Aero Bike, Everyday — the Bike Tadej Pogačar Will Ride in Search of His Fifth Tour Win

When Tadej Pogačar started the 2025 Tour de France, he was riding the Colnago V5Rs, the team’s climbing bike. Ultimately, that move proved to be a misdirection. By the halfway point of the race, when the peloton reached the stage 13 uphill time trial, Pogačar switched to his stripped-down, aero-optimized Y1Rs.

Since then, he hasn’t turned back. The Y1Rs have become as synonymous with Pogačar as his rainbow jersey or Met helmet.

With the Tour de France starting this Saturday in Barcelona, we made our way to the UAE hotel, through the throngs of fans who somehow found the undisclosed location, and took a look at his bespoke Y1Rs that he’ll ride throughout the 19 road stages.

Quick hits from Tadej Pogačar’s Y1Rs

• Y1Rs frameset, size 54 cm
• Shimano Dura-Ace groupset and pedals, with 56/44t Carbon-Ti chainrings
• Enve 4.5 SES Pro wheelset
• Carbon-Ti finishing parts, including derailleur hanger, various bolts, and thru-axles
• Custom 3D-printed Fisik Argo
• Continental GP5000 TT tires, 28mm
• 11-34t cassette
• 165mm cranks
• 36cm bars

Narrow bars and short cranks remain the same

Tadej Pogačar has kept the same handlebars on his Y1Rs all year, as the bars are at the limit of the UCI allowable width that was imposed earlier this year. Since he burst on the scene in 2020, Pogačar has been a part of the generation of riders who have adopted the smaller bars as the understanding of aerodynamics has made it clear how important that can be.

Likewise, Pogačar was the leading figure in the trend to shorter cranks. While others have taken it to even greater extremes, Pogačar has found his length at 165mm cranks. Those shorter cranks are paired with 56/44t chainrings, according to UAE.

Oh, and Baby Hulk is back.

Will Pogacar ride the V5Rs at the Tour?

Ultimately, bike selection falls into the category of strategy in this day and age of cycling. What bikes and wheels a team or rider uses can depend on what they are prioritizing on any given day. If this year is anything to go by, Pogačar will likely ride a Y1Rs every road stage, with only adjustments to the wheels. The days of true climbing bikes seem to be firmly on their way out, because even with the modifications to the Y1Rs, it was still measured at 7.25kg by Bike Radar. While that is light, it is 450 grams more than the limit. The V5Rs can get to the weight limit, but even still, aero makes the difference.

That, or we didn’t get our hands on Pogačar’s lightest Y1Rs. If you look closely, you can spot a #2 sticker on the back of the bike media had access to. That demarcation means it is the backup bike for the rider. Maybe, just maybe, the primary bike shaves a few more grams and makes the choice even easier to go aero every day.

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