Tech Geeks everywhere are speculating on Tom Boonen's new ride. Tom has been less than pleased with new bike sponsor Specialized's S-Works Roubaix carbon model and has developed a back ache from the non-customized geometry and apart from a nice stretch in Qatar, he hasn't had the afterburners we're used to. All that has changed with his wins this week Dwars door Vlaanderen and E3 Prijs Vlaanderen. What did he change. I have heard rumors that it's not a Specialized, but perhaps something built in Italy by Dario Pegoretti. Others have suggested it's a re-badged Time. It's quite simple. It's an older Specialized S-Works E 5, just like the one Cipo rode:
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/phpBB2/download.php?id=19052
Tom's "new" rig...
http://www.sport.be/nl/images/2007/maart/covertom016.jpg
The seat tube and clamp is no doubt 100% Specialized. The tubing used in the old E5 was Columbus SLX Aero Aluminum. The only difference is that Cipo's bike used a Columbus Muscle Fork, while Tom is using something else (I suspect a proprietary Specialized model).
A note to all you carbon-fiber lovers. It looks the worlds greatest one-day racer is on an aluminum bike.