Tom Boonen’s decision to ride solely with disc brakes in 2017 looks to have paid off, after the former world champion kick-started his final professional season by becoming the first pro rider to win on a disc-brake bike.

Boonen sprinted to victory on stage two of the Vuelta a San Juan on his Specialized Venge ViAS Disc and took to Instagram to once again hail the technology.

The UCI restarted their disc brake trial this season, after a gruesome injury to Fran Ventoso at Paris-Roubaix last year, caused by a disc rotor, forced a temporary halt.

But Tornado Tom has thrown his backing behind disc brakes, calling his Venge ViAS Disc – one of the first fully-fledged, disc-equipped aero road bikes, the ‘best bike I ever had’ over the winter.</s>Tom Boonen handed his Quick-Step Floors team its second consecutive stage victory in the 2017 Vuelta a San Juan in Argentina, winning the bunch sprint on stage two.

The 36-year-old Belgian is in his final season as a professional, having claimed well in excess of 100 victories, many in the sport’s biggest events. The stage win is his first of the season, which will culminate in one final ride in Paris-Roubaix in April.

“I’m happy to win in Argentina, in front of these unbelievable fans,” said Boonen. “It’s incredible how many people came at the start and at the finish, you can really feel how much they love cycling and how passionate they are about it.”

Boonen benefited from a lead-out from stage one winner Fernando Gaviria, paying back Boonen’s same role the previous day.

>>> Fernando Gaviria outsprints Elia Viviani in chaotic finish to Vuelta a San Juan stage one

Once again, it was Elia Viviani (Italy) who came home as runner-up, but his consistency means that he takes the overall race lead from Gaviria.

“Right from the start of the day, the plan was to do the sprint for me, after going with Fernando on stage onem” said Boonen. “In the final kilometre, both Max [Richeze] and Fernando did an awesome job and I got the better of Elia. I want to thank them for their help, because in the end, this is a team win.”

>>> Watch: Chaos at Vuelta a San Juan as riders forced to climb over barriers to complete stage

The short 128.8-kilometre stage around San Juan was largely dictated by a five-man break. They were never allowed much breathing room by the peloton, and the race came back together for a bunch finish – this time, with riders all going the right way to avoid the chaos at the end of stage one.

Boonen’s win is notable for being the first road race victory achieved on a bike equipped with disc brakes.

Viviani goes into the race’s stage three 11.9km individual time trial with a slim one second lead over Gaviria, with Boonen in third at two seconds. The seven-stage UCI-2.1-ranked race concludes on Sunday, January 19.

Vuelta a San Juan 2017, stage two: San Juan to San Juan, 128.8km

 1. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick-Step Floors

 2. Elia Viviani (Ita) Italy

 3. Matteo Malucelli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec

 4. Daniel Ricardo (Arg) Agrupacion Virgen De Fatima

 5. Andrea Guardini (Ita) UAE Abu Dhabi

 6. Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Bahrain-Merida

 7. Luke Keough (USA) UnitedHealthcare

 8. Manuel Belletti (Ita) Wilier Triestina

 9. Eugenio Alafaci (Ita) Trek-Segafredo

 10. Mattia Viel (Ita) Unieuro Trevigiani-Hemus 1896, all same time

General classification after stage two

 1. Elia Viviani (Ita) Italy, in 6-08-12

 2. Fernando Gaviria (Col) Quick-Step Floors, at 1 sec

 3. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick-Step Floors, at 2 secs

 4. Franco German (Arg) Agrupacion Virgen De Fatima, at 6 secs

 5. Matteo Malucelli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec, at 8 secs

 6. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain Merida, at 12 secs

 7. Gavin Mannion (USA) UnitedHealthcare, at 12 secs

 8. Duilio Ramos (Arg) Asociacion Civil Mardan, at 12 secs

 9. Oscar Sevilla (Esp) Medellin-Inder, at 12 secs

 10. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo, at 12 secs</s>Tom Boonen has become the first rider to use disc brakes in a professional race in 2017, using the technology on stage one of the Vuelta a San Juan.

Disc brakes were first introduced into professional races at the start of 2016, but that trial was suspended after Movistar rider Fran Ventoso alleged that he had been injured by a disc rotor in a crash at Paris-Roubaix.

>>> Watch: Chaos at Vuelta a San Juan as riders forced over barriers to complete stage

However the trial was restarted at the start of the 2017 season, with Boonen being the first rider to use disc brakes this year.

