are prominent on his carbon tubulars. Before the new paint scheme, Holmgren’s Cannondale was orange but there’s no hint of that now as the bike looks brand new except for some wear on the crankset.

Look for Holmgren racing the new paint overseas during Christmas cross and beyond. He will also be lining up the represent Canada at the world championships in Bogense, Denmark come February.