The first major competition of the season always attracts attention to the latest and most advanced technology, with teams revealing their cutting-edge equipment. There was a lot of new technology on the bikes at the first WorldTour race of the season, including some custom components on the Canyon bikes.
While the tech scene has remained relatively quiet in recent months compared to previous seasons, there have been a variety of innovations on display in Australia, as British website GCN reported.
Van Rysel RCR Pro by Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale’s preferred bike for 2024 will be the Van Rysel RCR Pro, which made its WorldTour debut on the opening stage of the Tour Down Under. Still without a victory, the team will still have plenty of time to make adjustments.
Along with their new bikes, the team will also use those from Swiss Side. The brand brings F1 technology to the World Tour for its HADRON Ultimate wheels in collaboration with DT Swiss.
Intermarché-Wanty innovates wheels without visible valves
Intermarché-Wanty went to extremes in wheel design. In a unique design, the valves simply do not exist. It’s not a magic trick, but exclusive to Newmen, who supply the team’s wheels.
Instead of using a regular presta valve, a schrader version is hidden inside the wheel. There is a small flap, which covers the hole where the valve can be accessed. It’s not a new technology and has been on the brand’s wheels for a few years, but it’s unique in the WorldTour peloton.
New Look Kéo Blade pedals
Intermarché-Wanty presented yet another new technology. In addition to the wheels, he also used the new Look Keo Blade pedals. The main novelty is the metallic coating where the foot meets the pedals, which is currently divided into three, but only one is used in the current model. Along the side of the pedal, where a cover that covered the outer end of the axle used to be, there is now a smooth edge.
