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Will Jones

An unreleased bike, a closer look at new SRAM Red, more wild TT helmets, crazy disc rotors, weird base layers and more: It's a gigantic Giro d'Italia tech gallery

Giro tech gallery.
(Image credit: Future)

It's the first rest day of the 2024 Giro d'Italia. The racing has been to the playbook thus far, though perhaps more dominant from the gun than any of us even thought. While we all collectively scratch our heads and wonder if there is anything anyone can do to knock Tadej Pogačar down from his pink plinth, the day off provides a window of opportunity to dive into some of the hottest tech on show.

The Classics are done, and with them, the cobble-specific mods go too, while the flurry of new bikes that precludes the Tour de France is yet to come. The Giro, you might think, is a technical morass, but there are always things to spot if you know where to look - and we know where to look.

Put your feet up and scroll down through the lush images and get ready to nerd out on setups, new gear, one-off parts, and pink accessories from week one of the season's first grand tour. 

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

This is the first time we've been able to snap the new Giant TCR in full race getup. The latest model differs very little from the outgoing one, but its internal cables air the aerodynamics of this climbing machine.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The paint scheme is the same as the Propel that Jayco-AlUla has been using all season, and one we're very much fond of here at Cyclingnews.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The team mostly seem to have opted for the TCR over the propel, perhaps due to the hilly nature of the opening week.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

In a world of increasingly black-dominant pro bike paint jobs, due to the weight savings on offer, we applaud Jayco's visual interest, down to the little details, in this case on Luke Plapp's bike.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Speaking of mostly black paint jobs, Ineos swapped the rear of their bikes from navy to black (or just clearcoated) for 2024. Geriant Thomas' Pinarello Dogma is resplendent in an all-Dura-Ace-everything build.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

While the aero and weight penalties may be negligible, seeing the pros use a security strap for their computers is novel. It does mean it's slower to swap computers if a bike change is needed though.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The Giro is a great chance to get a look at the bikes of some wildcard teams that we don't see so often. Here is the De Rosa 70 of VF Group–Bardiani–CSF–Faizanè. A mouthful of a team name, but a very good looking bike regardless.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

It's also a rare occasion to spot the new Campagnolo Super Record wireless groupset in action, as Campagnolo is no longer in the WorldTour.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Like SRAM, the groupset uses removable batteries in the front and rear derailleurs. They are however different batteries, as SRAM has a patent on interchangeable universal batteries.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The famous thumb buttons are gone now too, replaced by a pair of shifter paddles.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The aesthetics of the cranks split opinion. Personally I'm a fan, but to some, Campagnolo should always be 5-arm.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Things aren't all they seem over in the Soudal-QuickStep camp. The team bikes looked to be equipped with normal Roval Rapide wheels, but on closer inspection, they had a 'TEAM' inscription. Lighter? More aero? We can only speculate for now, but it's safe to assume they're faster.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Tim Merlier, wearer of the purple sprinter's jersey for a day early on, had some decidedly 'cyclamen' details on his bike.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Ok, we did quite well to get this far without showing you Pogačar's pink Colnago V4Rs. While his sponsors have stopped short of a full pink bike, the pink finishing kit is at least complemented by a pink logo.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

UAE Team Emirates have been using these Carbon-Ti chainrings for a couple of seasons, but now they have the team name cutout on the outer ring too.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

These aero brake discs from the same brand are new though, and presumably are still pretty feathery.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Pogačar runs satellite shifters just under the hoods for sprinting.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

With an Italian saddle sponsor it's no surprise to see a pink Prologo atop his seatpost.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

It's very neatly done, but you can just about make out the old white logos underneath the pink indicating that this is a vinyl sticker applied on his standard frame.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The same goes for the head tube badge. Prologo bar tape matches the saddle too.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

A little Hulk mascot sticker seems to be a feature of Pogačar's bikes, which puts us in mind of some of Peter Sagan's custom frames back in the day. There's a pink skin on his Wahoo Elemnt Bolt too, just to cap it all off.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

At the Visma-Lease-A-Bike bus there was a mix of white and black bar tape, some computer straps, and another glimpse at the unreleased SRAM Red groupset.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

