Alicia Franck is quickly climbing the ranks of elite women’s racing in both cyclocross and cross-country mountain biking. Despite a crash at the 2017 World Championships, she finished 17th in the Elite Women’s race. Last year she could have raced the U23 race if she chose to, but Bieles 2017 was her first cyclocross World Championship race, and we’re expecting to hear a lot more about Franck in the coming years.
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If you’re unfamiliar with this young racer, here are some factoids: In 2012, at age 18 she was Belgian National Champion in XCO, and 2016 heralded her debut at the World Cup level in cyclocross. She stood atop the UCI podium aside Marianne Vos at Surhuisterveen a month ago, after signing with Marlux-Napoleon Games in November.
Let’s take a look at the Ridley X-Night that Franck rode to a top 20 in her premiere Cyclocross World Championship.
Alicia Frank's Ridley X-Night rallied to a top 20 finish at her first Cyclocross Worlds. 2017 Cyclocross World Championships bikes. © Cyclocross Magazine
At first glance, her Ridley X-Night looks like a standard affair, but a careful look at the frame shows that the chainstays feature a gentle curve not currently offered to consumers. While we’re not privy to the details yet, and haven’t seen this chainstay featured on any of the Instagram photos posted by “la Ridley,” Ridley’s new social media campaign, which aims to attract more women to cycling, we're guessing this is a prototype of a new version coming in the next year.
Franck chose to battle the muddy off-cambers with 32mm A. Dugast Rhino tubulars. Those are the same tires that Wout van Aert had on his bike temporarily at 2017 World Championships, before switching to Michelin Mud treads on Dugast casings, which arguably gave him an advantage as his competition suffered what seemed to be endless flats. Franck did not report any flats during her race using the Rhino’s, mounted to Forza Cirrus Pro T30 tubulars, which are quick release both front and rear.
She's clearly got some wattage in the cottage: a 38T 1x chainring, and 11-28 cassette. 2017 Cyclocross World Championships bikes. © Cyclocross Magazine
Like many of her compatriots, Franck utilized Shimano Di2 on her race rig. One of the most interesting pieces of her build, however, was a special-made chainring and chain guide from a small Dutch company: The Mechanic-Parts. The 38T narrow-wide ring was crafted to mount directly to a ROTOR crank — in Franck’s case, a ROTOR 3D+ — and is kept in place by a braze-on mounted chain guide. In comparison to Franck’s top-end ROTOR 3D+, Sanne Cant chose to ride ROTOR’s 3D30’s, a lower-end crank option.
Marlux-Napoleon Games riders had these direct-mount rings special-made by the small Dutch company. 2017 Cyclocross World Championships bikes. © Cyclocross Magazine
Most of the components on Franck’s build are stock, such as her full Forza cockpit and saddle/seatpost combo. This build may not have 37 pieces of flair, but one colorful bit is her Marlux-Napoleon Games blue ESI bar tape, which really pops against the X-Night’s matte black finish.
Is the UCI-approved sticker on the inside of her fork a clue to the mystery of the curvy chainstays? 2017 Cyclocross World Championships bikes. © Cyclocross Magazine
View the photo gallery of Alicia Franck’s build below the specs, check back for more pro bike profiles from the 2017 Cyclocross World Championships, and keep an eye on Alicia Franck in the 2017/2018 race season!
Alicia Franck’s 2017 Cyclocross World Championship Ridley X-Night Specs:
Frame: Ridley X-Night SL Di2 HM/HR Unidirectional carbon
Fork: Ridley Carbon (RID-XNDI-CX sticker), 1.5" taper
Wheels: Forza Cirrus Pro T30 Carbon tubulars, quick release. DT Swiss 350 center-lock hubs with DT Swiss 6-bolt adapters
Tires: A. Dugast Rhino tubulars 700x32
Shifters: Shimano R785 hydraulic Di2, 11-speed
Brakeset: Shimano hydraulic disc BR-RS785, SRAM Centerline 140mm rotors
Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9070
Front derailleur: N/A
Chainguide: Braze-on mounted chain guide from The Mechanic-Parts
Crank: ROTOR 30+
Chainring: 38T, 6mm offset, The Mechanic-Parts direct mount narrow-wide chainring for a ROTOR crank
Chain: KMC X11
Cassette: Shimano Ultegra 11-28
Saddle: Forza Cirrus Pro, carbon rails
Seatpost: Forza Cirrus Pro, carbon, 20mm setback, zero offset
Handlebar: Forza Cirrus Pro, carbon
Bar tape: ESI silicone tape
Pedals: Shimano XT PD-M8000
Stem: Forza Cirrus Pro, aluminum
Headset: FSA integrated, cartridge bearing, sealed, 1-1/’8’, 1-1/2’’ bottom
More info: www.ridley-bikes.com
Alicia Franck’s 2017 World Championship Ridley X-Night Photo Gallery:
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