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TT bikes of the 2006 Giro: Rik Verbrugghe's Wilier & José Ivan Gutierrez's Pinarello, May 6, 2006

With the riders now rolling off the start ramp in Seraing, Anthony Tan looks at two more machines set up for success against the clock.

Rik Verbrugghe's Cofidis Wilier

Rik Verbrugghe's hoping this bike
Photo ©: Anthony Tan

Rik wants another trick

Now here's a man worthy placing a bob or two on today. Winner of the Giro prologue in 2001, and a winner of the prologue in the Tour de Romandie (2002) and last year's Eneco Tour of Benelux, 31 year-old Belgian Rik Verbrugghe is a man made for the short chrono.

Yesterday, his Wilier bike was receiving some last-minute adjustments from the team's head mechanic. Unlike Bert Roesems' bike we previewed yesterday, however, Verbrugghe opts for the flat rather than sloping time trial bars even though he's reasonably tall and flexible himself, and to bump his elbows a little higher, a centimetre-tall plastic wedge has been inserted below the elbow pads.

A massive 55-tooth FSA chainring coupled with 180mm cranks will be whirring him along today's parcours, and with a chain-slip protector in place, drivetrain transmission *should* be trouble-free.

Verbrugghe opts for flat Photo ©: Anthony Tan

Gel padding Photo ©: Anthony Tan

A big big dog! Photo ©: Anthony Tan

A chain-slip protector Photo ©: Anthony Tan

José Ivan Gutierrez's Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears Pinarello

From whatever angle you see it,
Photo ©: Anthony Tan

If looks could kill...

Maybe not one to win so short a time trial, Illes Balears' José Ivan Gutierrez is a very accomplished time triallist nonetheless. This fact is realised by his three national time trial titles and the bike we see before us, which was a one-off for the Spaniard from Pinarello.

"Solamente per Gutierrez?" we ask the team's mechanic, who confirms with a simple nod.

If we were to compare this bike with something, one could say its head-tube cluster bears a strong resemblance to BMC's TT01 time machine, while the rear triangle is not unlike Cervélo's P3 time trial bike, particularly the indented seat tube.

The 27 year-old's position on the TT machine is about as low as you can go before your mouth begins to make contact with the front wheel (and at 50k an hour, that would not be good for you!). As well as sloping bars, Gutierrez has an adjustable Deda stem turned right down; only a handful of riders in the world could adopt such an extreme position.

Looking down the cockpit. Photo ©: Anthony Tan

The head-tube cluster Photo ©: Anthony Tan

The seat tube Photo ©: Anthony Tan

Pinarello pioneered the big bottom bracket trend Photo ©: Anthony Tan

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews

• Rik Verbrugghe's hoping this bike will help take him to another Giro TT win.
• Verbrugghe opts for flat rather than sloping time trial bars.
• A centimetre-tall plastic wedge has been inserted to bump Verbrugghe's elbows a little higher.
• Ready to slice the wind.
• A TT-specific carbon fork.
• Gel padding to keep the elbows comfy as possible.
• A airfoil-shaped downtube.
• The name's Verbrugghe, Rik Verbrugghe.
• A big big dog! A massive 55-tooth FSA chainring.
• 180mm cranks.
• A chain-slip protector should make transmission trouble-free.
• Selle Italia's sleek SLR saddle.
• If looks could kill... José Ivan Gutierrez's Illes Balears custom Pinarello.
• From whatever angle you see it, Gutierrez's TT bike is one mean lookin' machine.
• Gutierrez has an adjustable Deda stem turned right down for maximum aerodynamics.
• Looking down the cockpit.
• The head-tube cluster bears a strong resemblance to BMC's time machine.
• An aero fork is the top priority on chrono bikes, with comfort and minimising shock secondary.
• The flexibility of carbon allows for a wide variety of tube shapes and sizes.
• The seat tube partially wraps itself around the rear wheel to maximise smooth airflow.
• Pinarello pioneered the big bottom bracket trend with the introduction of their M.O.ST. oversize bottom brackets two years ago.
• DedaTre's Olimpico tyres.
• Gutierrez will be using a 55/44 front chainring combination for the opening time trial.