Self-inflating system and single chainring for Van Aert in Roubaix

The recognitions that the cyclists have been doing in the days leading up to the Paris-Roubaix race have given us clues about the equipment they will use in this peculiar test in which, as much as the strength of the cyclist, having the optimal equipment or technique on the bike also matters. This is the setup that Wout van Aert will use to end his victory crisis.

Wout van Aert will use all the artillery at his disposal to achieve his dream of winning in Roubaix

Yesterday's Friday session was the last recognition of the different cobblestone sectors for most of the favorites to win in the Hell of the North. As expected, the photographers who usually follow the professional teams were ready to provide graphic evidence of it, which has allowed us to intuit what equipment the different cyclists will use.

One of the bikes that has attracted the most attention is Wout van Aert's Cervélo S5, specifically his Reserve wheels in which the Gravaa hubs have been seen again, which integrate a pump system that is powered by the bike's own rolling and allows adjusting the tire pressure on the fly, both up and down. A set of Reserve wheels with Gravaa hubs that are for sale on the website of the latter and, in fact, the option chosen by Van Aert based on the images seems to be the combination with a front rim of 42 mm and a rear rim of 49 mm that have a price of 3,898 €.

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Crushing cobbles on the recon! pic.twitter.com/7JFCDNkxTS

— Team Visma | Lease a Bike (@vismaleaseabike) April 10, 2025

The use of Gravaa hubs by Visma-Lease a Bike is not new. They already tested this pressure adjustment system in the Paris-Roubaix two years ago although, at that time, the system was still not very evolved. That is precisely what Gravaa has done in these two years to the point that, a few months ago, Marianne Vos managed to win the Gravel World Championship using wheels with Gravaa hubs and their pressure adjustment.

Continuing with the wheels, it is also striking the little clearance between the tire and the frame/fork, which would indicate that Wout van Aert has opted for the maximum available tire volume in the Vittoria Corsa Pro tires used by Visma-Lease a Bike: 700x32c.

Finally, it also seems that, for this race, something that is not uncommon in the Cervélo S5 of Visma-Lease a Bike, Wout van Aert will mount the SRAM Red AXS in a single chainring configuration, something that makes sense in the Paris-Roubaix, a completely flat race where only the cobblestone sectors add difficulty to the course.

Keep in mind, we are talking about the conventional SRAM Red AXS and not the 13-speed XPLR version that some Lidl-Trek cyclists have been using since the Cervélo S5 still uses a conventional derailleur hanger instead of the UDH needed to mount the new SRAM Red AXS XPLR derailleur.