A fifth and final win on Sunday would make Boonen the winningest rider in Roubaix history. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Tom Boonen starts his 14th and final Paris-Roubaix this Sunday, hoping to close out an illustrious career with one last win on the cobbles. With four Roubaix titles to his name, a win on Sunday would push Boonen into a class of his own as the only rider to win Roubaix five times. Chasing this fairytale ending, Boonen will ride Specialized’s new Roubaix cobble bike with several custom features specifically developed for the king of cobbles.
Boonen’s Specialized Roubaix gets several major changes to the company’s stock frame design. Boonen will run rim brakes, an adjusted Future Shock head tube suspension system, and what looks to be a shorter head tube. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Specialized’s Future Shock head tube suspension offers Boonen some relief over the harsh Roubaix cobbles. Boonen’s bike uses a different shock spring than what’s found on stock models, however, providing a more progressive shock absorption that will feel more natural on smooth pavement or when sprinting in the velodrome. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
While stock Specialized Roubaix bikes are limited to disc brakes only, Boonen gets a custom rim brake model. He didn’t want to chance a slow wheel change during the race, so rim brakes it is. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Designed for disc brakes, the Roubaix frame doesn’t have a seat stay bridge for mounting a rim brake caliper. So, Specialized uses Shimano’s direct mount brakes, which also allow for bigger tires and extra clearance. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
“Heroes get remembered, but legends never die”
Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Per the UCI regulation that states all rider equipment must be publicly available, Specialized says it will offer this rim brake model in limited quantities. Just don’t hold your breath for one. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Chain catcher nightmares: Boonen’s lost his chance at a Flanders victory last weekend when he jammed a chain between his frame and the chain catcher late in the race. Team mechanics jumped into action with a spare bike but that too suffered mechanical issues, leaving Boonen shaking his head in frustration on the side of the road. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Fast and furious: Boonen runs massive 53-44 tooth chainrings for Roubaix’s flat and fast course. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Boonen opts for an 11-28-tooth Dura-Ace cassette for a wider gear range. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Gold CeramicSpeed pulleys for the king of cobbles. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Roval CLX50 Rapide tubulars for Boonen’s last Roubaix. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Boonen swaps out his previous 30mm tire setup at Roubaix for 28mm S-Works Turbo “Hell of the North” tubular tires. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Long and low: 145mm FSA stem for an aggressive race position. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Boonen keeps things narrow with a 40cm FSA handlebar. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Dura-Ace Di2 drivetrain for Boonen. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Shimano Di2 sprint shifters peek through the bar tape, ready for Boonen’s sprint finish on the Roubaix velodrome. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Boonen will tackle the cobbles on Sunday atop Specialized’s Romin saddle. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
A fifth and final win on Sunday would make Boonen the winningest rider in Roubaix history. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
THE 2020 TOUR DE FRANCE
Get the latest race news, results, commentary, and tech, delivered daily to your inbox.
