Is this the new Cannondale Synapse? After Lachlan Morton's most astonishing 'Lap of Australia' effort yet, here's what we know about his new bike so far

The WorldTour Pro-turned ultra endurance record breaker Lachlan Morton is continuing to make outrageous progress in his effort to break the Guinness World Record for the fastest 'lap' of Australia, and it appears his team's bike sponsor Cannondale has equipped him with a brand new steed to (hopefully) smash the record with.

Observed from a distance, the bike looks like a top-tier Lab71 version of Cannondale's latest SuperSix Evo 4 all-round racer; but (and still observing from a distance, because the only pictures we've got to go off are via EF Cycling), there are a couple of subtle differences. 

The headtube is deeper and more bulbous than the SuperSix Evo's, a possible nod to aero as we've seen on bikes such as the Specialized Tarmac SL8. At the back, there's a D-shaped, shallow seatpost and seatstays that are subtly curved where they meet the chainstays, presumably to add some extra compliance. The seatstays on the SuperSix Evo are much straighter. 

The seatstay shape is arguably where the similarities end with the current Cannondale Synapse, a bike with integrated SmartSense technology that got a mixed reception from our reviewer; but as the SuperSix was only released last year, whereas the Synapse was refreshed in 2022, it's less likely Cannondale would revamp a bike after a little more than a year.

Could it be that this is actually a slimmed down update to the Cannondale SystemSix aero road bike, seemingly discontinued after it first broke cover way back in 2018? We're thinking this is less likely, since Morton is taking on a monstrous endurance challenge, therefore it makes sense for him to be showcasing Cannondale's latest endurance road bike rather than a WorldTour racer or dedicated aero bike. 

If this is a new Synapse, then the SmartSense tech - featuring a radar detection system, lights and speed sensors - has been canned, along with any exposed cables at the front.

Elsewhere, Morton's aerobars appear to be integrated into his drops, although it's unlikely this will be a feature of off-the-peg versions of the new bike (whatever it is) when it's officially released. We're almost certain this is Vision's Metron 4D Flat handlebar - which allows for the integration of direct-mount clip-on aerobars - with some extra stack added for a more comfortable position on Morton's brutally long days in the saddle during his record attempt. 

Although we've virtually prodded and poked Cannondale about it, the US bike brand is remaining tight-lipped and won't even confirm whether or not Morton is in fact riding a new bike. We'll update this article if we receive a response, though. 

Morton looks set to maul the 'Lap of Australia' record

Just a very demure, very mindful 'night ride'

Whatever the new bike is, it's looking increasingly likely that its test pilot will ride it into the history books after a staggering start to his assault on the 'Lap of Australia' record. Morton has increasingly competed outside of the traditional pro cycling calendar while still being employed by EF Pro Cycling in recent years, winning the GBDURO bikepacking race by a country mile in 2019, riding the route of the Tour de France solo in 2021 and winning Unbound Gravel earlier this year. 

The current Lap of Australia mark, set by Davey Alley of Queensland in 2011, stands at 37 days, 20 hours and 45 minutes. This being a Guinness World Record, the rules aren't exactly set in stone (as we've also clarified in our coverage of Lael Wilcox's successful round-the-world record attempt this week), meaning Morton is free to invite along a full EF Cycling support team and have some say over the route; however, he must cover at least 14,200km (8,823 miles) and pass through a minimum of six specific cities or towns to make it a Guinness-certified circumnavigation. 

> On and off the record with Lachlan Morton

Morton's latest day in the saddle at the time of writing was a 582.7km jaunt across the Outback, completed in just under 16 hours at an astonishing speed of 36.6km/h, churning out an average of 234 watts over the day according to Morton's Strava upload. Granted the total elevation was incredibly low for a ride of this distance at just 589m, and it appears the 32-year-old had favourable wind conditions, but the distances and speeds Morton is clocking up consistently during this record attempt are mind-boggling. 

> Review: The Dot by Lachlan Morton

Chalking up an average distance per day of around 460km over his first eight days of riding, we calculate he'll beat the current record by almost an entire week if he continues to progress at this rate. Let's hope the magpies leave him be and Morton - aboard his mysterious new bike - enters the history books unscathed... 

 

 

 

 

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