There was no second guessing who Simone Velasco was riding for during the men's World Champs road race on Saturday. The one-day specialist's Wilier Filante SLR was resplendent in Il Tricolore - signifying his status as the current Italian National Champ but entirely fitting for his participation in Glasgow as well.
The man from Bologna eventually finished 27th in the race, some 13-59 behind winner Mathieu van der Poel. Let's have a closer look at the bike that he was riding.
(Image credit: Future)
Velasco's Wilier SLR features a pearlescent paint job with the three colour bands of the Italian flag prominent on both frame and fork. It's the Italian marque's flagship aero race model and is used by Velasco and his Astana Qazaqstan teammates for all but the hilliest of stages, where they tend to swap to the lighter 0 SLR.
In Glasgow, Velasco used Corima wheels fitted with Vittoria Corsa Pro tyres in a 28mm width. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the slick roads, he ran them tubeless, which should have allowed him to run them at lower pressures for increased grip in the wet.
(Image credit: Future)
Not content with the patriotic paint job, Velasco opted to equip his 12-speed Shimano Dura-Ace rear derailleur with a custom coloured SLF Motion Speed System, which is made in the USA and features an oversize carbon cage and jockey wheels that apparently use 'unique coated' bearings.
(Image credit: Future)
As mentioned earlier, Velasco's Wilier is equipped with Shimano 12-speed Dura-Ace. Nothing unusual there. However, the angle of his shifters is interesting, with the Italian opting for the 'tucked in' approach, which allows riders to adopt a more aerodynamic position when riding on the hoods, despite a UCI ruling that impacted the use of overly narrow handlebars.
The Filante's monocoque handlebar is made of the same carbon the brand uses on the feathery Wilier 0 SLR. Fully integrated, the cockpit aids the bike's aero credentials while the flat tops are created to be ergonomically friendly.
(Image credit: Future)
As for Velasco's choice of gearing, we can see that he opted for a 54/40 chainset for the punchy Glasgow course. We don't know the confirmed cassette choice, but if we had to hazard a guess it looks to be an 11-30t.
(Image credit: Future)
Velasco uses Prologo's Scratch M5 CPC saddle, which features separated foam pads. The design is said to create 'independent zones' that work individually and more in tune with both the pushing and pulling movements of a rider's pedaling action.
(Image credit: Future)
The decal on the Filante's seat post confirm's Velasco as the reigning Italian road race champ, which he won in June ahead of Intermarché's Lorenzo Rota. The d-shaped aero post provides another opportunity to fly the flag, this time in the form of a custom number holder - a UCI requirement.
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Luke Friend has worked as a writer, editor and copywriter for twenty five years. Across books, magazines and websites, he's covered a broad range of topics for a range of clients including Major League Baseball, the National Trust and the NHS. He has an MA in Professional Writing from Falmouth University and is a qualified bicycle mechanic. He has been a cycling enthusiast from an early age, partly due to watching the Tour de France on TV. He's a keen follower of bike racing to this day as well as a regular road and gravel rider.
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