Despite his age, the 24-year-old Italian Diego Ulissi can already show a remarkable palmarés. The two-time junior world champion experienced a golden autumn last season and within a few days secured the laurels in the difficult one-day races Milan-Turin, Coppa Sabatini and Giro dell'Emilia. This year he has already proven his all-round talent. On the second stage of the Tour Down Under he didn't give his competitors a chance and finished third in the final standings.
2014 is Ulissi's fourth season for Italian WorldTour team Lampre-Merida, whose captains Rui Costa and Chris Horner provide him with enough shade to develop. On the way he is there on one Reacto Evo of team sponsor Merida.
This is the heart of the wheel Reacto Pro Direct E-Frame kit including the associated S Flex-seat post. This is characterized by a flip-flop head that allows a variety of saddle positions and the integration of damping. At the front of the aero frame optimized for 2014 is a tapered The steering head is installed, which, together with the aero fork, is intended to give the bike high rigidity at the front. The rear end is characterized by the low-set support struts.
Ulissi, whose bike has a seat height of 72,5 centimetres, rides alongside a complete Dura Ace 9070 Di2 from Shimano also components from the companies FSA, Fulcrum, Rotor and Prologo. FSA supplies the handlebar-stem combination, which in the case of the Italian consists of a 130 millimeter long K Force-Stem and a 42 centimeter wide K Force-handlebar. In addition, there are the Racing Speed XLR carbon wheels, which have a rim height of 50 millimeters.
When we got the bike in front of the camera, they were with Continental Competition Pro LTD- Tubular tires fitted. An 11-speed cassette with a gear ratio of 11 to 28 teeth was mounted on the rear wheel. What is exciting is that Ulissi takes this with her NoQ-Aero chain rings - here the gear ratio was 53 to 39 - of the new team sponsor Rotor combined. However, the Spaniards equip the team not only with blades, but also with their on the well-known 3D +-Crank based power meter off. Prologo delivers alongside that Scratch CPC-Saddle also the very grippy Onouch-bar tape.
Since both the frame and the wheels are among the lightest models in their class, the mechanics have to show tact to achieve the UCI-approved weight of 6,8 kilograms.