2018 SRAM Road Teams Global Roster
Many of the world's top cycling stars and teams are riding SRAM in 2018. Pro team relationships reflect our passion for cycling and our relentless drive to develop the most innovative and highest-performance components. This year’s tech highlights include increased adoption of disc-brakes among pro teams, with CANYON//SRAM Racing and Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team equipped with SRAM® RED eTap® HRD. Most other teams will ride a combination of eTap with rim brake and HRD (hydraulic road disc). What’s more, Aqua Blue Sport, a new team to SRAM, becomes the first in the modern era to race exclusively on a single-ring drivetrain, SRAM Force 1 HRD, paired with SRAM’s wide-range cassettes.
Main image ©Tim De Waele TDWSport.com
UCI WorldTeam
MEN
Team KATUSHA-Alpecin
(Switzerland)
Entering its third season riding SRAM, Zipp, and Quarq, Team KATUSHA-Alpecin has recharged its roster with seven new riders including German superstar Marcel Kittel. With KATUSHA-Alpecin’s already finely tuned sprint train, the team is a threat in any bunch gallop. Other additions include time trial specialist Alex Dowsett (Great Britain), all-arounder Ian Boswell (United States), and Ardennes classics contender Nathan Haas (Australia). They join returning riders including GC specialist Ilnur Zakarin (Russia), strongman Tony Martin (Germany), and lead-out specialist Rick Zabel (Germany).
Components: SRAM RED eTap and eTap HRD
Wheels: Zipp® NSW® and Firecrest® rim and disc brake wheels, Super-9 Discs for time trial
Power: Quarq® SRAM RED DZero
Frames: Canyon®
Web and Social: teamkatushaalpecin.com, @katushacycling on Twitter and Instagram
UCI Women's Teams
Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team (The Netherlands)
A perennial world power, Boels-Dolmans roster is a collection of champions who excel at winning or riding support for teammates. Road world champ Chantal Blaak (the Netherlands) is a threat in the Spring Classics. Reigning Rio champ Anna van der Breggen (the Netherlands) is coming off a stellar 2017 season. Add to that all-around talent Elizabeth Deignan (Great Britain) and Megan Guarnier (United States) and look for plenty of orange jerseys on the podium.
Components: SRAM RED eTap HRD
Wheels: Zipp NSW and Firecrest rim and disc-brake wheels, Super-9 Discs for time trial
Bars, Stems: Zipp Service Course SL, Zipp SL Speed and SL Sprint carbon stems
Aero bars: Zipp Vuka Evo extensions
Power: Quarq SRAM RED DZero
Frames: Specialized®
Web and Social: boelsdolmanscyclingteam.com, @boelsdolmansct on Twitter and Instagram
CANYON//SRAM Racing (Germany)
Returning riders including Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (France) and Hannah Barnes (Great Britain) and a host of newcomers are ready to take on any race. New CANYON//SRAM Racing signees are Kasia Niewiadoma (Poland), Alice Barnes (Great Britain) as well as German road champion Lisa Klein and Christa Riffel (Germany). The team also adds former triathlete Tanja Erath (Germany), who won a professional contract as part of a competition within the 2017 CANYON//SRAM Swift Academy, which had more than 2,100 women enrollees.
Components: SRAM RED eTap HRD
Wheels: Zipp NSW and Firecrest Disc brake wheels, Super-9 Discs for time trial
Power: Quarq SRAM RED DZero
Frames: Canyon
Web and Social: wmncycling.com, @WMNcycling on Twitter and Instagram
Sho-Air Twenty20 (United States)
This team – with its longtime affiliation with SRAM, Zipp, and Quarq – has carved out a niche over multiple Olympic cycles of preparing women for top international competition. Its secret is in building rosters of young racers, some still teenagers, alongside accomplished racers. The team was the longtime home for three-time gold medalist (Beijing, London, and Rio) Kristin Armstrong. In 2018, the team is led by Rio silver medalist and multi-time world champ Chloé Dygert Owen.
Components: SRAM RED eTap
Wheels: Zipp NSW and Firecrest, Super-9 Discs for time trial
Bars, Stems, Seatposts: Zipp Service Course SL, Zipp SL Speed seatpost and stem, and SL Sprint carbon stem
Aerobars: Zipp Vuka Aero or Bull with Vuka Evo extensions
Power: Quarq SRAM RED DZero
Frames: Felt®
Web and Social: teamtwenty20.com, @TWENTY20Pro on Twitter and @teamtwenty20 on Instagram
UCI Professional Continental Teams
MEN
Aqua Blue Sport (Ireland)
Having already won against WorldTour teams, Aqua Blue Sport is a plucky competitor determined to overachieve. A perfect example of its resourcefulness is its commitment to race on SRAM 1x, an opportunity to simplify the drivetrain and take advantage of wide-range cassettes. Key riders include U.S. Pro Champ Larry Warbasse, an aspiring breakaway artist. Watch also for Austrian Stefan Denifl, a Vuelta a España 2017 stage winner. Watch also for newcomer Eddie Dunbar (Ireland), who won the U23 Tour of Flanders before injury cut his 2017 season short.
Components: SRAM Force 1 HRD
Power: Quarq
Frame: 3T
Web and Social: aquabluesport.com/the-team, @aquabluesport on Twitter and Instagram
Hagens Berman Axeon Cycling Team (United States)
With SRAM as a founding partner, Hagens Berman Axeon earned a reputation as the world’s premier development team. This season, the team steps up to the Pro Continental level to broaden its ability to race in big events. Hagens Berman Axeon remains focused on preparing young riders for top pro careers. The team has seven new riders and returns eight standouts including Will Barta (United States) and Rui Oliveira (Portugal).
Components: SRAM RED eTap and eTap HRD
Wheels: Zipp NSW and Firecrest rim and disc brake wheels, Super-9 Discs for time trial
Bars, Stems: Zipp Service Course SL, Zipp SL Speed and SL Sprint carbon stems
Aerobar: Zipp Vuka extension
Power: Quarq SRAM RED DZero
Frames: Specialized®
Web and Social: axeoncycling.com, @hbaxeon on Twitter and Instagram
Vérandas Willems–Crelan (Belgium)
This upstart Belgian team is built to compete at the top level in one-day Classics and shorter stage races. The team returns with Belgian Wout van Aert, who already is a legend in cyclocross and has impressive results in limited racing on the road. Fellow Belgian Stijn Devolder, two-time winner of the Tour of Flanders, brings to the young team his vast experience.
Components: SRAM RED eTap and eTap HRD
Wheels: Zipp NSW and Firecrest rim and disc brake wheels, Super-9 Discs for time trial
Bars, Stems, Seatposts: Zipp Service Course SL, Zipp SL Speed seatpost and stem, and SL Sprint carbon stem
Aerobars: Zipp Vuka Aero or Bull with Vuka Evo extensions
Power: Quarq SRAM RED DZero
Frames: Stevens®
Web and Social: snipercycling.be, @Crelan_Charles on Twitter and Instagram
UCI Continental
MEN
Team Wiggins (Great Britain)
Great Britain remains a hotbed of road cycling passion and talent, and Team Wiggins is at the center of that. Watch for tomorrow’s stars, including Thomas Pidcock (Great Britain), competing today.
Components: SRAM RED eTap
Wheels: Zipp NSW and Firecrest, Super-9 Discs for time trial
Aerobars: Vuka Evo extensions
Power: Quarq SRAM RED DZero
Frames: Pinarello®
Web and Social: teamwiggins.co, @officialwiggins on Twitter and @wigginsofficial on Instagram