Pro Bike: Niels Albert’s Colnago Prestige

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (VN) — Niels Albert will look to defend his world championship title with a fleet of five Colnago Prestiges at his disposal. Each is built up nearly identically with the exception of some small variations in cockpit components. Every bike is built up with Shimano Dura-Ace 7970 Di2, TRP RevoX cantilevers, and Pro components. Photo: Logan VonBokel | VeloNews.com

Albert runs a carbon Pro Vibe seatpost paired with a custom Pro Turnix saddle on all of his bikes. Photo: Logan VonBokel | VeloNews.com

There's certainly no one else in the field with this set of TRP RevoXs. Albert helped with the design of TRP's latest cantilevers, so it's only fitting that he uses some of the most unique calipers. Albert runs SwissStop yellow pads to slow his Shimano C35 tubulars. Photo: Logan VonBokel | VeloNews.com

More customization can be found on Albert's Dugast Typhoons. Note the crown stamped on the sidewall, next to his name. Albert traveled to the States with 28 pairs of Shimano wheels, so as to have exactly what he would have at a Belgian race. Nearly every wheelset is a Shimano C35 tubular. Photo: Logan VonBokel | VeloNews.com

On this bike, Albert was running a full aluminum cockpit with a ProVibe bar and Vibe 7S stem. Photo: Logan VonBokel | VeloNews.com

There's a number 2 on the seat tube, but Albert's mechanic, Kris Van Meldert, said that he would ride any of the five, as they are all identical. Photo: Logan VonBokel | VeloNews.com

If all of the rainbow stripes weren't enough of a tell, Albert's name is emblazoned on the crux of the seat tube and top tube. Photo: Logan VonBokel | VeloNews.com

Albert had one of his newer bikes at the course, too, an all-black Prestige, which was given to him just before the Belgian national championships. "It's nice to get something new during the season," said Van Meldert. Photo: Logan VonBokel | VeloNews.com

The 7800-C is a rare crankset, and most Americans have never seen one, but when asked Van Meldert said, "I just got it in the shop." That may be the case for him, as there were between 800 and 1,000 7800-C cranksets produced, but only 100 of them made it stateside. According to Shimano's Nick Legan, a 7900 crank is equally as stiff as the 7800-C, which is just a little lighter and costs twice as much; $1,500. Photo: Logan VonBokel | VeloNews.com

The left crankarm does not bear many similarities to 7800 like the drive-side one does, but that heavily worn-in logo sure makes it seem like a secret Shimano relic. The 7800-C was last made about three or four years ago. Photo: Logan VonBokel | VeloNews.com

Albert was running Dugast Typhoons on both bikes. However, these are the Typhoon Flying Doctors, which have a slightly stiffer casing, making them better for fast courses as the tubular will not fold on itself as easily in hard cornering. Van Meldert said he did expect Albert to choose Dugast Rhinos for his race Saturday afternoon. Photo: Logan VonBokel | VeloNews.com

The other difference, besides the tires, is the Pro Vibe Carbon stem on this bike, rather than the aluminum version, which is on his white bike. Photo: Logan VonBokel | VeloNews.com

Like the white bike, this one sports a Vibe carbon seatpost, but the custom Pro Turnix saddle appears much less in. Photo: Logan VonBokel | VeloNews.com

The devil is in the details, and Van Meldert was almost giddy to show off this subtle touch of world-championship livery on the saddle's shell. Photo: Logan VonBokel | VeloNews.com

Albert's mechanic, Van Meldert, clearly cares about his rider's bikes and kept a close eye on them all day. Photo: Logan VonBokel | VeloNews.com