This is the clearest look we've had so far at the new lever and hood shape. The hoods especially appear to be a little longer and slimmer.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Over at Lidl-Trek, the new Red front derailleur was on show.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Here's another look at those prototype Pirelli tyres we've been seeing since Opening Weekend. The width was markedly narrower than what we saw in use during the classics.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Another wildcard team - Polti-Kometa - running bikes we rarely see. Here it's what we believe is an all-new Aurum Magma, with a deeper, more squared-off head tube shape than the existing model. The team rides both red and green versions of the same bike with differing setups, perhaps some are from the 2023 season and are still in use.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

While the red version has an integrated cockpit, this green model has a separate Enve bar and stem, with cables that go in a little further back than on the outgoing model.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Selle SMP saddles are also a rarity for us to see, with their famous dropped nose.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The latest SRAM Red has been proliferating across SRAM-sponsored teams. Some riders in these teams, Movistar in this case, are still very much using the old Red, with signs of use plain to see.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

They key riders will be using the new gear as a priority before launch to eke out all the performance benefits.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The Bora-Hansgrohe team bikes had a mix of old and new Red too. This looks to be the new rear derailleur.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

And this is a new front derailleur.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

New Red levers abounded on many of the team bikes.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The ease of the wireless shifter blips means we see them in use a lot on SRAM-equipped team bikes.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The new rear derailleur jockey wheels look to have a metallic spider.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

There has been some machining out of the body of the new rear derailleur too, presumably to shed weight.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Normally the race transponder is mounted to the fork legs, but some race organisers mandate it goes onto the chainstay instead.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The race leader warming up for the time trial, which he would go on to win. There's a surprising amount in the photo to talk about. He's got an aero base layer on that is effectively just a pair of sleeves, a Core body temperature sensor on his heart rate strap, pink sunglasses, the controversial purple/pink combo skinsuit, and as-yet-unreleased Enve branded aero extensions. The team has also informed us that Pogačar likes to warm up to rap music piped into his JBL headphones, and Eminem in particular. It's not out of the question to assume it's 'Lose Yourself' right before the start, so feel free to listen along for the rest of the gallery.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Here are those custom team edition Carbon Ti chainrings in action on his TT bike, though in larger sizes.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The fork legs here are extremely deep, complemented again by those aero disc rotors.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Another aero base layer on show on Geraint Thomas at the start line. His Kask Bambino helmet is distinctly normal looking amongst the sea of radical new models we've seen lately. It does have extra visor fairings on the lower half, which were a later mod by the team.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

It appeared on initial inspection that Ineos were using a 1x setup for the time trial, despite the hilly finish. However, the rear skewer on many of the bikes was a giveaway that a Classified Powershift hub was in use, effectively giving the team the aero advantages of a 1x, but the gear range of a 2x setup.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The rider's names on the skewers themselves is a neat touch, but also a good way to avoid mixing them up and running into issues with shifters not talking to the receiver, which is in the axle end.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

From the outside though you'd be forgiven for assuming the poor riders were expected to turn these monster Digirit chainrings up the final climb.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

With no dedicated wireless shifter blips, the Ineos mechanics got creative with bonding wired units to the ends of the bars.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

Another aero base layer, and a new Limar TT helmet. The scalloped edge at the rear is clearly designed to mesh with the rider's shoulders.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

In terms of visual weirdness nothing can really compete with this Giro model. It looks insane, but it is likely extremely fast. It's worth noting that as yet, it's not been ridden to victory against the clock.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The much-maligned 'head sock' has been banned by the UCI, so the Soudal riders have to have their straps on show.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

The most bling looking TT tech was perhaps found at the Jayco bus, with these 3D-printed titanium units, fitted to one of the last remaining rim brake TT bikes still in use.

(Image credit: Chris Auld)

While they may well be for sale, thanks to the UCI stipulation that all tech in use must be, it's safe to assume they are prohibitively expensive.

Is there anything we've missed? Let us know in the comments below, and stay tuned to Cyclingnews for all the race results, news and features from our team on the ground throughout the rest of the race.

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