Tour de France 2024: Focus on the Professional Bikes
In this Article
Published on 12 July 2024
The Tour de France is always one of the most anticipated events for cycling enthusiasts. Teams are prepared to do whatever it takes to dominate the world’s greatest race, and their bikes obviously play a crucial role in their performance. These high-tech machines, designed to maximize efficiency, lightweight, and aerodynamics, represent the pinnacle of cycling innovation. This year, teams have pushed the boundaries with even more advanced models, incorporating the latest market trends and technologies. Before we dive into those, let’s first analyze their technical specifications and the possibility for an amateur to ride a pro bike without breaking the bank.
Specifics of Tour de France Bikes
The Price
The price of a bike at the Tour de France ranges from €9,000 to €20,000 per team. With approximately 1,000 bikes present at the Grand Boucle, it's a considerable fortune cycling through France in July! Clearly, price is perhaps the most noticeable difference between bikes used by amateurs and those used by professionals: on the Tour de France, bikes are equipped with top-notch materials and represent a significant investment.
Approval
Teams are free to assemble their bikes with the best available parts, but they must adhere to a strict rule: using prototypes is prohibited. All frames used in the professional peloton bear a small UCI sticker. This is a mandatory requirement.
Weight
The weight of race bikes is a major concern for every rider, aiming to optimize the ratio between weight and power. The UCI imposes a minimum weight limit of 6.8 kg for race bikes, a crucial criterion. However, bike weights may vary slightly depending on the rider's size.
Materials
Regarding materials, professionals now exclusively use carbon, which accounts for the high cost of bikes. Lighter than aluminum and titanium, carbon has become the material of choice for all bikes in the peloton. They are equipped with cutting-edge technologies. This includes saddles, essential elements for riders. Some have grip on top, others with a cutout in the middle for perineal comfort.
Components
When it comes to tires, professionals have largely abandoned traditional tubulars in favor of "tubeless" tires, which do not require inner tubes but contain a sealant.
Rim brakes, once dominant in the peloton, have all been replaced by disc brakes, considered more precise.
Reconditioned Road Bikes: Pro Gear at Reduced Prices
As mentioned, the cost of a bike at the Tour de France is very high. However, it’s possible to ride a bike previously used by a professional less than 5 years ago at a much more affordable price.
Indeed, in such a short time, technology does not significantly evolve. Purchasing a reconditioned model allows you to enjoy the performance of a professional cyclist's bike at a reduced cost. Among The Cyclist House's selection of reconditioned road bikes, you'll find numerous models previously ridden by cycling stars of recent years.
To ensure your satisfaction from the first ride, our bikes are meticulously inspected and cleaned. Each undergoes a 114-point check by our mechanics. Furthermore, by choosing The Cyclist House for your used bike purchase, you benefit from a one-year warranty and a 30-day "satisfaction guaranteed or your money back" period.
Professional Team Bikes
With nearly 53,230 meters of elevation gain and passage through all major mountain ranges in France, the 2024 Tour de France promises to be particularly demanding. Each brand takes advantage of the event to showcase its latest innovations.
Alpecin Deceuninck / Movistar Team: Full House for Canyon Aeroad CFR
Belgian sprinter Jasper Philipsen, already a winner of seven Tour stages and holder of the green jersey in 2023, will surely aim for victory again this year. Philipsen and his team are sponsored by the German brand Canyon, and the entire team uses a still-unreleased model, the Canyon Aeroad, first seen at the Critérium du Dauphiné earlier this summer.
Adjustments have been made to the head tube area, seat stay-to-seat tube junction, and chainstays. A new integrated Canyon handlebar with a negative tilt stem has also been added, likely to make the front of the race bike even more aerodynamic and potentially save a few more watts.
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Bianchi Specialissima RC for Arkéa-B&B hotels
For road races, the Bianchi Oltre RC will now be accompanied by the new Specialissima RC. The transmission remains faithful to Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, equipped with a power meter and Shimano pedals.
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Willier Fillante SLR for Astana Qazaqstan and GROUPAMA-FDJ
Riders will now be riding Wilier Triestina bikes, replacing the Lapierre used for two decades. On the group side, the team remains committed to Shimano Dura-Ace, and the wheels, Vision Metron, also remain the same.
Merida Reacto for Bahrain Victorious
Team cyclists are using a range of Merida bikes, a Taiwanese brand, including the Scultura and Reacto, designed to provide an optimal balance of lightweight, aerodynamics, and stiffness.
We will have to get used to the Bahrain Victorious gradient bikes, red, orange, and black, are no longer in 2024! The Bahrain team now adopts a white design. For the rest, the Bahraini team retains the same equipment as in previous years: Vision or FSA handlebars, Prologo saddles, Vision wheels equipped with Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR tubeless tires, and of course Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 transmission with power meter and pedals.
