Quickstep team training camp, pics pics pics!

[jay cee]

forgot to say, tomorrow is their last day, they have a 7hour ride planned.

jong vlaanderen team arrived today...

[mzagorski]

jay cee - mr bettini look rather pleased to see your missus! down boy DOWN!

[Carbon_Cowboy]

I'm glad someone else said something...so I didn't have to!

[jay cee]

hahahahaha!

[jay cee]

cyclingnews story about it:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features.php ... tep_camp08

[Razor]

Cool pics. How often do the guys train with a helmet? I find it refreshing to see them without helmets, too bad the "safety police" in the US would poo-poo such behavior.

[Maverick]

I guess the wheels they are using is now public as just received this press release:

January 17, 2007– Morgan Hill, CA Back-to-back world champion Paolo Bettini, Tom Boonen and the entire Team QUICK STEP will race the 2008 season exclusively on Roval wheels. Roval wheels are unique in their systems approach to design and cutting-edge materials—a combination that balances aerodynamics, light weight and durability to deliver best-in-class performance for the intended application.

Specialized has designed and developed five models of wheels for QUICK STEP to ensure the team’s maximum advantage on any course. The Roval Roubaix model, which is available now at Specialized dealers, will be their go-to wheel for the 2008 spring classics. Roval wheels first gained notoriety among Team QUICK STEP riders for their speed and durability during time trials and the 2007 spring classics. The ingenious Roval Fuseé Star, which halves the frontal area of a standard wheel, will be the front wheel for all time trial applications due to its incredibly low drag coefficient and handling characteristics—features that benefit any rider.

Further revolutionizing the Roval team models, Campagnolo will collaborate with Specialized to build three of the five Roval team wheels; they will feature Specialized-engineered hubs and spoking patterns alongside Campagnolo-engineered rims and spokes/nipple systems. The team wheels will be assembled at Campagnolo’s state of the art facility in Vicenza, Italy.

“We are all proud to have finalized this ambitious cooperation with a strategic partner like Specialized. We feel confident that this could be the first step in an important expansion of our mutual interest and business goals,” said an enthusiastic Angelo Caccia, International Sales Director of Campagnolo Srl and President of Campagnolo North America, Inc.

The decision to team-up with Campy was an obvious choice for Specialized Founder and President Mike Sinyard. “I have always had the greatest respect for Campagnolo. The brand’s quality, integrity and history make them one of the most distinguished companies in our sport. It is a great honor that Campagnolo has agreed to work with us to co-develop and assemble world-class race wheels. I look forward to other similar projects in the future.”

[GrahamB]

The ingenious Roval Fuseé Star, which halves the frontal area of a standard wheel,

It lets you run a 12mm tyre?

I thought the only place they used those things was in pre-season training?

This year's wheels look like a much better design...

And by the way, "notoriety" usually means "having a bad reputation": some unintended honesty from the PR flack?

[BdaGhisallo]

So, after reading the press release, we can conclude that the QS boys will be riding Campy wheels, just like last year. The only difference this year will be Specialized decals instead of Fulcrum!!!

[Skyleth]

They'll be using Specialized Hubs on Campy Rims according to the Cyclingnews tech report [cyclingnews.com via citebite]

I think that's what those unbranded carbon rims w/ red hubs were in the earlier pictures.

[spinwax]

Great photos... thanks for sharing.

Neat insiders look into a day of training by the pros.

[bradeng]

I guess the wheels they are using is now public as just received this press release:

January 17, 2007– Morgan Hill, CA Back-to-back world champion Paolo Bettini, Tom Boonen and the entire Team QUICK STEP will race the 2008 season exclusively on Roval wheels. Roval wheels are unique in their systems approach to design and cutting-edge materials—a combination that balances aerodynamics, light weight and durability to deliver best-in-class performance for the intended application.

Specialized has designed and developed five models of wheels for QUICK STEP to ensure the team’s maximum advantage on any course. The Roval Roubaix model, which is available now at Specialized dealers, will be their go-to wheel for the 2008 spring classics. Roval wheels first gained notoriety among Team QUICK STEP riders for their speed and durability during time trials and the 2007 spring classics. The ingenious Roval Fuseé Star, which halves the frontal area of a standard wheel, will be the front wheel for all time trial applications due to its incredibly low drag coefficient and handling characteristics—features that benefit any rider.

Further revolutionizing the Roval team models, Campagnolo will collaborate with Specialized to build three of the five Roval team wheels; they will feature Specialized-engineered hubs and spoking patterns alongside Campagnolo-engineered rims and spokes/nipple systems. The team wheels will be assembled at Campagnolo’s state of the art facility in Vicenza, Italy.

“We are all proud to have finalized this ambitious cooperation with a strategic partner like Specialized. We feel confident that this could be the first step in an important expansion of our mutual interest and business goals,” said an enthusiastic Angelo Caccia, International Sales Director of Campagnolo Srl and President of Campagnolo North America, Inc.

The decision to team-up with Campy was an obvious choice for Specialized Founder and President Mike Sinyard. “I have always had the greatest respect for Campagnolo. The brand’s quality, integrity and history make them one of the most distinguished companies in our sport. It is a great honor that Campagnolo has agreed to work with us to co-develop and assemble world-class race wheels. I look forward to other similar projects in the future.”

hahahahahahahaha

I can totally see it going down like this:

Specialized: "ride our wheels"

Quick.step: "uhh are they going to be as sweet as your cranks and forks? They are? Oh... hmm.... no thanks."

Specialized: "ok... well what if we can get Campy to just make a bunch of Boras with our hub?"

Quick.step: "ok... but don't expect us to actually use that shitty classic wheel in Flanders or Roubaix"

[jay cee]

bradeng:
something like that.

[bradeng]

Specialized is such a joke... I remember this 10 page advertising mini-mag that they shipped inside Velonews a few months back. On the cover you had a picture of Bettini riding and if you compared the picture of him on his actual team bike to the picture of the decked out s-works sl-2 the ONLY thing the two had in common was the frame itself (and I still have my doubts about them actually riding stock frames). No fork, no crank, no barmac, or seat post. Ahh marketing... why else would anyone want to spend that much on a bike "made" by a company that doesn't actually "make" anything?

[strobbekoen]

There is a report about the QS training camp at your place on the belgian TV right now.