The favorite coming into view. Photo: Flanders Classics.
Tour of Flanders is this weekend and I’ve spent plenty of time analyzing recent results, reading about the favorites, listening to pundits, looking at odds, and agonizing about who to put a little money on (my wife lets me put down $20). “Real” cycling news publications already have the riders covered, so I’m going to do what I do best, and just look at the bikes.
Let’s peek at the favorites for this weekend and try to deduce who will win based purely on the bikes they’re riding. Yes, this is stupid. It’s the rider who wins and not the bike. But let’s pretend we live in a world where cycling is more like F1, and having the best machine essentially guarantees victory. So what’s the best bike for Flanders?
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The Tour of Flanders Favorites (Bikes Only)
- Canyon Aeroad CFR ★★★★★
- Trek Madone SLR, Cervelo S5 ★★★★
- Merida Reacto Team ★★★
- Specialized Tarmac SL8, Cannondale SuperSix EVO ★★
|
Bike
|
Drivetrain |
Tire Clearance |
|
Canyon Aeroad CFR |
Shimano Dura-Ace |
32mm |
|
Trek Madone SLR |
SRAM Red AXS |
28mm |
|
Cervelo S5 |
SRAM Red AXS |
34mm |
|
Merida Reacto Team |
Shimano Dura-Ace |
30mm |
|
Specialized Tarmac SL8 |
Shimano Dura-Ace |
32mm |
|
Cannondale SuperSix EVO |
Shimano Dura-Ace |
30mm |
Interestingly, despite the rough cobbled roads in Flanders and the punchy successive climbs that allow GC riders like Tadej Pogacar to get away, most riders choose aero race bikes to maximize speed on the flat and fast sections of the course. Let’s take a closer look at the top 3 bikes.
Canyon Aeroad CFR
Photo: Canyon
The hands-down favorite is no surprise considering its history. The Aeroad CFR is the current road world champion. In the lead-up to Flanders, it won Milano-Sanremo and E3 Saxo Classic. Last year the Aeroad also won Paris-Roubaix and Milano-Sanremo, and it was the bike with the most stage wins at the 2023 Tour de France. This weekend it will be chasing its third win here in Flanders, and it will be hard to bet against it.
It’s not the most comfortable bike here, but considering the results, it may not matter. The high stiffness is probably good for the absurd watt cannons currently riding it. It can run 32mm tires (if desired), so that can definitely help smooth things out on the cobbles.
Trek Madone SLR
Photo: Lidl-Trek
The Madone got a major update last year, ditching the rear IsoSpeed decoupler for IsoFlow, a.k.a. the “speed hole.” IsoFlow provides ample comfort, allowing riders to attack rough cobbled sectors, while also reducing drag and overall weight. The previous generation Madone was a bit porky, but the seventh generation is leaner and meaner. It has the narrowest tire clearance, which some might consider a disadvantage, but team riders reportedly have no issue running 30mm tires during Classics races, and supposedly some have fit 32mm tires successfully too.
It managed to pip the Aeroad at Gent-Wevelgem a week ago, so I think it has the best shot at bringing the fight to the Aeroad CFR this weekend. Also, just look at that MASSIVE 56t front chainring. How can you not be intimidated by that?
Cervelo S5
Photo: Cervelo
Like the Aeroad CFR, the S5 is a serious contender with a lot of big wins under its belt. Unfortunately, it hit the ground hard earlier this week and is coming into Flanders with reduced strength. Fortunately, it has one of the most aerodynamic frame and handlebar combos on the market, with its eye-catching V-stem. It will need every advantage possible to pull off an upset.
The S5 also has a very impressive 34mm tire clearance. This is a good thing (if its riders choose to take advantage of it) because the S5 is seriously one of the stiffest feeling bikes I’ve ridden. I can't believe the pros rally these things over cobbles!
What About the Rest?
Photo: EF Education-EasyPost
The Reacto Team, Tarmac SL8, and SuperSix EVO are all solid contenders too, but for reasons I can’t quite put my finger on, they don’t have the WOW factor of the others. Though I must say, the SuperSix EVO has my favorite paint job in the peloton right now.
The Tarmac SL8 likely has the most balanced combination of stiffness, low weight, and comfort here, but I think it will lose out to all-out aero speedsters like the Aeroad, Madone, and S5. The Reacto… well, I've never ridden one. I’ve actually never seen a Merida bike in the US.
Which Bike Will Win at Tour of Flanders 2024?
My Pick: Trek Madone
I’m expecting an upset this weekend. I think the Madone's aero shaping and extra comfort will give it a slight edge over the Aeroad and S5. To me, it’s the perfect bike for the cobbled roads here at Flanders. Next weekend, I think it will suffer on the rougher cobbles of Paris-Roubaix (if it even shows up at all), so Flanders is the place to pull out all the stops.
Which bike do you think will win? Or maybe a better question is, which bike do you think is best?
Post Race UPDATE: Welp, I was wrong. VERY wrong...
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