As I write this there is a distinctly non-Belgian feeling, regardless of being on the cusp of crucial race of the yr for the nation, the Tour of Flanders. On the eve of The Huge One, on an unseasonably heat day, between choosing up press accreditation, consuming a really nice mint choc chip ice cream, and planning logistics for what’s all the time a chaotic day, I managed to sneak a half hour on the Lotto staff resort.
Lotto has been sponsoring a biking staff for 40 years, and as such has quite a lot of heritage to attract upon. Being a Belgian lottery, it stands to cause that it will wish to have a good time its anniversary at crucial race for the European nation.
Whereas the staff used to boast a Belgian bike sponsor within the type of Ridley, its present sponsor Orbea, hailing from the Basque Nation, has stepped as much as the plate and given every rider on the Tour of Flanders a particular customized paint job, impressed by a Lotto jersey from days passed by.
Whereas I did not get an opportunity to {photograph} all of them – if there’s one factor you do not do the day earlier than Flanders is push your luck with a staff mechanic – I did handle to snag 5 of them, so now all of us get to play a sport of match the bike to the jersey.
No spoilers, you are by yourself right here.
First up we’ve this neon quantity for Alec Segaert (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
Hints of blue, the odd sprint of peach. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
Peach is a theme that then runs into the bike of Jenno Berckmoes. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
Plus, once more, some blue and periwinkle notes. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
The deep blue on Sébastien Grignard’s bike actually performs nicely with the metallic silver. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
The geometric patterns are akin to what we frequently see on prototypes to cover the outlines. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
Lennert van Eetvelt had a way more understated bike. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
No patterns, only a turquoise and a marine blue, with loads of glitter flake. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
Oddly this bike had no energy meter. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
Hub OK? I positive hope it’s! (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
Lastly, again onto the patterns, with this child pink choice for Brent van Mooer, which we’ll go into in additional (Moore?) element. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
A 3D printed saddle, slammed all the way in which ahead for the rangy Belgian. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
A strip of gold paint makes sure the saddle top is all the time bang on. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
Oddly the rear dropouts of those Orbea Orca Aero bikes have a via axle and a vertical dropout slot. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
The rear brake caliper was a solit metallic unit, 140mm in diameter. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
Whereas the entrance rotor was a 160mm floating rotor, additionally from Galfe, and aftermarket brake element model. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
No further grip tape on the bottle cages, regardless of the cobbles. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
A 30mm tyre entrance and rear was nearly accommodated. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
Here is that 3D-printed saddle once more – the bike is on the bigger measurement, so each gram counts to maintain it aggressive. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
The 30mm entrance tyre is de facto squeezed in underneath the downtube. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
The Orbea wordmark is tough to make out towards the child pink. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
A 30mm entrance tyre is starting to look slightly old-fashioned in at this time’s trendy tech panorama, however some bikes even had a 28c! (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
Further satellite tv for pc shifters to assist on the drops. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
And an aftermarket carbon laptop mount to shave a last few grams. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
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