The descent of Poggio is often the decisive battlefield of Milan-San Remo and Matej Mohorič launched a planned attack there to win the opening monument of the 2022 WorldTour season – with a dropper post.
The Slovenian slammed Poggio down with an awful speed to claim the biggest one-day victory of his career and revealed in the post-race interview that he used a dropper post on the mighty drop in San Remo.
Mohorič typically rides Merida’s aero road bike, the Reacto, but switched to the Scultura Allrounder for Milan-San Remo. While the Reacto has an aero-shaped post, the Scultura has a round seat post, which allows the team mechanics to swap in a dropper.
Mohorič’s bike was equipped with a Fox Transfer SL Dropper Post, launched in June 2021 and claims to weigh 327g. It is described by Fox as the “lightest mainstream dropper post on the market”.
“I’ve been thinking about this race all winter,” said Mohorič, who won two stages of the 2021 Tour de France. has a descent at the end.
“I knew that if I could train properly and be in a good condition so as not to fall on Poggio, that I would have a chance to do my best descent and risk a little bit, but might be able to hang on to the win. . “
Are dropper posts legal in UCI road races?
Following Mohorič’s victory in Milan-San Remo, the UCI issued the following statement confirming the legality of dropper posts:
The UCI Equipment Commission approved the use of dropper seats in road cycling competitions in 2014.
“Their use is subject to the minimum 5cm withdrawal rule of Article 1.3.013 of the UCI Regulations, ie if the dropper is seated at its highest or lowest setting, the saddle must return in full compliance with Article 1.3.013.”
Article 1.3.013 in the UCI rulebook states:
“The height of the saddle should be a minimum of 5 cm on the back of a vertical plane that passes through the lower bracket spindle.”
Dropper posts are seen almost exclusively on mountain bikes and allow the rider to drop the saddle height with a switch, which makes it easier to lower the center of gravity or disappear the position on steep or technical terrain, the ability to improve to maneuver the bike. .
Droppers are also gaining popularity on gravel bikes – not least those aimed at the more extreme end of gravel riding – but Mohorič’s application in Milan-San Remo is the first time we’ve seen a dropper that has such an effect in professional Peloton used.
The WorldTour bikes from Mohorič’s Bahrain-Victorious team are usually equipped with FSA / Vision Finishing Kit. However, while the FSA offers the Flowtron AGX Gravel Dropper Post, as well as the standard Flowtron for mountain biking, Mohorič’s decision on the team sponsor differed when choosing the Fox Transfer SL.
“Due to the UCI rules, we had to use a dropper that was on the market and therefore went for a MTB model,” said Mohorič, who crowned Poggio in a small group of less than 30 riders before he attacked on the descent, Cyclingnews said.
Most dropper posts are offered in a range of lengths. Those with a shorter range of adjustment are better for gravel or cross-country bikes, where the terrain is less demanding, but long-distance dropper posts can offer as much as 200mm of movement.
“We tested a 12cm dropper, but that was too much and meant the pedal was no longer efficient, so we chose a 6cm device,” said Mohorič. “I had a grip shift on the bars and lowered it a few times on Poggio’s descent and lifted it.
“People have long abandoned the idea of using dropper posts, but technology is now more advanced and they do not weigh much more than a normal seat post. Maybe next year all the bikes with a dropper will be available. Traffic is also safe and so in training.You can brake better.I think it is also a big advantage in racing.
We have previously seen dropper posts fitted to neutral service bikes in the 2017 Tour de France, with the theory that a rider would be able to reach a vaguely familiar position if he was forced to use one of the Mavic machines in the event of a to use mechanically. .
But Mohorič no doubt grabbed Pro Road Cycling’s tech rulebook with his setup – and notable race winning move – in San Remo.
With the UCI 2021 ban of ‘Super Tuck’, popularized by Chris Froome in the Tour de France 2016 and with Mohorič among the riders, which was also written with the establishment of the now illegal lowering position, the 27-year-old was able to win in Milan- San Remo paving the way for dropper posts to show more regularly in events with potential race-winning descents?
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