All the new technology we found at Omloop het Nieuwsblad
The opening weekend of the Spring Classic means new technology to be found.
Let’s start with German brand ROSE, a bike brand making its debut in the pro peloton this year. Unibet Rose Rockets will race the 2026 season with ROSE Shave FF.
(Photo: Tie Wijntjes for Velo)
Updated on February 28, 2026 at 12:21 p.m.
Cobblestones, rough weather and punchy climbs, Frit can only mean one thing. This means that the classics have begun.
Even though there are sunny races scheduled early in the season that take professional cyclists out of their winter training. Omloop Het Nieuwsblad The official cycling season has yet to begin. So even if it’s not the biggest race of the season, there’s a certain suspense to this race that you won’t find anywhere else.
As in recent years, the Omloop begins in Ghent, where a large hall next to the famous velodrome ‘t Kuipke transforms into a hub for road cycling for a few hours. Most of the buses are parked inside the hall, making it a gathering place for cyclists, Belgian cycling enthusiasts, and avid journalists.
The first cobblestone classic is not only the first time we see many of the big hitters compete against each other, but it’s also a moment for many teams and bike brands to unveil some of the new technology they’ve been working on and testing over the winter.
While the opening weekend doesn’t bring as many new products as it used to, it’s still a great place to see tricked-out bikes and unreleased tech, and reason enough to explore the venue for cobble-specific setups, new products, and other notable tech.
Gallery: Omloop het Nieuwsblad’s new gear
Let’s start with German brand ROSE, a bike brand making its debut in the pro peloton this year. Unibet Rose Rockets will race the 2026 season with ROSE Shave FF. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)For the cobblestone classic, we opt for a 1x setup with SRAM’s Red AXS XPLR rear derailleur. This was a setup that debuted in the Classic last year by Lidl-Trek, but we’ve seen quite a few different teams using it this year. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)We saw that setup many times, but the interesting difference was the choice of chain catcher. UNO-X used this GnarWolf Braze-On Mount rev2. It was originally designed for “mountain biking, extreme gravel, and particularly grueling CX racing.” (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Some teams, such as Red Bull Bora-Hansgrohe, have chosen to run a 1x setup using a “regular” SRAM Red AXS rear derailleur. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Bahrain Victorious is riding a Bianchi bike this year, which is equipped with an Elly crankset and the Chinese brand says each bike weighs just 310 grams. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)With a width of 30 millimeters, the Vittoria Corsa Pro is one of the most used tires. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Two teams, Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe and Soudal Quickstep, opted to start with wider tires and raced on Specialized unbranded 32mm cotton tires. Perhaps, judging by the familiar thread, it’s the new cotton Turbo TLR tires. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)UAE Team Emirates-XRG was flying the Continental Archetype, which the German brand developed in conjunction with the Emirates-based team for last year’s Tour de France. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Another rubber that caught our eye is the Schwalbe Pro One Aerothan. This lightweight tire has been teased for several years already, but due to manufacturing issues it remains exclusive to pros (in this particular case Tudor Pro Cycling). (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Mathieu van der Poel and his teammates appeared to have a new set of wheels at their disposal. Judging by the looks, it’s a new version of Shimano’s Dura-Ace wheels. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)The wheels appear to have much wider rims than the current Dura-Ace wheels. This allows for a more aerodynamic interface with the tire. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Alpecin-Premier Tech also used a simpler technique: good old zip ties to organize the cables around the rear derailleur. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Some bicycle brands have special solutions for mounting the number plate as aerodynamically as possible. For example, the one on Matthew van der Poel’s Canyon Abroad CFR hides the mount behind the seatpost. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Lidl-Trek uses a small plastic cover that slides around the seatpost. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Another aero tech from Lidl-Trek is likely the 3D printed Wahoo mount. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)The German team also raced with new, unbranded wheels. Neither the mechanic nor the spokesperson would say anything about the wheels, but it’s likely a new addition to Bontrager’s Aelous lineup. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)INEOS Grenadiers used a dark bib for the Classic, but we stuck to the light-colored bike design. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)The British team uses good old sandpaper to store bottles in bottle cages on the bumpy roads of Belgium. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)So was EF Education-EasyPost. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)UCI judges use a very simple measuring tool to check whether teams comply with rules regarding handlebar size. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Measure the size of both the hood and drop handlebars using two different sides of the tool. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)UAE Team Emirates XRG features a special aerodynamic mount that hides the rider’s Wahoo cycle computer as much as possible from the wind. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Another interesting detail on the Colnago Y1Rs team bike is the use of the Bikone ceramic bottom bracket. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Several teams, such as Visma-Lease a Bike, have installed transponders inside their front forks to gain a slight aerodynamic advantage. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Again, these trackers from Velon are slightly less efficient, both in terms of weight and aerodynamics. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Some Red Bull, Bora, and Hansgrohe riders were using SRAM Blips satellite shifters installed to their own preference. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Some teams have head unit mounts designed to be as aerodynamic as possible, while others (like Soudal Quick-Step) have head unit mounts designed to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)More and more teams are turning to rider-specific nutrition, as is the case with Bahrain Victorious. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)To help riders stay on top of their nutrition, some teams put special stickers on their stems. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Race winner Demi Vollering has her own notepad attached to the stem. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)No special design, she just writes notes on cotton tape. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)The European Champion uses a Specialized Power saddle with Mimic. Judging by the carbon rails, this is a new, yet unreleased version of that saddle. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Although many men raced with a 1x setup, I only found one bike in the women’s peloton with a single chainring, and that belonged to Cedrine Kerbaol. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Liv AlUla Jayco used a 2x setup but still chose to add a chain catcher. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Like the men’s peloton Tudor, the Canyon//Sram Zondacrypt used Schwalbe’s Pro One Aerozan tires. Interestingly, they also used Schwalbe click valves, making them the only team to use non-presta valves. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Lil AlUla Jayco was running the new Cadex 50 WheelSystem and CADEX Aero tubeless tires. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)According to the Taiwanese brand, the wheels and tires have been specially developed to be used together for optimal aerodynamic performance. The wheels have an internal width of 22.4 millimeters, which optimizes the tire geometry and the aerodynamic properties of the system. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Quite a few, but not all, teams now use hot wax to lubricate their chains. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Almost all the men raced on aero-only bikes, but a few women opted for lightweight bikes. For example, Karlin Swinkels of UAE Team ADQ says he prefers Colnago’s V5R for classic cobblestone races because of its lighter weight and better comfort compared to the Y1R. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Mathieu van der Poel’s bike is the same as team standard with the exception of a custom Selle Italia Flite Boost MVDP saddle. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)We’ve found a variety of riders using aerodynamic overshoes that are made up of two separate parts, leaving the front of the shoe open, rather than covering the entire shoe. Such as Oliver Naasen, whose white overshoes were no longer white after a crash during a race. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)Matisse Rubel of the NSN cycling team also used a similar type of overshoe. (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)So much for this rather unfair match. Choose your fighter! (photograph: Connect Vero and Wine Chess)
