Eolo–Kometa is a Spanish-based UCI Professional Continental Team that was founded in 2018, and is managed by Alberto Contador and Ivan Basso. The team will be riding Aurum bikes again for the 2023 season, and have ridden them since Alberto Contador and Ivan Basso launched them in 2020. 

Aurum bikes have two race bikes in their range: the Essentia and the Magma. The Essentia bike was the second bike to be released which aims to keep the ‘essence’ of the top-of-the-range Magma while reducing the cost; but of course, as an elite team Eolo–Kometa will be riding the Magma. 

2023 Aurum Magma bike
2023 Aurum Magma bike (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
@maurizioborserini

> Alberto Contador and Ivan Basso launch Aurum Magma carbon disc-brake road bike

The Magma is what Aurum call “the ultimate racing road bike”, ridden by Contador himself in his Everesting world record attempt.

It is disc-brake only and has hidden cable routing entering the frame at the top of the head tube along with a geometry that keeps BB drop and trail nearly identical across all frame sizes.

The Aurum Magma that the team is using features SRAM’s flagship groupset, SRAM RED eTap AXS

2023 Aurum Magma sram red
2023 Aurum Magma sram red (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
@maurizioborserini

Aurum says it has equipped the frame with “the best components”, keeping them the same as last season. 

There is a focus on being lightweight over aero with ENVE’s compact road handlebarsstem and carbon road bike seatpost in 400mm.

2023 Aurum Magma prologo saddle
2023 Aurum Magma prologo saddle (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
@maurizioborserini

> Check out the best bike saddles 2022 

The riders will use Prologo Scratch M5 Nack saddles, the saddle of choice for previous Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar which costs €215.41 (around £190). 

This saddle is designed in collaboration with the University of Milan, and is said to help improve comfort and performance. Prologo says that the active and separate foams create five zones that “guarantee the normal pedalling movement.” 

The handlebar tape is also from Prologo.

> Prologo offers a limited run of just 10 ‘personal’ Pogacar saddles

2023 Aurum Magma SES wheels
2023 Aurum Magma SES wheels (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
@maurizioborserini​

> Are expensive carbon road bike wheels worth the money?

More ENVE components are featured, with the Eolo-Kometa riders using ENVE SES wheels again this season. The wheels photographed here are the ENVES SES 5.6 wheelset, which ENVE claims is best-in-class in terms of weight. 

At 54mm depth in the front and 63mm depth in the rear, this is an aero-prioritised wheel that is said to combine strength, stiffness and lightweight. 

ENVE SES 5.6 wheels start at $2,550 (around £2,100). 

2023 Aurum Magma vittoria tyre
2023 Aurum Magma vittoria tyre (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
@maurizioborserini​

The ENVE wheels are fitted with Vittoria Corsa tyres with Graphene and cotton casing.

The Corsa is Vittoria’s top-of-the-range road tyre, which Vittoria says “has been the race-day choice of pros for years.” It says the cotton casing delivers suppleness to the tyre, and the graphene compound reduces rolling resistance as much as possible. 

Eolo-Kometa says the team will be using 26mm tyres for racing and 28mm for classics such as the Strade Bianche.

2023 Aurum Magma Look pedal
2023 Aurum Magma Look pedal (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
@maurizioborserini​

> Check out the best clipless pedals 2022 

As for the pedals, the Aurum Magma is equipped with Look Keo Blade Carbon Ceramic Ti, the flagship model of Look’s road pedal range.

They feature a carbon body with carbon blade technology, titanium spindle and ceramic bearings which Look says “creates a pedal of incomparable weight and impressive aerodynamics.” They cost €299.90 (around £260). 

The team will also be seen in Sidi shoes this season. 

2023 Aurum Magma Enve bottle cage
2023 Aurum Magma Enve bottle cage (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
@maurizioborserini​

Finally, the bottle cage chosen is the ELITE Leggero Carbon with a claimed weight of 17 grams. 

Aurum Magma framesets cost €4,099 and are available in three colours, and full bikes start at €7,500 with SRAM Force AXS and are available in a choice of five colours.

The groupset options are:

  • Shimano Dura-Ace 
  • Sram Red AXS 
  • Shimano Ultegra Di2 
  • Sram Force AXS 
2023 Aurum Magma full bike
2023 Aurum Magma full bike (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
@maurizioborserini

What are your thoughts on the bike and its components? Let us know in the comments section below…