In 2022, the WorldTour peloton generally seems to have agreed that 28mm is the best tire width for most of the spring classics, and 30mm is ideal for Paris-Roubaix. Matej Mohorič — who used a dropper post to great effect at Milan-San Remo — is racing Paris-Roubaix with 32mm tires.
At Gent-Wevelgem, I jokingly asked Mohorič where his dropper post was.
“There is not enough downhill today,” he replied earnestly.
There are no downhills to speak of across the fields of Northern France, but there certainly are rough cobbles. And Mohorič, always keen to maximize his mechanical options, has opted for wider tires to optimize speed and comfort across the stones.
Matej Mohorič normally races on this Merida Reacto aero bike — including at Paris-Roubaix. At Milan-San Remo, he used Merida’s Scultura race bike so he could use a round 27.2mm Fox dropper post.
Mohorič is using 55/42 chainrings on his Shimano Dura-Ace 9150 crank. Note how short and tight his chain is — perhaps to reduce the chance of losing the chain on the cobbles. Like so much of the peloton, he is racing the new 12-speed 9250 Dura-Ace group with the old 11-speed 9150 crank with power meter.
Continental’s latest tubeless tires have proved popular among WorldTour riders who are sponsored by the German brand and otherwise. Bahrain Victorious told James Startt he is racing 32mm tires.
Always a name to watch. At the 2022 Paris-Roubaix, Mohorič made it into a five-man breakaway with about 110km to go.
Before Mat Hayman won Paris-Roubaix in 2016 on a Scott Foil, the idea of riding an aero bike at the cobbled race wasn’t exactly popular. Now it’s still not common, but not as remarkable.
The Vision Metron integrated cockpit works tidily with the Reacto frame. Mohorič’s bar is 38mm wide.
A super-clean integration for Mohorič. Disassembly for travel? That isn’t so much of a concern for the Slovenian champion.