Vitus Pro Cycling show off their 2019 team bike

The Vitus ZX-1 is, as you’d expect Vitus’s top of the range machine and was launched in 2018. Vitus says that it’s aero inspired, with race winning geometry but also the comfort for all day riding.

It’s also disc brake only. According to Vitus Road Product Manager, Jodie Shann: “We are fully behind the performance benefits disc brakes bring to road cycling, so much so that when we introduced our flagship ZX-1 race bike in 2018 we released this as a disc only platform.

“Our experience from countless hours of rider testing and feedback is that discs give the rider far greater braking control in all conditions, giving riders more time to focus on road positioning rather than worrying about braking performance.”

Despite a rocky start in the pro peloton, disc brakes have now gained widespread acceptance, with Vitus not alone in offering disc brake only pro-level machines.

The team will roll on Prime Black Edition 50mm section carbon clincher wheels, Prime being another of Wiggle and Chain Reaction Cycles’s in-house brands. Tyres come from Schwalbe: the brand’s Pro One Evo MicroSkin TL-Easy in 25mm width.

Mechanicals are SRAM Red eTap HRD, with hydraulic braking. There’s a standard set-up of 53/39 chainset and 11-25 cassette.

Bars and stem come from Prime again, while the team will be seated on Selle San Marco Aspide saddles in black and red, to match the black with metallic red accents of the Vitus frameset.

The UCI Continental level team will have a 12 rider roster for the 2019 season, headlined by Olympic champion Ed Clancy and managed by Cherie Pridham. They’ve also brought on Brother UK as the team’s supporting headline sponsor for the next three years.

Commenting on the team launch, Vitus Brand Marketing Manager Chris McGlinchey said: “We’re extremely excited to see the performance of the ZX-1 Team bike come to life through Vitus Pro Cycling. Chez has put together a great squad of riders for the 2019 season and everyone at Vitus are excited to get racing and see the ZX-1 in the pro peloton.”