The Quick Step team has considerable history in the WorldTour peloton. First as Quick-Step–Davitamon in 2003, born out of staff and riders form Domo-Farm Frites and Mapei, their biggest wins have come from the Classics. Names such as Paolo Bettini, Stijn Devolder and the ever venerable Tom Boonen have brought considerable success to the squad. For 2017 Quick Step Flooring takes over the reigns as sole named sponsor of the team, with Ettix remaining on board, supplying the team’s nutritional needs.
“There’s no better vantage point than from the top step of a podium, and no bike in recent years has studied the race landscape from this height more than our S-Works”, says Specialized. The company’s Tarmac has been ridden to victory at all three grand tours, and the bike’s “Rider-First Engineered” design ensures the Tarmac sprints, corners, and descends with uniformity. This example of the Tarmac is assigned to team rider, Gianluca Brambilla, who turned pro with Colnago-CSF Inox in 2010, but switched to Omega Pharma-Quick Step in 2013, and has remained with the team ever since. Click on through to see more of Gianluca’s Specialized Tarmac…
In addition to multiple Grand Tour wins, a Tarmac was the bike that Peter Sagan rode to victory at the past two World Championships. Specialized also claim the “Rider-First” design applies specificity to every tube size and to a unique carbon layup for every frame size. Ideally, this creates an optimal balance of rigidity, weight & responsiveness, so every frame regardless of size performs just as intended.
Shimano have been a long-time equipment supplier to the team, and that remains for 2017. Dura-Ace Di2 9070 generation groupsets populated the team’s bike at the 2017 Tour Down Under, but the new R9150 Di2 system should be available to the team by the end of February 2017.
FSA supplies cockpit parts, while K-Edge handles the computer mounts, and Garmin the computers themselves.
Quick Step choose the Garmin 820 to help monitor rider’s speed, power output, and a plethora of other statistics & ride metrics.
The current generation Di2 Junction A box isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing item, but that promises to change with the next generation of Di2 junction box, the EW-RS910 which allows for integration into the frame or handlebar end plug. Note the CeramicSpeed headset bearings.
CeramicSpeed bearings are also found in the Tarmac’s bottom bracket.
Dura-Ace 9000 series crankset, Dura-Ace Di2 front derailleur, even Dura-Ace pedals.
Another K-Edge part, this time the chain catcher, there to prevent any wayward shifts off the chainrings.
4iiii power meters provide the power measurement technology to the team, which transmits power data to the team’s Garmin 820 computers using the ANT+ protocol.
Gianluca prefers 170mm cranks. Also in view is the non-drive side 4iiii power measurement device, and the tracking tag that helps the team staff keep track of which power meter is linked to each head unit (or in the case of Bluetooth LE, a separate mobile device to manage setup.)
All of Gianluca’s power is transmitted through these 9000 series Dura-Ace pedals.
Dura-Ace Di2 9070 rear derailleur.
As noted previously, the 11-speed 11-28 cassette is pretty much the default cassette for teams in the World Tour, at least at the 2017 Tour Down Under. Again Quick Step opt for the all steel Ultegra 6800 cassettes, instead of the lighter and faster wearing Dura-Ace verion with titanium upper cogs.
Specialized supply the team’s wheelsets, and Gianluca rolls on the tubular Roval CLX50. Specialized claims these wheels tip the scales at just 1200 grams for the pair.
Gianluca’s wheels are shod with the S-Works Turbo 700c x 26mm tubular tire, featuring the company’s Gripton compound.
The Tarmac is unsurprisingly UCI approved…
Regular single-bolt, side-pull Dura-Ace 9000 series brake calipers for the Tarmac.
K-Edge number holder in place, ready to race.
The FSA K-Force carbon seatpost offers plenty of setback.
Gianluca prefers the Specialized Toupe with Body Geometry technology.
Tacx Deva bottle cages for Quick Step Flooring.
Article and photos by Gravel Cyclist. Jayson O’Mahoney is the Gravel Cyclist: A website about the Gravel Cycling Experience.
