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Giro TT tech: José Rujano's Corratec & Specialized's TT helmet, May 7, 2006Okay, one TT's over - but there's still 88 kilometres of racing against the clock left! Anthony Tan looks at the bike of last year's mountains winner and the sleek lines of Specialized's chrono lid.José Rujano's Selle Italia-Diquigiovanni CorratecJoJo's Go-Go-mobile
Most people know José Rujano for his ability to fly up the mountains, but the 24 year-old Venezuelan super-flyweight has four podium finishes to his name in the race of truth, including three victories. It was an on again, off again scenario as to whether he would ride this year's Giro, given that his contract with Selle Italia-Diquigiovanni ends on May 31 this year, coupled with the fact that his new employer, Quick.Step-Innergetic's Patrick Lefevre, would like him to target the Tour de France. Yesterday's 6.2 kilometre time trial wasn't the best length parcours for Rujano, who finished in 46th place, 39 seconds off the winning pace set by defending champion Paolo Savoldelli. Still, it was a solid performance, and so far, there's no reason to suggest he can't go achieve what he wants out of this race, which he says is 'at least a top three finish' in Milano. His Corratec TT frame is all-new for 2006, with Selle Italia's head mechanic telling Cyclingnews the all-carbon monocoque frame weighs a scant 980 grams. Naturally, for a rider of JoJo Rujano's quality, it's equipped with the latest and greatest: Shimano's Dura-Ace group, a full disc rear and deep-rim front wheel from Ambrosio, FSA's Vision Tech TriMax Pro-Integrated sloping handlebars, Selle Italia's über-sleek saddle, and Elite carbon bottle cages.
Specialized's 2006 TT helmetFast lines
What you see here is the very latest in time trial helmet technology from Specialized. The very first prototype was used by Gerolsteiner's Levi Leipheimer at the Tour of California prologue, along with one member from four other sponsored teams. Over a distance of 3.1 kilometres, the Santa Rosa local won by five seconds; not too shabby, and relatively speaking, the same gap that Savoldelli had over his rivals after yesterday's opener in Seraing. Testing continued at Paris-Nice, this time involving five teams, until the finished product we see before us, weighing 410 grams for a size medium. For Gerolsteiner, Milram, Davitamon-Lotto, Cofidis and Liberty Seguros-Würth, all nine riders are now equipped the helmet at the 2006 Giro d'Italia. A Specialized representative told Cyclingnews the '06 model is narrower and has a longer tail than its predecessor, which is now covered. The 'fin' also rests on the back of a rider's shoulders better, whereas the previous model's tail pointed up. With regards to the visor, three options are available: to take the visor off, should the rider prefer to wear his own sunglasses; to use a large visor; and to use a smaller visor that only covers the eyes and allows airflow onto the rider's forehead for warmer days. We were also informed that Liberty Seguros team manager Manolo Saiz had a part to play in its design, who has been interested in the aerodynamics of riders' equipment long before it became a topic of interest.
PhotographyFor a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here Images by Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews
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