Journal

Shimano Dura-Ace: Beyond the Road

By Updated 4 min read
Mathieu van der Poel in the rainbow jersey rides Shimano Dura-Ace at the Hoogerheide cyclocross World Cup.

Shimano are the dominant component supplier at Worldtour level with a 66.7% share of the field. It’s no surprise that World Cup Cyclocross teams also look to the Big Blue when it comes to equipping their teams with high performance and durable groupsets. What will surprise you is that cyclocross teams are not using off-road specific groupsets like GRX. Far from it.

Reigning World Champion Mathieu Van der Poel and many of his adversaries are dishing out the pain on Shimano Dura-Ace. If you have ever looked longingly at Shimano’s flagship groupset and dismissed it as delicate road jewellery, think again.

Crowds fill the approach to the UCI Cyclocross World Cup finish gantry at Hoogerheide in the Netherlands.
Hoogerheide crowds gather to see their heroes.

UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Hoogerheide

ADVNTR spent an icy cold weekend in the Netherlands with Shimano, at the UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Hoogerheide, in order to see up close, how Dura-Ace can be used and abused in the world of competitive cyclocross. The demands and needs pro cyclocross racers place on their equipment are far removed from those of the vast majority of everyday riders, but that doesn’t stop us from drooling over the latest and greatest kit that the pinnacle of our sport uses.

Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 rear derailleur and clean chain on a cyclocross bike in the Hoogerheide pits.
Cleanest drivetrains you’ll see anywhere.

It also presented us with an opportunity to soak up the atmosphere of a top level cyclocross event. When your only experience is of regional championships in the UK held on a school playing field, the contrast is immense.

Shimano launched the latest R9100 series Dura-Ace at the Tour de France in 2016, with the Di2 R9150 — the hydraulic disc brake/electronic shifting version of the series arriving the following year in 2017.

Canyon cyclocross frame with Dura-Ace disc brake and wheel being pressure-washed at Hoogerheide.
Keep it clean.

The Electronic Age

For many pro teams, mechanical groupsets are consigned to the past. Alpecin-Fenix with whom Van der Poel is signed, have a long established partnership with Shimano, stemming back to 2008. In that time, have seen the development of Di2 evolve into the class leading groupset it is today. Technology has seen component sizes shrink, the rear derailleur is now smaller than previous generations and better protected if a rider gets close to the barriers or has a crash. The durability, speed and constant perfect shifting, have won over even the staunchest technophobes.

Mathieu van der Poel in the rainbow jersey rides past a Fristads banner and fans at Hoogerheide.
Van der Poel hits the warp drive.

Wandering through the team areas at the Hoogerheide round of the Cyclocross World Cup, I could see that many of the Shimano riders were running 46/39 chainrings combined with an 11-28 cassette. Single ring configurations were conspicuous by their absence. Astounding a gravel cycling fan like myself. I ask Alpecin-Fenix manager Christoph Roodhooft who nonchalantly shrugs “there is no need, the Di2 front derailleur shifts so reliably and give 2-by gives a better spread of gears. Dropped chains are not an issue.”

Van der Poel in the rainbow jersey and a rival ride a dirt bank beside the crowd at the Hoogerheide World Cup.
Van der Poel leading at Hoogerheide.

My own experience of Di2 echos that of Christoph’s. The benefits of the electronic groupset is all about simplicity. It works at the click of a button no matter how you try to strain the system. You can change gear under load with no need to hesitate your power input. Despite mashing buttons and stomping erratically on the pedals, it has never failed on me.

Mathieu van der Poel leads a line of riders along an off-camber bank past Stihl banners at Hoogerheide.

Wash & Go

I watch numerous riders bikes go through several cleans throughout the day following warm ups and during the race, with the components taking plenty of abuse. In the service area, the drone of pressure washers is constant as pit crews blast muddy bikes clean. The Dura-Ace Di2 components in direct firing line of the water jets. It is the complete antithesis to the average cyclists cleaning regime, but the bikes roll back out under the power of professional athletes without fault or hesitation.

Mechanic washes a Canyon cyclocross bike with Dura-Ace Di2 shifters in the Hoogerheide service area.
Race, wash, prepare, race… Repeat.

The crowd are only cheering on one rider, Mathieu Van der Poel. A cacophony of cheering follows him around the course and fans run from viewpoint to viewpoint to catch a glimpse of their hero. With another display of dominance in the Cyclocross Amphitheatre, the crowd are satisfied enough to retire to the huge beer tent and raise a glass (or several) to Van der Poel.

