Benoot wins in true Ridley #BeTOUGH style!
Tiesj Benoot of team Lotto-Soudal has produced a #BeTOUGH ride like no other taking his first professional win in a rain soaked edition of the 2018 Strade Bianche that will go down in the history as one of the most memorable races since its inception back in 2007. On board his Ridley Helium SLX, the 23 year old Belgian executed the perfect race across the famous white gravel Tuscan roads, dropping down into the Piazza del Campo in Siena 39 seconds ahead of French climber Romain Bardet and 3x World Cyclocross Champion Wout Van Aert.
Ridley Helium
At first thought it may seem a little strange that a bike thought of by many as a climbing platform would be the option taken to tackle a race such as the Strade Bianche. But on closer inspection it can be seen that the Ridley Helium SLX has been designed to be so much more than just an uphill only mountain machine.
The Strade Bianche is a very unique race. Unlike the 'traditional' classics where the race final plays out in the last quarter of the race, the Strade Bianche typically heats up extremely early during the first gravel sector just 20 kms from the start. The 2018 edition was no different with the peloton already split in half not long after entering sector 1 making it a virtual man to man battle all the way to Siena. With the famous white gravel roads twisting and climbing their way through the Tuscan country side and the ability to support the riders at critical points during the race diminished, it is important that the riders have equipment that they can rely on from the very start all the way to the finish line at the Piazza del Campo. This is where the Helium SLX comes into its own.
Helium SLX - Benoot's hill climbing and gravel grinding 'Weapon of Choice'
The Ridley Helium is at the very highest level when it comes to the ever important ratio of stiffness to weight. Helium has been designed to be as light as possible and to tackle the longest and steepest of climbs yet it is stiff and durable enough to expertly handle descents, put power down in a sprint or tackle the most demanding array of twisting roads and ever changing conditions in a race such as the Strade Biance. Tested on pave, the mountains of all 3 Grand Tour's and everything in between, it is not only weight but also performance that is built into this frame in order to satisfy the most demanding of all cyclists.
But Helium is not only built for the pros, it is designed for anyone who wants to get the maximum out of their bike. It will help you on the climbs to grab those Strava KOM’s, to fly on the flats and rolling terrain and sprint just like a pro. It’s even comfortable enough to keep you motivated for those long adventures or to tackle that bucket list Gran Fondo.
The most #BeTOUGH race of the year.
On the final sector of the 2018 Strade Bianche, Lotto-Soudal's Tiej Benoot accelerated his Helium SLX away from a fading Roman Bardet and cyclocross star Wout van Aert towards Siena and the final kilometer up to the Piazza del Campo. With both his face and his bike caked in mud and grit, Benoot was able to celebrate all the way up the paved climb throwing his right arm in the air as he passed a fans Flemish Flag in the crowd finally crossing the line in Siena as the 2018 winner of what will possibly be the most #BeTOUGH edition of the Strade Bianche we will see for many years to come!
#BeTOUGH
We ride. We ride hard. We do not complain. We take our pull. Rain does not stop us. The harder the wind blows, the stronger we get.
Cobbles do not faze us, they only push us to go faster. Mountains are conquered, not avoided. Honor is paramount.
Bikes are tools to accomplish our goals.
We get them dirty and we polish them clean.
We are humble. Our legs speak, our mouths do not.
Words are hollow, actions tell all.
Inner strength drives us.
We are more determined and committed than those around us.
We are competitive not with others but with ourselves.
When we fall off, we get back on.
We do not stop until we reach our goal.
We are Belgian Tough.
We are Ridley.
Every Ridley is designed to excel. From André Greipel’s Noah SL to the leisure rider’s X-Ride and Tiesj Benoot's Strade Bianche dominating Helium SLX. Whether you're wanting to climb the arduous Alpe d’Huez switchbacks, experience the teeth-chattering Arenburg Forest cobbles or knee-deep in mud during a Cyclo-Cross event, what you choose to conquer is completely up to you. Your Ridley will be by your side.
Head to your closest Ridley Australasia Dealer to find out more about the full range of Ridley Bikes and don't forget to use the #BeTOUGH hashtag on social media to share your adventures with the ever-growing Ridley community.
