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The bikes of the Tour: Valverde's Pinarello, July 3, 2006

Cyclingnews European Editor Tim Maloney takes a look at a tried-and-tested lightweight from Pinarello.

Alejandro Valverde's Caisse d'Epargne-Iles Balears Pinarello Paris Carbon FP Team Bike

Alejandro Valverde's Caisse d'Epargne-Iles Balears Pinarello Paris Carbon FP

ProTour leader Alejandro Valverde of Caisse d'Epargne-Iles Balears is looking to trade his ProTour jersey for the maillot jaune of the Tour de France this July and this is the bike that might carry him there.

Does the FP in Pinarello Paris Carbon FP stand for full power of Fausto Pinarello? We're not sure, but we can testify that Valverde's rig is one of the best looking bikes Cyclingnews has seen at the Tour de France.

Unique wave shaped ribs

The back end Photo ©: Tim Maloney

Selle Italia Photo ©: Tim Maloney

Valverde's Pinarello Paris Carbon FP isn't just another pretty face; this is the bike that the Spanish talent has ridden to back-to back victories in Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege in April. Valverde has a special white Paris Carbon FP to match his ProTour jersey but will he have a yellow one when he arrives in Paris?

Valverde's Pinarello uses mainly Campagnolo Record components, as well as a Dedaelementi Newton 'bar and stem. For the main contact points, the Spanish sensation sits on a specially supplied Selle Italia SLR saddle, as well as Look's KeO pedals.

The Paris Carbon FP is the top model from Pinarello and features a monocoque high modulus unidirectional 46HM3K carbon fibre frame with MO.s.t. 55mm oversize bottom bracket, as well as Pinarello ONDA chainstays. It's said to weigh 7.1 kg as a complete bicycle.

For the Tour de France time trials, Valverde and his Caisse d’Epargne-Illes Balears team-mates will have an all-new Pinarello Montello FP 8 time trial frame, with a monocoque high modulus carbon fibre frame, that Pinarello claims is lighter and more aerodynamic than the previous version of the Pinarello Montello TT frame.

The new Montello FP8 is said to be made with a special aerospace grade carbon fibre used exclusively by Pinarello and derived from the new Airbus 380. Montello FP 8 also has a new patented double bolt system that allows the carbon fibre aero seatpost to be fixed directly to the seat cluster.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Tim Maloney/Cyclingnews

• Alejandro Valverde's Caisse d'Epargne-Iles Balears Pinarello Paris Carbon FP
• Unique wave shaped ribs in the top tube are claimed to increase ridigity (and therefore 'sensation' maybe...) The black band on seat tube is for race number attachment.
• The back end
• Selle Italia made this special saddle for Alesandro Valverde - "Vas como una Balaverde"

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