Mathieu van der Poel celebrates victory at Hoogerheide with arms raised as confetti falls and fans reach out.
Another Shimano equipped victory.

On top of the performances by the athletes riding the groupset in cyclocross, the performance of Dura-Ace coping with the mud, sand and dirt of the Hoogerheide course, plus several jet washes in a single race day, is impressive. The true extent of the rigours can be seen in our Hoogerheide Cyclocross World Cup Gallery.

To learn more about Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, click here.

Mud and water spray off a cyclocross bike's rear wheel, cassette and derailleur during a wash at Hoogerheide.
Close-up of a Dura-Ace Di2 rear mech, cassette and spotless chain on a Hoogerheide cyclocross race bike.
Cleanest drivetrains you’ll see anywhere.
Pit mechanic hoses down a Canyon cyclocross bike clamped in a workstand, Dura-Ace levers dripping, at Hoogerheide.
Race, wash, prepare, race… Repeat.
Pressure-washer spray hits a Canyon cyclocross bike's Dura-Ace brake rotor and muddy tyre at Hoogerheide.
Keep it clean.
Churned sand and tyre tracks on the Hoogerheide cyclocross World Cup course.
Spectators pack in under the UCI Cyclocross World Cup gantry at Hoogerheide before the racing.
Hoogerheide crowds gather to see their heroes.
Close-up of Mathieu van der Poel in rainbow-striped Alpecin-Fenix kit, Lazer helmet and gold-lens glasses at Hoogerheide.
Mathieu van der Poel
Mathieu van der Poel in the rainbow jersey on the Hoogerheide start line with riders either side.
Mathieu van der Poel
Mathieu van der Poel in the rainbow jersey flies over a bump on a flat dirt section at the Hoogerheide World Cup.
Mathieu van der Poel
Mathieu van der Poel and a rival ride a steep, muddy bank at the Hoogerheide Cyclocross World Cup before a packed crowd.
Not a moment when Mathieu van der Poel will want a dropped chain.
A line of riders climbs a muddy bank at the Hoogerheide Cyclocross World Cup, with Shimano banners trackside.
A rider in red leads a single-file line up a rutted bank at Hoogerheide, Mathieu van der Poel on his wheel.
Mathieu van der Poel in the rainbow jersey leads a chasing group up a muddy climb at the Hoogerheide World Cup.
Mathieu van der Poel
A rider in black with red and yellow bands leads a group along the banked slope at the Hoogerheide Cyclocross World Cup.
Mathieu van der Poel and five other riders race along a ridge at Hoogerheide, a church spire behind them.
Mathieu van der Poel
Mathieu van der Poel, number 1 on his back, chases two riders past fans leaning over the barriers at Hoogerheide.
Mathieu van der Poel
Mathieu van der Poel shoulders his bike up a long flight of sponsor-branded steps beneath a Shimano banner at Hoogerheide.
Mathieu van der Poel
Two fans in orange hi-vis vests and novelty hats, one a rainbow-striped top hat, in the crowd at Hoogerheide.
Mathieu van der Poel corners hard beside a packed fan barrier at the Hoogerheide Cyclocross World Cup.
Van der Poel hits the warp drive.
Mathieu van der Poel rides alone up the tarmac finishing straight at Hoogerheide, fans packed behind the barriers.
Tan-wall tyres on DT Swiss wheels, with the Shimano rear derailleur and disc brake of a turquoise cyclocross bike.
Mathieu van der Poel raises both arms as he crosses the line to win the Hoogerheide Cyclocross World Cup.
Another Shimano equipped victory.
Close-up of a mud-caked shoe clipped into a Shimano SPD pedal on a turquoise-cranked cyclocross bike at Hoogerheide.
Mathieu van der Poel in the rainbow jersey on the Hoogerheide World Cup podium beside a Telenet Baloise rider.

All photos: Irmo Keizer/Shimano

From the archive: 2 reader comments

Comments were left on the original article and are kept as a read-only record. Commenting is closed.

  1. Jouko Aroheinä

    This is my experience with Di2 as well, perfect shifts every time, in any conditions. Here’s my old CX/gravel bike with 1×11 Di2; https://flickr.com/photos/jokkea/48827896078/in/album-72157676818351220/

  2. James Deane

    Thanks for sharing. Cool looking bike!