Jonas Vingegaard and Primož Roglič go 1x on stage 2 of Vuelta a España

Having tested it out on numerous occasions so far this season, Jumbo-Visma duo Jonas Vingegaard and Primož Roglič once again reverted to SRAM’s 1x set-up for stage 2 of the Vuelta a España on Sunday.

Both riders are using a 1x version of SRAM’s Red eTap AXS set-up with a chain guide replacing the front derailleur, although Vingegaard’s spare bike that we saw still had the more traditional 2x set-up.

© GCN

To prevent the chain from dropping, Vingegaard's bike has a chain guard instead of a front derailleur

After a spell in the wilderness, 1x has made a resurgence this season, mostly driven by Jumbo-Visma. Aqua Blue Sport became the first team to fully embrace a 1x set-up in 2018 but that came to an end after one season, and it’s only appeared sporadically since, until 2023.

Jumbo-Visma started using the set-up during the spring classics earlier this year, including in Milan-San Remo where Wout van Aert went 1x on route to a podium finish.

That garnered some attention, but the set-up shot into the headlines at the Giro d’Italia courtesy of Roglič’s swashbuckling penultimate-day time trial when he overcame Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) to win the race, despite surprisingly dropping a chain.

Following the theme, Vingegaard went 1x at the Critérium du Dauphiné before carrying it over for the opening stages of the Tour of de France in the Basque country. From there he only used it fleetingly, as did Roglič for the majority of the Giro d’Italia, instead favouring a traditional 2x set-up for most stages.

Although not as tough, the opening road stage of the Vuelta a España in Barcelona features a rolling parcours with three categorised climbs, mirroring those early stages of the Tour de France when Vingegaard favoured the set-up. Roglič meanwhile favoured it on the pure climbing stages at the Giro d’Italia, so stage 2 will be new 1x-terrain for him.

© GCN

Roglič's 1x set-up for stage 2

Alongside Jumbo-Visma, Lidl-Trek are the other notable team to regularly try 1x this season. Both teams are sponsored by SRAM who are the only member of the big-three groupset manufacturers to offer a 1x option.

Both Shimano, who are the dominant groupset force in the pro peloton, and Campagnolo only spec 2x, although it is possible to adapt a set-up with special non-Shimano or -Campagnolo chainrings. This is something teams have avoided so far.

To follow all of the tech news and pro bikes from the 2023 Vuelta a España, head over to our tech page here.