Giro d’Italia pro bike: Olympic Champion Primož Roglič’s Cervélo P5 TT bike
A time trial bike fit for an Olympic Champion
Totalling over 70km, the three time trials at the Giro d’Italia could be decisive in the race for the pink jersey. Pulling out a top-class time trial requires incredible talent but also the best tech, so Ollie went on the hunt to try and find one of the time trial bikes that will be used during the race. He did a good job, getting his hands on Olympic Time Trial Champion Primož Roglič’s Cervélo P5.
When we say got his hands on, that’s not strictly true. Ollie wasn’t actually allowed to touch the bike, only look, which is understandable when you consider just how impressive the bike is.
On a basic level, it looks amazing, sporting a gold and black paint job. The sleek design is completed by iridescent circles which are dotted across the bike, a nod to Roglič’s Olympic success.
Aesthetics alone won’t be enough to propel the Slovenian to glory and for that he can rely on a bike that maximises performance in every possible way, starting with a monster 58-tooth, one-by chainring. If it’s any reassurance, we’re reliably informed that the Jumbo-Visma rider does downsize to a smaller option depending on the terrain. But still, a 58-tooth dinner plate is incredible on any terrain.
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The bike has a large 58-tooth chainring for flat courses but this can be changed for trickier terrain.
Using a one-by setup makes sense on a flat time trial when riders won’t spend any time in the little chainring, and removing it reduces drag. We’re only talking about marginal differences but at WorldTour level it can lead to big gains.
From the Reserve wheels to the Vittoria Corsa Speed tyres (which according to tests are one of the quickest available), every part of the bike is carefully selected. The part that caught Ollie’s eye more than any other was the cockpit because, well, it’s stunning.
Completely custom to the Cervélo P5, it has a mono-riser which inserts into the headset and can be adjusted vertically to fine-tune the perfect aerodynamic position on the bike. It’s much more practical than adding or removing spacers which was required on older time trial bikes.
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Roglič has a custom Vision cockpit.
In the hunt for any marginal gain, the armrests and grips are shaped to Roglič’s specific arm position and their shape has presumably been fine-tuned and tested in a wind tunnel. There’s also a custom computer mount and shifters neatly embedded into the underside of the hand grips.
Check out the full specification for Roglič’s Cervélo P5 below.
Bike Specification
Bike
year
2023
model
P5
Manufacturer
Cervélo