The bike in the spotlight this time is a French beauty: a 1997 Vitus Ovoid Competition 992 equipped with a Campagnolo Veloce 9-speed groupset.

The frame consists of aluminum 5086 oval tubes (ovoid) that are anodized and glued in aluminum lugs. Striking is the integrated headset and the removable rear dropouts.

Below you see the frame as offered for sale in the 1997 catalogue.

The front fork on the bicycle in the spotlight is different and is the Chrono type. The Lotto Mobistar cycling team rode in 1998 with exactly the same frames and Chrono fork, painted in the typical Lotto red colors that are still used today.

On the left the Chrono fork as can be found in the 1997 catalog

The Lotto Mobistar cycling team in 1998 with the Vitus 992 Ovoid

 

The launch of Vitus Ovoid 992 in 1992

The first Vitus Ovoid 992 frame was released in 1992 (992 refers to this) and was an improved version of the Vitus 979 that Sean Kelly had had many successes with. It was also Kelly who won Milan Sanremo in 1992 on a Vitus Ovoid 992.

The Belgian cycling team Lotto also rode Vitus Ovoid racing bikes from 1992 to 1998.

Below is a list of professional teams that rode with Vitus 992 Ovoid frames:

  • 1992: Lotus Festina and Puertas Mavisa
  • 1994: Artiach and Zipp Vitus
  • 1995: Lotto
  • 1996: Agrigel Creuse and Lotto Isoglass
  • 1997: Lotto Mobistar
  • 1998: Lotto Mobistar

There are parts on the bike that were probably added later, such as the stem and saddle, which will later be replaced by the time-correct version.

Below you can see the list of all parts

Handlebar: Deda Nera
Stem: Amoeba
Brake calipers Campagnolo Veloce
Brake levers Campagnolo Veloce
Front derailleur: Campagnolo Veloce
Rear derailleur: Campagnolo Veloce
bottom bracket: Campagnolo Veloce
Saddle: Selle Italia
Seatpost: Vitus
Pedals
Rims: Ambrosio Excellence TQB
Hubs Shimano Ultegra
Headset Vitus
Levers Campagnolo Veloce

Below you can find some more photos

 

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