Boonen, who will retire after the 2017 edition of Paris-Roubaix, will ride disc brakes in all of his races this year, riding a Specialized Venge ViAS Disc at the Vuelta a San Juan, before switching to a Specialized Roubaix for the cobbled classics.

Quick-Step Floors team-mate Marcel Kittel will also race on disc brakes at the Dubai Tour, which starts on January 31.</s>Tom Boonen (Quick-Step Floors) says that he is “proud” to make history as he delivered the first professional victory for disc brake bikes in Argentina’s Vuelta a San Juan.

The Belgian classics star and former world champion sprinted to victory in stage two riding a Specialized Venge ViAS Disc, beating Elia Viviani (Italy), who took the overall lead.

He wrote on Instagram, “First victory of the year! Proud to be the first pro to win a race on my #venge with #discbrakes. I have been a big fan of this massive improvement from the start. @iamspecialized_road it doesn’t only add safety it also gives you better control of the bike braking into corners. #dirtyfaceswinraces”

A day earlier, he led out team-mate Fernando Gaviria for the win, with the two swapping roles on Wednesday.

Boonen says that he will race on a disc brake bike in every race in 2017, until he retires following Paris-Roubaix on April 9. He is using both the Specialized Venge and Roubaix frames this season.

The UCI gave the green light for teams to use disc brakes in 2017, instead of traditional calipers, in all races following a rocky start.

>>> Would dropping the UCI weight limit put an end to disc brake bikes in professional races?

After an initial trial period late in 2015, the UCI allowed teams to start using them at the beginning of 2016. That abruptly stopped after Francisco Ventoso alleged that he had been injured by a disc rotor in a crash in Paris-Roubaix.

The Spaniard said that the cut to his left leg was caused by another cyclist’s disc brake. Teams Direct Energie and Lampre-Merida were using disc-equipped bikes in the race, but said that none of their riders crashed in the same cobble sector as Ventoso.

Watch: Eight things you need to know about disc brakes

Under pressure, and only four mouths into the season, the UCI banned disc brake use in professional races.

Manufactures like Shimano, Campagnolo and SRAM had to re-design its rotors. Satisfied, the UCI allowed them back in, but with dull edges, instead of square ones, and rounded, not jagged.

So far, only Shimano and SRAM have rolled out disc brakes in races, with Italian manufacturer Campagnolo yet to do so.

Boonen’s win may help diffuse the use of the new brakes in the professional ranks and among amateurs.

>>> UCI asks pro riders for feedback as it prepares to start second disc brake trial

Disc brakes still have their critics, however. Some say wheel changes take too long, they are too noisy and they are dangerous due to their design and the different braking speeds produced compared to those using callipers in the peloton.

Ventoso likened them to spinning knives after his crash, and Sam Bewley (Orica-Scott) last year posted a photo showing burns from a hot disc that he collided with.

Boonen had nothing but praise for them when his season kicked off in Argentina. Of note, he will reportedly work in public relations for Specialized after he retires from racing.</s>Bahrain-Merida‘s Ramunas Navardauskus has moved into the overall lead at the Vuelta a San Juan in Argentina after winning the 11.9-kilometre individual time trial on stage three.

The three-time former Lithuanian national time trial champion produced an excellent performance on the flat course around San Juan, claiming Bahrain-Merida’s first ever victory.

Navardauskus won the stage by a slender three seconds over Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo), with Mollema’s team-mate Matthias Brändle finishing third only a fraction of a second ahead of Frenchman Remi Cavagna, riding in his first professional race.

Previous overall leader Elia Viviani, riding for the Italian national team, was never expected to hold onto the leader’s jersey, finishing 35 seconds down in 14th place.

Viviani finished in the same time as Navardauskus’s team-mate and pre-race favourite Vincenzo Nibali, who will now have to perform well on the summit finish on stage five to overcome Bauke Mollema, not to mention highly motivated local riders, for the overall title.

>>> Vincenzo Nibali: It’s difficult to fail at the Tour when you have a budget like Team Sky

Riders used their regular road bikes – some equipped with clip-on tri bars and rear disc wheels – as the rules stipulated that specialist time trial bikes could not be used. However, riders could still benefit from using aero helmets and TT skinsuits.

Thursday’s stage four is another flat one, starting and finishing in San Martin, before the race is likely to be decided on the summit finish to Alto Colorado on stage five.

