After an astonishing 10 minute breakaway in Stage 10, the first mountain stage of this year's tour, Cyril Dessel takes the yellow jersey. He rides atop his btwin racing FC700 all carbon bike. More famous for thier production of city and touring bikes, btwin is a brand under Decathlon. The FC700 is quite visually unique in the hard-edged tube shapes most noticeably in the bottom bracket area and the semi-integrated seatpost. Dessel rides his FC700 with full Campagnolo Record components. The fork is made in conjunction with TIME. A 55cm frame weighs 1.07kg, claimed. Btwin has a nice flash site, fc700.com showcasing their peleton offering.

Serguei Gonchar cleans the competition to take the yellow after Stage 7's TT race. Aboard his Giant Composite bike, complete with integrated seatpost, air-slicing headtube, and slick aero tubing, Gonchar finished a full minute ahead of the next fastest cyclist, Floyd Landis (who switched bikes after a handlebar problem on his BMC Timemachine.)

Read more at MagentaReign.com

Update: Check out Colnago's TT bike. Looks like a re-branded Giant.


Photo from Graham Watson

For 2007, Mavic is giving the consumer more options with new wheelsets for every type of rider out there. As we speculated before, the new CrossMax SLR's are the top of the line XC specific wheelset in both V and disc brake versions. For the V-brakes, the SLR's have caRRRRRbon fiber hubs and aluminum and titanium parts to reduce this race wheelset down to a weight of 1410g claimed. The disc wheelset will retain the alloy hubs and more spokes with a weight of 1520g claimed. Look for the red spoke. Mavic keeps the CrossMax SL line as a slightly heavier and whiter XC wheelset (with a yellow spoke). The CrossMax ST version (pictured above) is rated as a long distance mountain wheel. The subtle laser-etched logos and black color give this 1660g disc wheelset a stealthy look. Rounding out the CrossMax line is the CrossMax SX, a freeride, heavyduty disc only wheelset. If those aren't enough choices for you, below the CrossMax are the Crosslands, Crossrides, and Crosstrails each with V or disc brake versions.

Can't wait to see the new carbon paired-spoke road racing wheels, Rouesartisanales.com eluded to previously.

Read more at singletrackworld.com.