Nat Bromhead
With the 2018 UCI WorldTour season now underway SRAM have released details of the pro teams and top cycling stars who’ll be relying on their technology throughout 2018.
“Pro team relationships reflect our passion for cycling and our relentless drive to develop the most innovative and highest-performance components,” said a SRAM representative.
“This year’s tech highlights include increased adoption of disc-brakes among pro teams, with CANYON/SRAM Racing and Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team equipped with SRAM Red eTap HRD. Most other teams will ride a combination of eTap with rim brake and hydraulic road discs.”
As Bicycling Australia have previously reported, UCI Pro Continental team Aqua Blue Sport, a new team to SRAM for 2018, become the first in the modern era to race exclusively on a single-ring drivetrain, SRAM Force 1 HRD, paired with SRAM’s wide-range cassettes.
Third Season For Katusha With SRAM
In addition to Aqua Blue Sport, Team KATUSHA-Alpecin are entering their third season riding SRAM, Zipp, and Quarq,
For 2018 Team KATUSHA-Alpecin have seven new riders including Aussie Nathan Haas and German superstar Marcel Kittel. With KATUSHA-Alpecin’s already finely tuned sprint train, KATUSHA-Alpecin is a threat in any bunch gallop. Other additions include time trial specialist Alex Dowsett (Great Britain), all-arounder Ian Boswell (United States). They join returning riders including GC specialist Ilnur Zakarin (Russia), strongman Tony Martin (Germany), and lead-out specialist Rick Zabel (Germany).
Components: SRAM RED eTap and eTap HRD
Wheels: Zipp NSW and Firecrest rim and disc brake wheels, Super-9 Discs for time trial
Power: Quarq SRAM RED DZero
Frames: Canyon
UCI Women’s Teams
Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team (The Netherlands)
A perennial world power, Boels-Dolmans roster is a collection of champions who excel at winning or riding support for teammates. Road world champ Chantal Blaak (the Netherlands) is a threat in the Spring Classics. Reigning Rio champ Anna van der Breggen (the Netherlands) is coming off a stellar 2017 season. Add to that all-around talent Elizabeth Deignan (Great Britain) and Megan Guarnier (United States) and look for plenty of orange jerseys on the podium.
Components: SRAM RED eTap HRD
Wheels: Zipp NSW and Firecrest rim and disc-brake wheels, Super-9 Discs for time trial
Bars, Stems, Seatposts: Zipp Service Course SL, Zipp SL Speed and SL Sprint carbon stem
Aero bars: Zipp Vuka Evo extensions
Power: Quarq SRAM RED DZero
Frames: Specialized
CANYON//SRAM Racing (Germany)
Returning riders including Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (France) and Hannah Barnes (Great Britain) and a host of newcomers are ready to take on any race. New CANYON//SRAM Racing signees are Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Poland), Alice Barnes (Great Britain) as well as German road champion Lisa Klein and Christa Riffel (Germany). The team also adds former triathlete Tanja Erath (Germany), who won a professional contract as part of a competition within the 2017 CANYON//SRAM Racing Swift Academy, which had more than 2,100 women enrollees.
Components: SRAM RED eTap HRD
Wheels: Zipp NSW and Firecrest Disc brake wheels, Super-9 Discs for time trial
Power: Quarq SRAM RED DZero
Frames: Canyon
Sho-Air Twenty20 (United States)
This team – with its a longtime affiliation with SRAM, Zipp, and Quarq – has carved out a niche over multiple Olympic cycles of preparing women for top international competition. It’s secret is in building rosters of young racers, some still teenagers, alongside accomplished racers. The team was the longtime home for three-time gold medalist (Beijing, London, and Rio) Kristin Armstrong. In 2018, the team is led by Rio silver medalist and multi-time world champ Chloé Dygert Owen.
Components: SRAM RED eTap
Wheels: Zipp NSW and Firecrest, Super-9 Discs for time trial
Bars, Stems, Seatposts: Zipp Service Course SL, Zipp SL Speed seatpost and stem, and SL Sprint carbon stem
Aerobars: Zipp Vuka Aero or Bull with Vuka Evo extensions
Power: Quarq SRAM RED DZero
Frames: Felt
UCI Professional Continental Teams
Aqua Blue Sport (Ireland)
Having already won against WorldTour teams, Aqua Blue Sport is a plucky competitor determined to overachieve. A perfect example of its resourcefulness is its commitment to race on SRAM 1x, an opportunity to simplify the drivetrain and take advantage of wide-range cassettes. Key riders include U.S. Pro Champ Larry Warbasse, an aspiring breakaway artist. Watch also for Austrian Stefan Denifl, a Vuelta a España 2017 stage winner. Watch also for newcomer Eddie Dunbar (Ireland), who won the U23 Tour of Flanders before injury cut his 2017 season short.
Components: SRAM Force 1 HRD
Power: Quarq
Frame: 3T
Hagens Berman Axeon Cycling Team (United States)
With SRAM as a founding partner, Hagens Berman Axeon earned a reputation as the world’s premier development team. This season, the team steps up to the Pro Continental level to broaden its ability to race in big events. Hagens Berman Axeon remains focused on preparing young riders to top pro careers. The team has seven new riders and returns eight standouts including Will Barta (United States) and Rui Oliveira (Portugal).
Components: SRAM RED eTap and eTap HRD
Wheels: Zipp NSW and Firecrest rim and disc brake wheels, Super-9 Discs for time trial
Bars, Stems, Seatposts: Zipp Service Course SL, Zipp SL Speed seatpost and stem, and SL Sprint carbon stem
Aerobar: Zipp Vuka extension
Power: Quarq SRAM RED DZero
Frames: Specialized
Vérandas Willems–Crelan (Belgium)
This upstart Belgian team is built to compete at the top level in one day Classics and shorter stage races. The team returns with Belgian Wout van Aert, who already is a legend in cyclocross and has impressive results in limited racing on the road. Fellow Belgian Stijn Devolder, two-time winner of the Tour of Flanders, brings to the young team his vast experience.
Components: SRAM RED eTap and eTap HRD
Wheels: Zipp NSW and Firecrest rim and disc brake wheels, Super-9 Discs for time trial
Bars, Stems, Seatposts: Zipp Service Course SL, Zipp SL Speed seatpost and stem, and SL Sprint carbon stem
Aerobars: Zipp Vuka Aero or Bull with Vuka Evo extensions
Power: Quarq SRAM RED DZero
Frames: Stevens
UCI Continental Team
Team Wiggins (Great Britain)
Great Britain remains a hotbed of road cycling passion and talent, and Team Wiggins is at the center of that. Watch for tomorrow’s stars, including Thomas Pidcock (Great Britain), competing today.
Components: SRAM RED eTap
Wheels: Zipp NSW and Firecrest, Super-9 Discs for time trial
Aerobars: Vuka Evo extensions
Power: Quarq SRAM RED DZero
Frames: Pinarello
