Cannondale is going all-in on disc brakes with the Synapse at Paris-Roubaix. All EF Education First-Drapac riders will be on the disc-equipped endurance bikes. Photo: Dane Cash | VeloNews.com
Cannondale is going all-in on disc brakes with the Synapse at Paris-Roubaix. All EF Education First-Drapac riders will be on the disc-equipped endurance bikes. Photo: Dane Cash | VeloNews.com
Sebastian Langeveld finished third at last year’s Paris-Roubaix on a rim-brake equipped Synapse, behind Greg Van Avermaet and Zdenek Stybar. Photo: Dane Cash | VeloNews.com
Langeveld rode a 53/44 gear combination up front during recon rides the week before Paris-Roubaix. Photo: Dane Cash | VeloNews.com
The Synapse’s seat stays and chain stays are dramatically shaped to allow for plenty of compliance over the rough French cobbles. Photo: Dane Cash | VeloNews.com
A Prologo Scratch 2 saddle is a popular choice in the pro ranks. It sits on a skinny 25.4mm post for more compliance. Photo: Dane Cash | VeloNews.com
For the first time, the entire team will ride the disc-equipped Synapse with Save technology. That’s Cannondale’s term for heaps of compliance features, including a skinny seatpost and those dramatically flattened seat and chain stays. Photo: Dane Cash | VeloNews.com
Not surprisingly, Langeveld is running tubular tires with cotton casings from Vittoria for a plush ride over the cobbles. The tire size isn’t visible here, but he rode 700x30mm tires during recon rides. Photo: Dane Cash | VeloNews.com
Check out that classic style handlebar. It’s possible Langeveld has opted for this bar shape to give him a bigger, more stable platform when he’s riding in the drops. It’s also likely that it lets him stretch out more on the Synapse, which has more upright geometry than his usual race bike, the SuperSix Evo. Photo: Dane Cash | VeloNews.com
The EF Education First team does its training rides wearing hi-vis orange kits, not pink. Langeveld prepped for a recon ride over the Roubaix cobbles in the chilly and wet days before the race. Photo: Dane Cash | VeloNews.com
THE 2020 TOUR DE FRANCE
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