Vuelta a San Juan 2017, stage three: San Juan to San Juan, 11.9km ITT

 1. Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Bahrain-Merida, in 14-03

 2. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo, at 3 secs

 3. Matthias Brändle (Aut) Trek-Segafredo, at 7 secs

 4. Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Quick-Step Floors, at 7 secs

 5. Walter Vargas (Col) Medellin-Inder, at 17 secs

 6. Sebastian Trillini (Arg) Italomat-dogo, at 19 secs

 7. Oscar Sevilla (Esp) Medellin-Inder, at 19 secs

 8. Laureano Rosas (Arg) Argentina, at 21 secs

 9. Ricardo Escuela (Arg) Agrupacion Virgen De Fatima, at 32 secs

 10. Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Bahrain-Merida, at 32 secs

 Other

 13. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida, at 35 secs

 14. Elia Viviani (Ita) Italy, at 35 secs

General classification after stage three

 1. Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Bahrain-Merida, in 6-22-27

 2. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo, at 3 secs

 3. Matthias Brändle (Aut) Trek-Segafredo, at 7 secs

 4. Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Quick-Step Floors, at 7 secs

 5. Sebastian Trillini (Arg) Italomat-dogo, at 19 secs

 6. Oscar Sevilla (Esp) Medellin-Inder, at 19 secs

 7. Laureano Rosas (Arg) Argentina, at 21 secs

 8. Elia Viviani (Ita) Italy, at 35 secs

 9. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick-Step Floors, at 29 secs

 10. Ricardo Escuela (Arg) Agrupacion Virgen De Fatima, at 32 secs</s>Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) started this season as he finished the last, taking victory in the first stage of the Vuelta a San Juan in Argentina.

The 22-year-old sprinter benefited from a superb lead-out by Belgian team-mates Pieter Serry and Tom Boonen, with Serry pulling a group of seven riders off the front of the peloton within the final 500m, before Boonen dropped Gaviria off with 150m to go in a perfect position.

Elia Viviani, riding for the Italian national team rather than Team Sky, was unable to come around the Colombian, with Nicolas Marini (Nippo-Vini Fantini) finishing third.

However, Gaviria’s win was overshadowed by chaos in the pack behind, as half of the peloton took a wrong turn within the final kilometre, forcing many to run across grass and clamber over race barriers to finish the stage.

The race jury later ruled that all riders would be given the same time as Gaviria.

This is the highest profile race in South America, so it was no surprise to see the main break of the way filled with local riders.

The six man break consisted of Ruben Ramos (Agentina), Gaston Javier (Sep-San Juan), Omar Azzem (Los Cascos Esco-Agropla), Leonardo Rodriguez (Asociacion Civil Mardan), Eugenio Alafaci (Trek-Segafredo), and Franco Lopez (Agrupacion Virgen de Fatima), but they were only manage to establish a maximum advantage of one-and-a-half minutes during the 142.5km stage.

While the break was caught well before the end of the stage, it was at least a profitable day for López, who took both of the stage’s intermediate sprints and both of the KOM points.

1. Fernando Gaviria (COL) Quick-Step Floors, in 3-07-44

 2. Elia Viviani (ITA) Italy

 3. Nicolas Marini (ITA) Nippo-Vini Fantini

 4. Matteo Malucelli (ITA) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec

 5. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) Bahrain-Merida

 6. Tom Boonen (BEL) Quick-Step Floors

 7. Matthias Brändle (AUT) Trek-Segafredo

 8. Alan Ramirez (ARG) Municipalidad de Rawson Somos Todos

 9. Bauke Mollema (NED) Trek-Segafredo

 10. Oscar Sevilla (ESP) Medellin-Inder, all same time

1. Fernando Gaviria (COL) Quick-Step Floors, in 3-07-44

 2. Elia Viviani (ITA) Italy, at 4 secs

 3. Franco Lopez (ARG) Agrupacion Virgen de Fatima, at 4 secs

 4. Nicolas Marini (ITA) Nippo-Vini Fantini, at 6 secs

 5. Iginio Lucero (ARG) Municipalidad de Rawson Somos Todos, at 8 secs

 6. Leonardo Rodriguez (ARG) Asociacion Civil Marden, at 8 secs

 7. Ruben Ramos (ARG) Argentina, 9 secs

 8. Pedro Gonzalez (ARG), Equipo Continental Municipalidad de Pocito, at 9 secs

 9. Matteo Malcelli (ITA), Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec, at 10 secs

 10. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) Bahrain-Merida, at 10 secs</s>Tom Boonen’s 113th pro win wasn’t entirely remarkable at face value, but it stood apart because of the bike he rode — a bike equipped with disc brakes. Although disc brakes have been introduced to the pro road peloton in fits and starts, Tuesday marked the first time (we believe) that a UCI pro road race was won on discs.

