Greg Van Avermaet's Canyon Ultimate AL 9.0 Pave' Silence-Lotto team issue
Former pro soccer player and rising star of Belgian cycling Greg Van Avermaet and the rest of the Silence-Lotto team were riding a special version of  Canyon Ultimate series at the Tour of Flanders, just as they will in Sunday's Paris-Roubaix, albeit with different graphics for the Hell Of The North. Canyon's Ultimate AL 9.0 Pave' looks a lot like Canyon Ultimate CF 9.0 which the Belgian squad uses in most races. Canyon founder Roman Arnold told Road Bike Action "When we started sponsoring Silence-Lotto, they asked us for special bikes for the northern classics and we were able to modify our Canyon Ultimate AL 9.0 model into a Pave' version, specially adapted to racing on the pave'."

Canyon Bicycles Director of Engineering Michael Kaiser explained the genesis of the development of the Canyon Ultimate AL 9.0 Pave' frameset, saying "we used our new F8 frame, built in 7005 series Ultralight Aluminum with it's unique Optisize Tubeset. After discussions with the Silence-Lotto team riders and technical staff, we decided on some special modifications for the Ultimate AL 9.0 Pave' frameset, like a One-One-Four SLX carbon fibre fork for improved comfort and more ridigitya 10mm longer toptube for more stability and comfort and increased clearance between the chainstays so a wider tire can be used, " said Kaiser. Van Avermaet uses Campagnolo Record 11-Speed groupset, Ritchey bars, stem and seatpost, Selle Italia SLR Team Edition saddle and mounts a CycleOps PowerTap.

Close-up of Van Avermaet's cockpit, with a CycleOps PowerTap to track power output in real-time during races.

Special pave wheels for Van Avermaet, with Mavic 32h. Reflex rims, Sapim 3-cross 14 straight gauge spokes with black Campagnolo Record hubs and Continental tubular tires.

Close-up of Van Avermaet's Selle Italia SLR Team Edition saddle and toptube, Note double seat clamp to keep Ritchey carbon fibre seatpost from slipping on the cobbles.

Big George has a Columbia team issue for the cobbled classics; unlike the other Addicts, the R4 does not have the integrated seatmast of the others, but does use Scott's proprietary IMP (Integrated Carbon molding) technology which produces the top /head /seattube in one swoop using a "top-secret" process and HMX-Net carbon fibre, according to Scott. Hincapie has a Shimano 7900 groupset with a SRM PowerMeter to track power output in the race, a Fizik Alliante saddle in custom Columbia colors, Shimano's PRO accessories and re-badged Hed carbon fibre wheels with Continental tubulars.

George checks his SRM powermeter at the end of a 140mm PRO stem

Columbia's Hincapie uses HED Stinger 6 tubulars re-badged with Highroad stickers and SwissStop yellow brake pads for carbon fibre rims.

Close-up of George Hincapie's Scott Addict R4 Columbia team issue drive train, with fresh new chain and Shimano 7800 Dura Ace rear derailleur, although Hincapie is using Shimano's Dura Ace 7900 levers.


Maarten Tjallingii's Giant TCR Advanced SL Rabobank team issue
Rabobank sprinter Maarten Tjallingii hit the cobbles with a pretty standard setup. Shimano's Dura Ace 7900 groupset, with Shimano's PRO accessory brand providing the bars and stem and of course, no seatpost for the Giant TCR Advanced SL which uses an integrated seatmast. Tjallingii rolls on Shimano carbon fibre tubulars and Vittoria CX tubulars.

Maarten Tjallingii's Giant TCR Advanced SL Rabobank team issue has a Selle Italia SLR Team Edition saddle atop it's integrated seatmast.
 

Simon Spilak's Wilier Cento Uno Team Lampre team issue
Slovenian Spilak was 9th in the 2008 Tour Of Flanders but only managed 42nd in the 2009 edition. Spilak's cobbles bike does not have an integrated seatmasat, perhaps for more comfort on the pave'. Ritchey provides the bar & stem and Campagnolo the 11 speed groupset and Selle Italia the team edition saddle.

Spilak has special pave' wheels; 32 hole no-name rims laced to Campagnolo Record hubs and Vittoria Evo Pave' 25-millimeter tubular tires.