It doesn’t seem long since we last eyeballed Sanne Cant’s race bike—probably because she’s stayed on top for so long—but last we checked in was at CrossVegas 2015, her debut in the United States. Cant has stayed on the Steven’s Super Prestige for years, winning on all types of courses and proving it’s not just a one-trick pony. Today we're taking a look at her Worlds-winning ride and seeing what kind of updates got her first across the line at the 2017 World Championships and gave her a big reason to crack a smile!
Sanne and Stevens have been a winning combo for years now. 2017 Cyclocross World Championships bikes. © Cyclocross Magazine
Cant’s 2015 whip at CrossVegas featured cantilever brakes, quick release axles and sported a fresh white colorway, but this season, Cant and Stevens embraced the dark side and went to a black colorway hydraulic disc-equipped machine. Cant was on a disc-equipped frame last year when she triumphantly walked across the line at the Belgian National Championships. While Cant has imported her Stevens bikes and her talent to the States for brief World Cup trips, the German brand currently does not have a U.S. importer, making it difficult for Americans to mimic the bike choice of Cant (or Van der Poel).
Stevens is moving to what the company dubs "QR12" thru axles front and rear for their 2017 line, but Cant stuck with "old school" quick release skewers, and they sure didn't seem to slow Cant down. Nor do they seem to affect fellow Steven rider Matheiu Van der Poel (see a profile of his Stevens bike from Tabor here), who took back-to-back wins at Krawatencross and the aptly-named Hansgrohe Superprestige Hoogstraten. Winning on quick releases is not surprising, but we are surprised, however, that Cant went with an external-cam skewer on race day.
Sanne Cant's Stevens Super Prestige cyclocross bike hasn't yet followed the trends of flat mount or thru axle, but neither missing feature stopped her from a World title. We are surprised by the external cam skewer however. 2017 Cyclocross World Championships bikes. © Cyclocross Magazine
Readers who think the pros are all weight weenies might be surprised to see that Cant appears to runs typical steel rotor and caliper bolts on her Shimano BR-R785 calipers, which showed signs of rust in these finish-line photos—no titanium bits here.
Cant says she has three Super Prestige bikes. For one of the top-ranked racers in the World, this might actually seem quite minimal, but they all seem to get quite a bit of use. Her Worlds start bike certainly wasn't straight out of the box, as her Selle Italia SLR Titanium saddle, Oxygen Scorpo seatpost, Shimano XTR M970 pedals and skewers, all showcased signs of wear and of the rigors of performing at the international level.
Sanne Cant uses a Scorpo seatpost with two side-clamp bolts that offers microscopic angle adjustments and seems to be plenty secure for her remounts. A Selle Italia SLR saddle keeps her grounded on her Stevens Super Prestige cyclocross bike. 2017 Cyclocross World Championships bikes. © Cyclocross Magazine
Cant used a fairly tight gearing, on ROTOR NoQ chainrings, and a ROTOR 3D30 cranks, which are made out a 7070 aluminum, and a claimed lower stiffness-to-weight ratio than ROTOR’s 3D+ (which Alicia Franck ran at her first Cyclocross World Championships this year).
Cant's Super Prestige’s drivetrain is relatively standard fare, predominantly utilizing Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, aside from R785 STI brifters, and what appear to be TRP 6-bolt rotors. Cant runs her trusty Shimano XTR M970 pedals, opting for mud clearance over more shoe-to-pedal contact area with the latest M9000 SPD Race pedals.
A tight compact crankset for Cant, with a mix of ROTOR and Shimano components. 2017 Cyclocross World Championships bikes. © Cyclocross Magazine
Peeking out from behind her crankset are the signature Stevens steeples, customized to honor Cant’s Belgian heritage, also visible on the non-drive side of her 52cm steed.
Here's the cross, here's the steeple, here's Cant's race rig that bested all the people. 2017 Cyclocross World Championships bikes. © Cyclocross Magazine
Other notable custom decal and paint touches include Sanne Cant’s name across the top tube, her signature on the down tube, her Lynx Cat, awarded for being the first Belgian woman to win a World Cup overall title, and the Stevens steeples. After her Worlds win, the decals up top were swapped for rainbow-colored ones to match her new jersey.
Sanne Cant's Stevens Super Prestige cyclocross bike. 2017 Cyclocross World Championships bikes. © Cyclocross Magazine
Cant (or her mechanic) keeps a tidy cockpit, using shrink wrap tubing over her Di2 e-tubes and brake hoses, starting under the tape for better cable management and protection. She also sports a K-Edge Garmin mount out front. Cant’s stem, bars, and seatpost are made by Oxygen Scorpo, Stevens’ in-house brand.
Oxygen Scorpo components come stock on the Stevens Super Prestige. 2017 Cyclocross World Championships bikes. © Cyclocross Magazine
For wheels and tires, Cant is still using the same wheels she was on at our last check-in, Cole T38 CX carbon tubulars. If the Cole name sounds familiar, it might be because Cole used to have a bigger presence in the States, sponsoring the Richard Sachs team and imported by Cantitoe Road, but those days are long gone. The Taiwan brand is still rolling out wheels and Cant dressed hers with A. Dugast Typhoons in the 32mm width for the muddy and off-camber race.
Sanne Cant's Stevens Super Prestige after a stellar race, and bubble bath. 2017 Cyclocross World Championships bikes. © Cyclocross Magazine
See the full photo gallery below the specs, and stay tuned for more pro bike profiles from Cyclocross Worlds!
Sanne Cant’s 2017 Cyclocross World Championship-Winning Stevens Super Prestige Specs:
Frame: 52cm Stevens Super Prestige, SL HMF carbon fiber, quick release front and rear, post mount disc brake mounts, 1.5” tapered head tube
Fork: Stevens full carbon SL HMF, 1.5” taper
Wheels: Cole T38 CX carbon tubular disc, quick release
Tires: A. Dugast Typhoon 700x32 tubulars
Shifters: Shimano R785 hydraulic Di2, 11-speed
Brakeset: Shimano hydraulic disc BR-R785, TRP 6-bolt rotors, 140mm front and rear
Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9070
Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9070
Crank: ROTOR 3D30
Chainrings: ROTOR NoQ 36/46T
Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace CS-9000 11-28
Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace 11-speed
Saddle: Selle Italia SLR Titanium
Seatpost: Scorpo Carbon with two side-clamp bolts
Handlebar: Oxygen Scorpo Aero: 400mm wide, 82mm reach, 135mm drop
Grips: Stevens gel tape
Pedals: Shimano XTR M970
Stem: Oxygen Scorpo
Headset: Stevens Race Taper 1 1/8’’ - 1 1/2’’
More info: www.stevensbikes.de
