Pinarello unveils brand-new Bolides for Italy's Olympic track ambitions

Pinarello has unveiled two new models of its Bolide track bike which will be ridden by the likes of Filippo Ganna and Elisa Balsamo in the team pursuit at this summer's Olympic Games for Italy.

Ganna will be well accustomed to his Bolide F HR 3D, having ridden the previously unreleased model to his Hour Record success in 2022, whilst Balsamo and the women's track squad will ride the new Bolide HR C this summer in Paris.

The Bolide F HR 3D is printed from scalmalloy, with an eye on the increased forces and speed that the men's squad will be putting through their bikes, and the women's Bolide HR C is a custom carbon fibre model that will come in three separately sized moulds.

Painted in a bespoke tone of blue that will be immediately recognisable to viewers, the men's and women's track squads have received 12 models of the new bikes in total, with the former hoping to defend their gold medal on the wooden boards of the Vélodrome National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.

"As an iconic Italian brand, we could not be prouder to work with the Italian track team, who like us, are continuing to push the boundaries of athletic performance," said Fausto Pinarello, whose late father Giovanni founded the company in 1952.

"Our hope is that the men will defend their Olympic title on the track this summer and our super-strong women’s team also succeed in their quest for gold. We’ve done everything we can to give them the best possible chance."

Priced at €28,750 and €12,500, respectively, the Bolide F HR 3D and Bolide HR C frames are on sale now from Pinarello.

Narrow forks and seat stays as Filippo Ganna paves the way

Although the Bolide F HR 3D will be officially debuted by Jonathan Milan, Elia Viviani and Simone Consonni this summer, it is a tried-and-tested model for Pinarello, who have claimed two Hour Records with its riders.

© Pinarello

The Italian track team has been training on the new models at their base in Montichiari

Great Britain's Dan Bigham broke Victor Campenaerts' relatively longstanding Hour Record in August 2022 on a prototype model, before Italy's Ganna smashed his figure less than two months later. Their attempts, of course, were coordinated by trade team Ineos Grenadiers, who have ridden on Pinarello bikes since their inception in 2010.

Ganna's record of 56.792km ridden in an hour - set in Grenchen, Switzerland - still stands to this day, and the 27-year-old will certainly fancy his chances of picking up a second gold medal this summer.

He and his teammates pipped Denmark to the gold medal in 2021 and the squad has since ridden the new Bolide F HR 3D in the 2023 UCI Track World Championships.

Unlike many of the day's track bikes, which tend to feature increasingly wide forks and seat stays, the new Bolides both feature narrow forks and seat stays, with Pinarello opting for reliability in the absence of any conclusive research.

Read more: British Cycling unveils new Hope-Lotus track bike ahead of Paris Olympics

Both models meanwhile, have been tested and approved by the UCI, with each frame made from only five parts. Pinarello states that the front triangle is made of three pieces, in addition to the seat and chain stays.

"We have enjoyed a hugely successful partnership with Pinarello over the last 30 years and once again, they have provided us with two truly world-class, cutting-edge bikes which will give our team pursuit athletes a great opportunity to go for gold in Paris," said Marco Villa, performance director of the Italian track team.

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