This is the Custom painted Canyon Ultimate CF SLX of Movistar team leader, Spanish National Champion and UCI number one ranked rider Alejandro Valverde.
Last year Alejandro Valverde favoured the Canyon Aeroad CF SLX on all parcours, but this year he simply fancied a change and has switched to Canyon’s new lightweight and more comfortable Ultimate CF SLX. The new Ultimate is designed to be considerably more comfortable than the Aeroad.
Alejandro Valverde's top tube has white and red stripes, and his title
>>> The Canyon Ultimate CF SLX of Joaquim Rodríguez
The rest of the Movistar team have matte navy blue bikes but Alejandro Valverde has predominantly gloss white to represent his status as national champion and UCI number one ranked rider. The top tube has yellow and red stripes of the Spanish flag and his national title written too.
Valverde's 00 Antares Saddle
>>> Buyer's guide to road bike saddles (video)
Valverde rides a size small, with a 120mm proprietary stem, while his saddle is rather bling Fizik Antares 00 slammed right forward on the carbon rails. Pedals are Look Keo Blade carbon. The bike is fitted with a complete Campagnolo Super Record EPS groupset with a Power2Max power meter on the crank.
There are lots of nice details on this bike. The Lizard Skins bar tape feels great and has cool custom Movistar team finishing tape. The Campagnolo Super Record hoods are Movistar green too.
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Power2Max Powermeter and a full Campag Super Record Groupset
>>> Buyer's guide to road bike groupsets (Video)
Wheels are Campagnolo Bora Ultra 50 Tubulars fitted with the very popular 25mm Continental Competition Pro Ltd Tubulars. The tyres that most of the pro peloton are riding this year. Valverde is a rider known for gutsy performances and incredible consistency throughout the year. Will we see the GC contender swapping his white bike for a pink or yellow one this season?
Oliver Bridgewood - no, Doctor Oliver Bridgewood - is a PhD Chemist who discovered a love of cycling. He enjoys racing time trials, hill climbs, road races and criteriums. During his time at Cycling Weekly, he worked predominantly within the tech team, also utilising his science background to produce insightful fitness articles, before moving to an entirely video-focused role heading up the Cycling Weekly YouTube channel, where his feature-length documentary 'Project 49' was his crowning glory.
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