Amaury Capiot shreds rear wheel during Omloop, Cadex issues statement

It was a striking sight during Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Amaury Capiot stood by the roadside with a rim that appeared to be broken on his rear wheel. This prompted wheel sponsor Cadex to issue a statement to provide clarity.

After Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, photos emerged of Capiot standing by the roadside with his damaged Giant Propel bike during the race. The rear wheel rim appeared broken, with the spokes completely detached from the hub, while the tire had also come off the rim. This exposed the tubeless sealant and the inner tube, according to Cyclingnews.

After the race, the cycling site contacted Jayco AlUla, Capiot’s team, for a reaction. According to the Australian team, the Belgian rode too long on a flat tire, which ultimately caused the wheel failure. Fortunately, the rider was unharmed in the incident and managed to finish the Flemish season opener.

"Not caused by rim design"
Cadex, the wheel sponsor of Jayco AlUla, felt compelled to issue a statement explaining the cause of the wheel failure during the race. The explanation aligns with the team’s post-race comments. According to Cadex, Capiot rode at approximately 47 to 48 kilometers per hour over a pothole while on a flat tire, then continued riding over cobblestones.

"This caused the rim to crack. This structural rim failure led to the spokes detaching from the hub and the wheel subsequently collapsing. It was this structural break that caused the tire to come off the rim. The tire failure during this incident was not caused by the hookless rim design," reads the Cadex statement.

Call to action
Capiot used Cadex Ultra 50 wheels and Aero Cotton tires, which together form the Ultra50 wheel system, at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Cadex also reiterated its full confidence in hookless rim technology, stating that the rim remained stable enough to prevent a crash even under extreme conditions.

They urge cyclists to immediately stop riding if they have a flat tire and inspect the wheel for damage before continuing their ride.