Three-time men's Paris-Roubaix champion, Mathieu van der Poel, has decided to race Paris-Roubaix today on his normal Canyon Aeroad CFR race bike, the machine that he has raced and won on for the last several years, ignoring the new Roubaix-specific bike that Canyon unveiled this week.
The German brand launched an updated version of its Endurace CFR endurance model this week, claiming the bike had been designed with the single purpose of 'getting to Roubaix fastest'.
Much debate has followed since the bike's launch on what Van der Poel would choose to use; certainly amongst the Cyclingnews tech team, at least.
Van der Poel raced and won on the bike at E3 Saxo Classic but was nearly reeled in at the death after a long-range attack in which he posted all-time personal bests for his power output.
He then raced the Tour of Flanders on his regular Aeroad, choosing not to use the Endurace, which was perhaps an indication of his preference between the two models.
Van der Poel's teammate Jasper Philipsen, meanwhile, will race Roubaix on the Endurace CFR. We checked out his bike ahead of the race, even spotting some prototype Dura-Ace pedals. While visiting the Alpecin hotel, the team remained tight-lipped on which machine Van der Poel would use, and wouldn't show us any of his bikes pre-race.
A lot of work appeared to have gone into the new Endurace bike by Canyon; it has increased tyre clearance compared to the Aeroad, and is said to have a stiffer head tube than it too. Van der Poel, we are told, wants very stiff race bikes, likely helping him get the power down when he's out of the saddle, especially with his preference for wide bars. Canyon itself told us he receives custom carbon layups separate from what consumers are given.
Was it just a clever marketing strategy by Canyon to boost its new bike? Perhaps a racer like Van der Poel simply prefers the Aeroad, the bike he has taken countless big wins on, despite Canyon saying the new bike is only one watt less aerodynamic.
Racers can be hesitant to change things when everything is working well. Van der Poel may just naturally prefer the Aeroad and is sticking to what he knows best for Roubaix; it has served him well for the last three editions of the race.
Van der Poel will use a double Dura-Ace chainset, a different setup compared to his two great rivals. Tadej Pogačar has fitted a 1X Carbon Ti chainring, and Wout van Aert, who will use a 1X SRAM setup.
Given the race starts with 100km of road before the first cobbled sectors, we did consider the possibility that Van der Poel would switch to the bigger-tyred Endurace before the race hits the rough stuff, but upon checking all the team cars at the start for bikes with the Dutchman's name on, the Aeroad tallies three, to the Endurace's zero.
We won't have to wait long to see how the race plays out for the three-time champion as he seeks a historic fourth victory at the Hell of the North.
