2015 Il Lombardia: The race bikes and equipment on show for the hilly monument

Il Lombardi (Tour of Lombardy) brings the curtains down on the 2015 WorldTour calendar. For some, it's the final race in a busy season. For others, it's a final chance to win one of cycling’s five monuments. This year a tough 245km route started in Bergamo and finished in Como, and featured some very steep climbs along the way. 

It's one of the oldest races on the calendar (the first edition ran in 1905) and the ‘Race of the Falling Leaves’ route changes every year, but some elements remain a constant. The Madonna del Ghisallo is its most iconic climb, a real toughie with an average gradient of 6.2 per cent over its 8.5km length. That is followed by the brutal Colma di Sormano, a climb which returned to the race route in 2012 after a 40-year absence. With a 17 percent average gradient and sections closer to 30 percent, it's no walk in the park.

Before the race started, I checked out some of the bikes and equipment on show. 

Dan Martin's Cannondale SuperSix Evo

Wearing number one is Dan Martin’s Cannondale SuperSix Evo. The latest iteration of the Evo was rolled out at the Tour de France and he looked to be riding the very same bike with all the same kit he normally uses. The only change is the 11-32t cassette.

And here’s his spare bike. Why green? Well the team were given the latest version of the Evo a good few weeks before its official unveiling ahead of the Tour de France, and to preserve its identity in any races it was used before that launch, all the bikes were painted in Cannondale’s signature green colour. Cannondale did the same with the new Synapse before it was launched.

Vincenzo Nibali's Specialized Tarmac

Here’s the race winning bike. Okay, so it’s not the actual bike he raced on, but I couldn’t get anywhere near Nibali because the crowds around the Astana team bus were huge. He’s a massively popular here in Italy. Anyway, this is one of his spare bikes, and it’s treated with the same custom paint job that makes spotting his bike on the team car so much easier.

Tinkoff-Saxo - Specialized Tarmac

Another Specialized Tarmac, this one belonging to the Tinkoff-Saxo team. While Tinkoff's fluoro team clothing divides opinion, they have done a good job on the bikes this season.

The bikes are set up pretty much the same as they would be for any other race, but the only change is the fitting of an 11-32t cassette. That's to help them get up the fearsome Colma di Sormano. I looked to see if anyone was opting for a compact, but most appeared to be on regular 53/39t chainsets.

Di2 satellite shifter buttons on the handlebars making for easier gear changes on the climbs.

Last year the team used Zipp handlebars and stem, and this bike still had a Zipp stem fitted, with electrical tape covering the logos. This rider had the optional Di2 sprint shifter buttons on the drops.

Here is a Tinkoff team mechanic sticking course notes to the stem of each team bike. Notes include the most notable climbs and feed zones.

Lampre-Merida -  Merida Scultura

While the Movistar team chose an aero bike, the Merida-Lampre team opted for the Scultura, rather than the company’s Reacto aero road bike. Weight seemed to be a bigger factor in bike choice than aerodynamics for many of the squads. That said, the latest version of the Scultura does have some aero influences from the Reacto; the rear brake is mounted below the chainstays and the down tube has an aerodynamic profile.

Team Sky Pinarello Dogma F8

A fleet of Pinarello Dogma F8 race bikes for Team Sky, all fitted with Dura-Ace C35 wheels, a shallower section rim than the C50 that is used most of the time. These wheels save a bit of weight which should help on the many steep climbs of the Lombardia course.

Movistar - Canyon Aeroad CF SLX

It’s a hilly course, but there are still lots of flat(ish) and fast roads. The majority of the team had opted for the Aeroad, the German company's aero road bike. Alejandro Valverde’s national champion painted bike is easy to spot.

I'd love to have gotten closer to it and been able to get some better photos, but just minutes after I took these photos Valverde appeared from the team bus and was and he - and I - were immediately mobbed by adoring fans. Most appeared to want a selfie with him.

Team LottoNL-Jumbo - Bianchi Oltre XR2

Regular Bianchi Oltre XR2 race bikes for the Lotto team, with Dura-Ace Di2 drivetrains and Pioneer crank-based power meters.

Katusha - Canyon Aeroad CF SLX

Like Movistar, the other Canyon sponsored team, Katyusha, opted for the Aeroad over the lighter Ultimate for this race. Each bike was also fitted with Canyon’s Aerocockpit.

This is a one-piece handlebar and stem that is designed to cut down drag around the front-end.

This one belongs to Iurii Trofimov, the Russian national champion this year.

Trek Factory Racing - Trek Emonda

Like red bikes? Then you’ll like Trek Factory Racing’s team bikes then. A mix of Emonda and Madone race bikes were being pressed into action, all in this smart shade of red.

Liking the matching red stem for detail points and the motivational “go and take it” slogan on the underside of the top tube. Surely it would be better to place it somewhere a little more prominent though?

Lotto-Soudal - Ridley Noah SL

The new Ridley Noah SL in Lotto-Soudal colours. That’s the Helium SL behind it, in the retro inspired paint scheme introduced a couple of years ago. The team uses Campagnolo groupsets and wheels, and like Team Sky the bikes were fitted with shallower section carbon wheels than we're used to seeing.

Etixx-Quick Step - Specialized Tarmac

Etixx-Quick Step had probably the most understated bikes of the peloton. White decals on black with a smidgen of grey. Shimano supplies the drivetrain and brakes, FSA the chain sets and Power2Max the power meters. Wheels are Roval with Specialized Turbo Cotton tubs.

Who says you have to slam your stem. This pro doesn’t.

Ag2r La Mondiale - Focus Izalco Max

No SRAM eTap wireless groupset on show at this race, with the bikes I spotted all fitted with Red 22 mechanical drivetrains. The Focus sponsored team rides the Izalco Max, the lightest and stiffest frame in the German company's bike range.

No sign of the newer Izalco Max Disc being used. In fact, I didn't spot any disc-equipped race bikes being used. 

Colombia - Wilier Zero 7

The plucky Colombia team are sponsored by Italian bicycle company Wilier. A fleet of diminutive Zero 7 race bikes was neatly lined up in front of the team bus, but no barrier to keep the public from getting too close.

Nippo- Vini Fantini - De Rosa Protos

Italian bike brand De Rosa isn’t one you see in many of the bigger races so Lombardia was a good chance for us to have a look at the Protos, which appears to be the go-to model. It’s easily identifiable on account of the gargantuan down tube, without a doubt the biggest of any race bike on the market right now.

The team is sponsored by Campagnolo and tyre company IRC, and this bike appeared to be fitted with tubeless tyres. Road tubeless is a rare sight in the professional peloton, but we reckon we might start to see it more in the coming years.

Other observations

It had been raining first thing in the morning, the roads were wet, and the clouds looked like dropping plenty more rain on the racers throughout the day. Some riders started with hardshell rain jackets, overshoes and big gloves. Others went with a lighterweight option, a gilet, fingerless gloves and no overshoes.

This Ag2r rider opted to resource a water bottle as a rain jacket carrying solution.

No overshoes for Adam Yates on the start line.

Race notes taped to the stem was a common sight.

As already mentioned, wider range cassettes were everywhere, with most Shimano-equipped bikes I looked at sporting 11-32t cassettes. 

More from Lombardia soon.