This is the bike a 16-year-old rode to set the fastest time at the British National Hill Championships – Ezra Bateman's Van Rysel RCR-R Pro
We take a closer look at the Decathlon CMA CGM U19 rider's bike
Sixteen-year-old Ezra Bateman rode his Van Rysel RCR-R Pro to set the fastest time at the British National Hill Climb Championships. Unlike many racers who optimize their bikes to the utmost for weight reduction, Bateman's performance was more focused on his legs and lungs. The course at Porlock Toll Road, averaging a 5.5% gradient for 6.6km, emphasized aerodynamics over weight.
Despite a strong headwind in the final kilometres, Bateman maintained a time of 14:31:08, just fractions of a second quicker than the senior men's champion. He used a pro-size 54/41T SRAM Force chainrings with an integrated power meter on his lightweight climbing bike, which weighed 6.9kg. Bateman's father confirmed the bike's specifications and noted the absence of bottle cages.
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