Tom Boonen's new Tarmac SL2

Tom Boonen's new Quickstep Specialized Tarmac SL2

Tom Boonen's custom carbon-fibre Specialized Tarmac SL arrived just in time for the 2007 Tour de France, taking over race duties from the TIG-welded aluminium alloy frame the Belgian sprinter rode for the first part of the season

Booned found it impossible to fit his long torso onto the standard geometry Specialized Tarmac SL, and was forced to ride a specially-made custom aluminium frame in order to achieve his desired riding position.

Specialized went to the trouble of making entirely new moulds for their star rider, but rumour has it that the clean lines of the new frame will feature heavily in the design of the 'Tarmac SL2' widely-expected to arrive in 2008.

More conventional treatment of seat stay cluster	Chainstays look beefier behind the bottom bracket	Lines of Tarmac SL still visible
Super-long FSA stem still needed; note missing bar clamp bolt	'Tornado Tom'; is Quick Step sticker there to show if seatpost slips?	Carbon-fibre Campagnolo Ultra-Torque cranks
Oversized bottom headset bearing? Maybe not..	Aluminium frame kept for spare bike