Alongside the Tour Down Under and Mallorca Challenge, the Vuelta a San Juan attracts some of the sport's biggest names as they begin their seasons and test their form.
Seven WorldTour teams made the journey to South America, and while Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) abandoned ahead of stage 1 with illness, Darwin Atapuma (UAE Team Emirates), Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal), Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors), Rafal Majka (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Jarlinson Pantano (Trek-Segafredo) all tested their legs and showed off their new 2018 kit.
With the WorldTour having started in Australia, much of the 2018 WorldTour tech has already been documented. Alongside the more common tech, however, the Vuelta a San Juan showcased bikes from the lower-league South American teams, as well as rising stars from the continent representing their country in their national colours.
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Shimano's dominance in the WorldTour sees 16 of the 18 WorldTour teams using at least some of the Japanese component giant's parts, and thus a sea of black, shiny Dura-Ace R9100 series drivetrains. Mauricio Knapp, representing the Brazil national squad at the race, continues the Shimano trend. However, while his colleagues at the race equip their bikes with Shimano's flagship Dura-Ace groupsets, Knapp runs the budget-friendly 105 groupset.
Stage 3 of the race was a 14.4km individual time trial and with many teams travelling from Europe to the race, regular road bikes were used in conjunction with time trial wheelsets and aero helmets.
Click or swipe through the gallery above to see the tech on show in Argentina.
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/vuelta-a-san-juan-rarely-seen-bikes-alongside-worldtour-tech-gallery
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