Bike Profile: Vincent Baestaens’ Rochester-C1-Winning Scott Addict CX

Vincent Baestaens (Hens Group - Maes Containers) was one of a handful of European riders who headed to the U.S. early looking to score some UCI points at Rochester Cyclocross but achieving that goal did not come easy.

With the race serving as the North American warm-up before the Euros come to town at Iowa City, Stephen Hyde (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld) and his counterparts kept the racing in Saturday's C1 fast and intense.

Success in the States is not new to Baestaens. The Belgian finished third in the C2 at the Trek CX Cup in 2017, and on Saturday, he again won on American soil. Baestaens attacked inside two to go and held his lead to take the C1 win and the coveted points.

Vincent Baestaens celebrates his win. 2019 Rochester Cyclocross Day 1. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

His bike for the 2019/20 season is a rather sparkly Scott Addict CX. We took a closer look after his win.

Vincent Baestaens Rochester Day 1 Winning Scott Addict CX. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

Vincent Baestaen's Rochester C1 Scott Addict CX

Scott is a company probably best known for its mountain bike sponsorship of the Scott - SRAM MTB Team, with eight-time XCO World Champion Nino Schurter and 2018 world champ Kate Courtney as its two stars. However, there were a few Addict CXes at Rochester, with the Belgian Baestaens riding the frame alongside some of the Swiss riders who made the early trip to the U.S.

Scott first unveiled the Addict CX at Sea Otter in 2015 and turned a few heads with its sub-900-gram frame. We last saw the Addict CX on the U.S. pro scene when Becca Fahringer (now Kona Maxxis Shimano) rode the frameset for her Stan's NoTubes p/b Maxxis program.

The most recent appearances of the Addict CX on our pages is in the Cyclocross Apprenticeship diaries of Corey Coogan Cisek and at Masters and Singlespeed Nationals underneath 2018 4-time champ Jake Wells.

Basestaens was riding the newest Scott Addict CX frameset that has a rather sparkly blue and yellow colorway—I would make a #sparklewatts reference here, but that has been trademarked by Courtney, and thus I will abstain.

Baestaens joined riders from Switzerland in riding a Scott Addict CX at Rochester. Vincent Baestaens Rochester Day 1 Winning Scott Addict CX. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

The frame and fork feature Scott's HMF carbon, and the head tube is tapered from 1 1/8" to 1 1/2" with integrated bearings. Similar to the Cannondale SuperX, Baestaens' frame has a slack front, with a 71-degree head tube on his 54cm frame.

Sparkley. Vincent Baestaens Rochester Day 1 Winning Scott Addict CX. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

We inspected many pro cyclocross bikes in Rochester (see profiles of Curtis White and Maghalie Rochette's winning bikes, stay tuned for others). Compared to the North Americans' bikes, Baestaens' bike stands out on the drivetrain front.

Last year, we saw a handful of Shimano-sponsored North Americans adopt the Ultegra RX clutch derailleur for cyclocross. This season, riders such as Clara Honsinger and Courtenay McFadden are again running the Ultegra RX in the rear, while teams such as Alpha Bicycle - Groove Subaru and Kona Maxxis Shimano have gone to the new Shimano GRX groupset.

The Ultegra RX did not catch on for ’cross for the Euros last season, and Baestaens' bike suggests that will be the case in 2019/20 as well. He ran a full Dura-Ace Di2 gruppo, with the R9150 derailleur in the rear and its matching R9150 in the front.

While Shimano GRX and the RX rear derailleur were popular with Americans at Rochester, Baestaens went the Euro route with a Dura-Ace Di2 R9150 rear derailleur. Vincent Baestaens Rochester Day 1 Winning Scott Addict CX. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

His crankset was a Dura-Ace R9100 model, and he ran 46/39t pro-only chain rings with the crank. Dura-Ace R9170 dual-control levers connected to his drivetrain and Dura-Ace flat mount calipers.

Baestaens kept it Euro with a Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 crank and 46/39t chain rings. Vincent Baestaens Rochester Day 1 Winning Scott Addict CX. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

Another rare sight for North American soil these days was Baestaens' FMB tubulars. Katie Compton used to run the handmade tires but has since switched tire sponsors over the course of several more national championships.

Baestaens ran FMB Slalom tubulars. Vincent Baestaens Rochester Day 1 Winning Scott Addict CX. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

Baestaens' competitor White ran files both days, but the Belgian opted for intermediate FMB Service Course Slalom treads. With Rochette also running files, Baestaens takes the claim as not only the only Shimano rider to win at Rochester, but also the only rider on intermediate treads to take home a top podium spot.

Like many of his competitors, Baestaens opted for an intermediate tread with FMB Slaloms. Vincent Baestaens Rochester Day 1 Winning Scott Addict CX. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

Baestaens mounted his tires to Icon T3.0 Disc carbon tubular rims. Icon is a Belgian company that uses a direct-to-consumer model to sell its wheels. The rims are 30mm deep and 25 wide, and they are built with DT Swiss hubs.

Baestaens mounted his FMB tubulars to Icon T3.0 carbon tubular rims. Vincent Baestaens Rochester Day 1 Winning Scott Addict CX. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

Baestaens' cockpit was from Shimano subsidiary Pro. He ran a Pro Vibe handlebar with matchy-matchy yellow bar tape, and a Pro PLT stem, which was marginally interesting because typically we see Shimano riders use the Vibe model.

We are used to seeing Pro Vibe stems, but Baestaens ran a PLT model. Vincent Baestaens Rochester Day 1 Winning Scott Addict CX. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

The PLT stem uses Pro's "Headlock" system to secure the bar instead of the single faceplate of the Vibe.

The vibe was good for Baestaens with his Pro Vibe handlebar. Vincent Baestaens Rochester Day 1 Winning Scott Addict CX. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

Baestaens stuck with the stock Syncros Duncan 1.0 seatpost and opted for a Sella Italia SLR saddle with titanium rails. His pedals were Shimano XTR M9100 SPDs.

Baestaens used a Syncros Duncan 1.0 seatpost to hold his saddle. Vincent Baestaens Rochester Day 1 Winning Scott Addict CX. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

Baestaens returns to U.S. racing action this weekend at the Jingle Cross World Cup. For a closer look at his Scott Addict CX, see the photo gallery and specs below.

Photo Gallery: Vincent Baestaens' Rochester-Winning Scott Exile CX