Pro bike: Hugh Carthy's Cannondale SuperSix EVO LAB71

Back in 2020, Hugh Carthy’s career soared to new heights, finishing third at the Vuelta a España to podium at a Grand Tour for the first time. It was an impressive accomplishment for the British rider, one made more impressive by a victory on stage 12’s summit finish atop the fearsome Alto de L'Angliru, widely regarded by many as the toughest climb in Europe.

To take that stage win, Carthy had to overcome an impressive field of big hitters, including Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) and Enric Mas (Movistar), who have routinely finished on the podium at the Spanish Grand Tour since.

It remains Carthy’s only Grand Tour stage win, and his return to the Angliru on stage 17 of the 2023 Vuelta didn't live up to the memories, as he finished down in 72nd position.

It has been a trying three weeks for Carthy, who has battled through to the finish in Madrid but finds himself down in 23rd place overall.

Throughout the race, he has been riding the SuperSix EVO LAB71, and we managed to grab a closer look.

LAB71: lightest ever SuperSix EVO

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The LAB71 is the lighest ever version of the SuperSix EVO

Having ridden them since 2017 when he first joined the team, Carthy is more than familiar with Cannondale’s bikes. Its line-up includes the aero SystemSix, or the all-round SuperSix, the team’s bike of choice for climbing days.

The SuperSix has been around for a long time now, first introduced in 2007, and it’s undergone plenty of changes over that time. The latest of those came at the beginning of 2023, and with it Cannondale introduced a new LAB71 version, the most premium tier of the bike currently available.

At a claimed 770g, the LAB71 frame is the lightest the American brand has ever produced for the SuperSix Evo series. Notably, Cannondale also claims that the latest generation of the SuperSix EVO is also more aerodynamic, saving 12 watts at 45kp/h than the previous generation of the bike.

Those two claims highlight the SuperSix EVO’s status as an all-round super-bike, capable on both the flat and climbs. It’s a route many brands are now taking, abandoning dedicated aero and climbing bikes for one do-it-all model. Cannondale hasn’t quite gone that far just yet, and the brand still offers the aero SystemSix, but the SuperSix has morphed into a very capable all-rounder.

That’s highlighted by the fact that we encountered Carthy’s bike ahead of stage 4, a flat day that ended in a bunch sprint when plenty of teams used their pure aero bikes, but Carthy opted for the SuperSix all-rounder.

Read more: Specialized releases Tarmac SL8 do-it-all superbike

Shimano and Vision components

For the flat stage, Carthy used Shimano’s Dura-Ace groupset with a 54/40t FSA chainset, combined with an 11-34t cassette, although that was swapped out for something a little more compact for the Angliru, a climb that rarely dips below double-figure gradients.

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The FSA crankset

The Vision Metron 45 SL wheels are fairly shallow for a flat stage, although they may become either shallower for tough climbing days, with the range going down to a 30mm-deep rim.

They’re joined by 28mm wide Vittoria Corsa PRO tyres with tan sidewalls. Sometimes the tiny details add to the sleek look of a bike, and the valve nuts are pink, matching the team’s colour.

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Vision's Metron 45s were the wheels of choice

Up front, the bike has the Vision Metron 5D ACR integrated handlebar and stem. Like most modern bars, there is no cabling in sight.

A Prologo saddle and bar tape complete the build.

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An integrated bar and stem completes a sleek look

Bike Specification