Mathieu van der Poel has just won the 2024 Gravel World Championship with a spectacular Canyon Grail customized for the occasion. Here we show it to you in detail.
The first news is that Van der Poel chose a Gravel bike to compete in Gravel. And we say this because Mathieu is used to choosing bike models that do not fit the races in which he uses them. The 2022 Gravel World Championship he competed in with a Canyon CFR road bike and the demanding Paris Roubaix that he won this year he did it on this Canyon Aeroad CFR, an aero bike that no one would recommend for a cobblestone race.
Complete Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 Di2 drivetrain with 52/40 chainrings and a cassette that could go up to 39t
This time the route was demanding enough for him to opt for a more comfortable bike, and Van der Poel won a new rainbow jersey on this brilliant customized Canyon Grail CFR for him, with a setup very close to what he would use on the road
Van der Poel always competes with Shimano wheels, but in this case his rims had no distinctive markings. They could be some gravel model or prototype.Vittoria Terreno Zero 38mm tires, the fastest from the brandIntegrated Canyon CP0039 GEAR GROOVE Pro handlebar, a model developed for gravel with a 16º flare. Van der Poel configured it with the brake levers inward to improve aerodynamics and his posture, more accustomed to the road.The frame of the new Canyon Grail updated its geometry to be more stable at high speeds on technical terrain, without sacrificing responsiveness. A successful bet with which he has just won his first World ChampionshipThis Selle Italia Flite Boost Carbon special edition saddle was not used for the first time. From its wear marks, it seems that Mathieu rescued it from one of his usual bikesThe new Canyon Grail frame has space in its downtube to store tools and spare parts, but Van der Poel preferred to mount his CO2 inflator behind the seatpost to be faster in case of a flat tireThe special paint finish of the frame has a glossy finish that changes color depending on the light hitting it. Among the range of tones it can display, there was a rainbow appearance that foreshadowed what finally happened.