Team Katusha, the Russian Global Cycling Project, was founded late in December 2008 when the team was inaugurated in Moscow. With a budget of more than €15 million, the first year team signed riders such as Robbie McEwen, Vladimir Karpets and Filippo Pozzato. The team made its racing debut at the 2009 Tour Down Under in Australia.
Having appeared at every edition of the Tour Down Under since that time, the team returns for the 2016 event with a new look to their team kits, and all new equipment sponsors in SRAM, Zipp and Quarq (the latter companies are both owned by SRAM). Canyon remains the team’s bike sponsor for 2016, with the striking Aeroad CF SLX of team rider Vladimir Isachev featured…
Katusha is the second of the World Tour teams aboard SRAM’s now officially released eTap wireless gear shifting system, the other being AG2R La Mondiale.
Keeping everything under the one umbrella, SRAM provide everthing to the team related to the drivetrain and wheelsets – shifting by SRAM Red eTap, wheels by Zipp, and power meter by Quarq.
Power meters are virtually standard fare on every pro cyclist’s bike these days, and Katusha is no exception. Chainrings on the SRAM Red crankset are 53 / 39.
Born in 1986 and standing at 6’2″, Vladimir Isaychev turned professional in 2008. In 2012 he took his first stage win at the fifth stage of the Tour de Suisse, and in 2013 won his country’s National Road Race Championship. Vladimir’s seating requirements are handled by the Selle Italia SLR Superflow – Team Edition.
While the Canyon Aeroad CF SLX is an aero road bike, it isn’t one that goes to extremes. Brakes are not integrated into the frame, which are a blessing if you’ve ever performed your own mechanical work. Speaking of brakes, SRAM doesn’t produce a direct mount unit at this time; those are Shimano Dura-Ace brakes in these photos.
Regardless of brakes, the bike is aero just about everywhere else, starting at the handlebar and stem area. We love how neatly the Garmin computer is integrated.
A little extra padding in the drops never hurt anyone.
As alluded to earlier, SRAM’s sister company Zipp provides the teams wheelsets, being the 404 in the case of Isaychev. Having an almost identical build kit and sponsorship arrangement as AG2R La Mondiale, Katusha’s Zipp wheelsets roll on Continental tubular tires.
Like every other Continental sponsored team, the PRO LTD is just that – limited to professional cyclists. Unless you have insider connections, these aren’t available in stores. Twenty five millimeter wide tubular tires are becoming the norm in the pro ranks these days, but we have spotted wider… stay tuned.
With Stage One of the Tour Down Under kicking off on January 19, expect to see Katusha in their new kits and sharp Canyon bikes, mixing things up.
Photos and article by Gravel Cyclist.
Jayson O’Mahoney is the Gravel Cyclist: A website about the Gravel Cycling Experience.