Boonen sprinted to victory in stage 2 of Vuelta de San Juan in Argentina, and he was riding a Specialized S-Works Venge Vias disc.

Based on his gushing Instagram post, it seems Boonen was pleased with both the win and the bike.

In early 2016, riders began riding disc-brake bikes at pro races, part of the UCI’s trial period for the technology. The trial was suspended, however, when then Movistar rider Fran Ventoso crashed at Paris-Roubaix and said that a disc brake rotor was the cause of a serious gash on his lower leg. Ventoso blasted the discs as “giant knives, ‘machetes.’” Ahead of 2017, the UCI decided to restart the disc brake trial, but a leaked poll, conducted by the CPA riders association indicated that interest was lukewarm at best among the pro cyclists who responded.</s>Tom Boonen sprinted to his first victory of 2017 at Tour de San Juan in San Juan, Argentina Tuesday. Elia Viviani, riding for the Italian national team was second to the Belgian star, and Androni – Giocattoli’s Matteo Malucelli was third in the 128.5km stage 2.

Monday’s stage 1 winner, Fernando Gaviria, led out his Quick-Step Floors teammate Boonen, although he lost his overall lead to Viviani, who is now one second ahead of the Colombian on GC. Boonen moved up to third overall in the seven-day race.

“Right from the start of the day, the plan was to do the sprint for me, after going with Fernando on stage 1,” Boonen said in a team statement. “In the final kilometer, both Max and Fernando did an awesome job, and I got the better of Elia.”

The finish was marred by a crash in the final three kilometers. Overall favorite Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain – Merida) was involved, but maintained his sixth-place standing in the overall and was relatively unscathed.

Notably, Boonen was riding a disc brake bike in stage 2, becoming the first rider to win a major UCI pro road race on discs.

Wednesday’s stage 3 will be the race’s individual time trial, a flat 11.9km test, also in San Juan.</s>The new Bahrain – Merida team celebrated its first win Wednesday, which came at the hands of Ramunas Navardauskas in Vuelta de San Juan’s stage 3 individual time trial. The Lithuanian national champion beat Bauke Mollema by three seconds, and his Trek – Segafredo teammate, Mathias Brandle was third in the 11.9 race around San Juan, Argentina.

With his victory, Navardauskas, 28, moved into the overall lead at the race.

Thursday’s stage 4 should be another sprinter showcase, running 160.5km with a start and finish in San Martín.</s>Don’t just bike TO work – bike HOME via the many Niwot/Longmont Bike Parties!

About 13 years ago, eager to encourage those who ride bike to work on Bike to Work Day to ride HOME as well, I contacted a few of the local breweries in Longmont asking for their support on this very special day. They all (two, at that time) were very encouraging, offering a FREE PINT of beer to those who ride to their establishments that afternoon with a helmet.

13 years and about a gazillion breweries later, that tradition continues. DRCOG has provided new station categories, “Bike Home” and “Bike Party” and Longmont/Niwot continue to lead the way with eight of the best breweries offering specials and deals to all who bike to work (and to those breweries) on Bike to Work Day!

For the details on the Bike Parties, their locations, hours and what they are offering, visit the Bike to Work Day web site. Whether it’s $1.00 off per pint, or a free beer, be sure to A) thank the establishment for their support of cyclists and to “B”) responsible with your biking and beering!

There’s a group ride that will attempt to visit each of the participating breweries (in Niwot/Longmont) – join us at 3:00 at Bootstrap, 3:45 at Powder Keg or 5:00-5:30 at Lefthand. For more information or to join, Email Lauren or visit the MeetUp site.

OTHER COMMUTING RESOURCES

 Creative Commuting Tips

 Bike to Work: Commuting – Getting Started

 Master Commuter Kyle tips for Alternative Transportation

 Commuting Tip #1: Don’t Bike your Drive

 Commuting Tip #2: Don’t Race Your Ride
With a victory in the second stage of the Vuelta a San Juan, Tom Boonen becomes the first professional road cyclist to win a race on a bike equipped with disc brakes.