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Racing
Bike check: Neilson Powless’s Cannondale LAB71 SuperSix EVO
Neilson will ride his Dwars door Vlaanderen winning machine at De Ronde
April 5, 2025
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Neilson Powless’s Tour of Flanders bike is dialled.
On Wednesday, he raced his Cannondale LAB71 SuperSix EVO to victory at Dwars door Vlaanderen. On Sunday, he will ride the exact same bike across the cobbles and bergs of De Ronde. Neilson trusts his team-edition race bike to excel in the most demanding conditions that the classics can throw at him.
“It just feels like a super complete bike,” Neilson says. “I've been riding EVOs for six years now and this is just the best one yet for sure. I'm super confident on it. On every descent, I always feel really in control. After riding EVOs for so long now, I know exactly how it handles and am able to push it to the limit. And that is what makes you go faster in the corners.”
Neilson’s Cannondale LAB71 SuperSix EVO isn’t just agile. Featherlight and robust, its frame was sculpted by Cannondale’s engineers over countless hours in the windtunnel. For Neilson, that means free speed to save his strength and accelerate past his his rivals in the final kilometers of the classics. Races are won by millimeters in the WorldTour and Neilson’s bike helps him sprint ahead.
“It's really aerodynamic,” Neilson says. “Just riding next to guys from other teams, it is pretty clear that something about my setup is more aero than theirs. Guys have come up to me afterwards and said, ‘It has to be the bike.’ They could also feel the difference. That’s a real confidence boost.”
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Neilson will run 30mm Vittoria Corsa Pro tires with Air-Liners on his new Vision Metron 45RS wheels. Handmade with full carbon rims and spokes, the Metron 45RS are lighter than their predecessors with superior aerodynamics. Neilson runs his Corsa Pro tires with four bars of pressure in the front and 4.3 bars in the rear. Air-Liners give him extra assurance in case of a puncture.
“These new wheels are quite a bit lighter, so I'd rather just have the ability to ride for a few extra kilometers in case I flat,” Neilson says. “Last year at the Tour, I did 20 kilometers just on the insert and I made it to the finish with the the bunch. Riding the inserts is so worth it if you puncture.”
The rest of Neilson’s set up for De Ronde is completely stock: SystemBar R-One cockpit, FSA 56-40 chainrings and crankset, 11-34 cassette, Fizik Vento Argo R1 Adaptive saddle, Wahoo SPEEDPLAY AERO pedals and ELEMNT Roam computer.
“If it ain't broke, I’m just going to keep it,” Neilson says. “I’m riding the exact same bike I rode at Dwars.”
Neilson rode his Cannondale LAB71 SuperSix EVO to a great win there. We can’t wait to see what he can do at the Tour of Flanders.
Check out the full specs of Neilson’s bike.
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Neilson Powless’s Cannondale LAB71 SuperSix EVO
Frame
Cannondale LAB71 SuperSix EVO 56cm
Cockpit
Cannondale System R-One Carbon one piece 130/380
Bartape
Fizik
Groupset
Shimano DURA-ACE
Chainrings
FSA 56/40
Brakes
Dura Ace 160/140mm
Cranks
FSA SLK 170mm
Cassette
Shimano Dura Ace 11-34
Pedals
Wahoo SPEEDPLAY AERO
Wheelset
Vision Metron 45RS
Tires
Vittoria Corsa Pro 30mm
Head unit
Wahoo ELEMNT Roam
Saddle
Fizik Vento Argo R1 Adaptive
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