Tech Gallery: Santos Tour Down Under

As a the year’s first WorldTour event, the Tour Down Under kicks off the pro road season. It’s a must-attend event for all ProTour teams.  The race provides fans a first glimpse of the new bikes and setups for the new season.  But the distance and remoteness of Australia from pro teams’ European home bases also present challenges. The teams often have to improvise in way they don’t back at home.

Garmin-Sharp brought a mix of S5s and R5s to the race.

Even pros don’t always get the best: this Garmin rider is running Ultegra Di2.

Garmin-Sharp’s mechanics drilled a hole on top of the top tube for a more direct path for the Di2 wire to enter the frame, a modification not for the faint of heart.

Saddle comfort can trump even sponsor demands. Fizik sponsored Garmin-Sharp’s Robbie Hunter runs a Bontrager Paradigm saddle with the logo covered with duct tape.

The entire Blanco team were on the brand new Giant Propel Advanced SL for the People’s Classic Criterium.

Even the pros get curious about new gear. Here Lotto-Belisol’s Andre Greipel is checking out Team Blanco’s new Giant Propel Advanced SL.

Lotto-Belisol had these unsual silver ventless helmets, presumably to improve aerodynamics. It is not clear whether it is a detachable cover or a new model. The helmets must have worked as the team smoothly delivered sprinter Andre Griepel to victory in the opening People’s Classic Criterium.

Simon Gerrans is the defending champion here, and wears No. 1.

None of the Shimano-sponsored teams had the new Dura-Ace 9000 Di2. But Gerrans had a pre-production prototype set up on his steed.

No team follow cars for training rides.

Usually, Shimano’s Sprinter switches are mounted on the inside of the bar, but this Euskaltel Orbea Orca had it mounted on the outside.

The top tube of every Team Sky rider’s Pinarelo Dogma has this reminder.

Vacansoleil-DCM is the only team to use Cycleops Powertaps.

No luxury team buses for the riders to get ready at the Tour Down Under.

Without the state-of-the-art team buses, with all their accoutrements, including work stands, team mechanics have to improvise.

As the reigning World Champion, Philippe Gilbert’s spare bike commands prime real estate atop the BMC team car: outer most position on mechanic’s side.

The rainbow strips makes it clear that this bike belongs to Philippe Gilbert. Gilbert runs an old school Selle Italia Flite saddle.

In case the rainbow stripes were not clear enough…