Just one day after the arrival of spring, the WorldTour peloton lines up in Pavia for the start of Milano-Sanremo, the first Monument of the cycling season and one of the most unpredictable races on the calendar. Soudal - Quick-Step returns to 'La Primavera' with ambition, aiming to add another vict...

The world champion could become the first rider in almost 50 years to win all five Monuments but how much does it matter to him? Tom Davidson meets him to find out

Mountain bikers often have a fascination with the lightest materials, with many sniffing out carbon components in a search for time savings and bling factor. Despite there being plenty on offer, one area many deem too delicate for the material is handlebars. I used to be a strong defender of carbon fibre mountain bike handlebars, having seen a similar number of alloy bars snap on my friends' bikes through the years, but my feelings have changed since crashing at Dyfi Bike Park last year and feeling my bar break through my fingers. It's safe to say I felt like an idiot asking around for spare handlebars, and many of the responses compounded that feeling. Nick Clark / Our Media While the crash wasnt the bar's fault, it left me unable to ride for the rest of the day and made me consider how far I could have ended up walking with my bike if it wasnt for the uplift driver picking me up from the fire road. Ive used alloy bars ever since to avoid any further hassle. However, another material is often overlooked that is maybe more lust-worthy than carbon fibre. Titanium has developed a reputation for being ruggedly lightweight. Nick Clark / Our Media Titanium offers lighter-weight parts than aluminium due to its strength-to-weight ratio, without feeling as vulnerable as carbon fibre to impacts and invisible cracks. Read more: Carbon fibre is cyclings wonder material, but titanium is having a renaissance here's why Handlebars made from the material are rare, but Berm Cycle has turned its expertise to the Roam Riser Bar. The brushed finish should make removing blemishes with sandpaper easy. Nick Clark / Our Media The bar is made from aircraft-grade titanium, which is said to give it increased strength and a shock-damping feel. The bar features a grippy texture on the interface with the stem. Nick Clark / Our Media Theres only one size available, and the dimensions see 9 backsweep, 5 upsweep, 30mm rise and a 780mm width good luck cutting these down. Berm Cycle says the bar weighs in at 290g, which is lighter than an alloy bar, for example Race Faces Turbine at 315g, but heavier than carbon bars such as OneUps V2 Carbon Handlebar at 265g for the 800mm variant. The RAD2 Stem matches the bar's style. Nick Clark / Our Media Matching the bar, the brand also offers the RAD2 Stem, which embraces the carbon fibre in its construction. It's an interesting use of the material, with the main body of the stem being made from carbon fibre, with the faceplate made from titanium. Berm Cycle says it gives the stem a lightweight, strong and super-stiff quality that reduces the overall weight of the cockpit and absorbs impacts. The faceplate features the Berm Cycle logo. Nick Clark / Our Media It features a wide clamp area that is said to enhance bar stability, while the edges are rounded off for safety. The brand says it is designed for XC, trail and enduro riding, and is available only in a 35mm length. The stem comes with titanium bolts. Nick Clark / Our Media It has 0 rise, a stack height of 34.5mm and a clamp width of 53mm. Berm Cycle claims the stem weighs 138g and includes titanium bolts. The RAD2 Stem is priced at $292 / 260 and the Roam bar is $215 / 190.

Dutch veteran says tougher winter training and team focus give him motivation ahead of another year with Team Visma | Lease a Bike Wilco Kelderman has made peace with his role as one of the most reliable domestiques in the peloton, and the experienced Dutch rider says he is fully motivated to suppor...