Look 795 Blade RS for Cofidis
The Look 795 Blade RS, introduced in the summer of 2023, was quickly adopted by professionals in the UCI World Tour circuit due to its radical performance-focused design. This bike stands out with its ultra-high modulus carbon fiber construction, ensuring a chassis that is both lightweight and stiff. Its geometry and design elements optimize aerodynamics, with particular attention to the seat stays, which drop low on the seat tube to improve aerodynamic flow and provide an elegant silhouette.
For equipment, the northern team remains faithful to Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 transmission groups, supplemented by SRM power meters mounted on Look cranks, and Token components such as derailleur rollers.
Wheels come from the Look universe, with Corima WS Evo 47 used by Jon Izagirre, last year's stage winner. Depending on the routes, riders also choose WS Black 58 for flat sections or WS Evo 32 for mountains.
Van Rysel RCS for Decathlon AG2R-LA MONDIALE
Since 2024, the French team has been using Van Rysel RCR Pro bikes (and XCR for time trials). Thanks to the use of high-end carbon fibers, Van Rysel has managed to reduce the weight of the Pro frame to just 790g while the fork remains at 380g.
Shimano equips the transmission with the Dura-Ace group, Deda provides the handlebars, and fi’zi:k handles the seating. Paul Lapeira also uses CarbonTi trays, like Tadej Pogačar and the UAE team.
The Scott Foil RC for DSM-IRMENICH POSTNL
The Scott Foil RC is the most aerodynamic bike from the Swiss brand. The versatility of the Scott Foil RC is highlighted by Romain Bardet's attack in the first stage.
Although Scott maintains the Addict RC in its catalog as a competition climbing bike, since the launch of the Foil RC and due to its great versatility, all cyclists from the DSM-Firmenich-PostNL team now use this model.
The Cannondale SuperSix EVO Lab71 for EF Education-EasyPost
Cannondale has put a lot of effort into its new frame, optimizing both weight, stiffness, and especially aerodynamics. The EF team bike is equipped with the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset and complemented by Vision and FSA components, including Metron wheels available in different profiles. Also noteworthy are the Wahoo Speedplay pedals and, for inflating the 28 mm tubeless Vittoria Corsa Pro tires, Muc-Off pink valves, naturally!
INEOS Grenadiers Sticks with Pinarello
Winner of 7 of the last 13 Tours de France, the INEOS Grenadiers team continues to trust their historic supplier, the Italian brand Pinarello. This year, Egan Bernal, former yellow jersey, and Thomas Geraint, among others, ride the Dogma F12 model. Thanks to its carbon fiber and nanoalloy, this bike stands among the best in the peloton.
Ineos Grenadiers announced a partnership with Prologo for saddles for the 2024 season. This is the only notable change, as the team will continue to use Shimano components (groupsets and wheels), as well as Continental tires.
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CuBe Road Bikes for Intermarché-Wanty
The Belgian team, achieving 7th place overall for the first time in 2022 thanks to Louis Meintjes, once again uses bikes from the German brand Cube. The models favored by the riders are the Litening Aero C:68 X for flat stages and the very lightweight Litening Air C:68X SLT for mountain stages. The frame of this climbing bike weighs only 800 g! Fully assembled, it reaches the UCI's 6.8 kg limit, optimizing the watts/kg ratio.
The Factor Ostro VAM for Israel-Premier Tech
The riders of Israel Premier Tech ride an aerodynamic model capable of dipping below 6.8 kg fully equipped. They predominantly use the Ostro over the O2 VAM, even on mountain stages for which the latter is designed. The reason lies in the geometry, with the Ostro offering more aggressive dimensions.
The main improvements of the Ostro compared to the previous frame are found in the fork, head tube, top tube, and seat tube. The Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 transmission is complemented by an FSA K-Light crankset with a Power2max power meter. This classic setup includes 55/41 aero chainrings for optimal performance.
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The Giant Propel Advanced SL for Jayco Alula
The Australian team Jayco Alula is equipped by one of the world's largest manufacturers: Giant. For this Tour de France, the Taiwanese firm offers them its best bike, the Propel Advanced SL, with its truncated ellipse-shaped tubes and D-shaped fork steerer, providing exceptional aerodynamics. In the mountains, riders generally prefer the lighter version: the TCR Advanced SL.
The Trek Madone SLR 9 for Lidl-Trek
For the team, Trek uses the Emonda for climbs, the Madone for sprints, and the Speed Concept for time trials. All these machines are equipped with the SRAM Red eTap AXS groupset and Time Xpro pedals. Wheels, handlebars, saddles, and bottle cages are provided by Bontrager. In 2024, Pirelli tires, whether tubular, clincher, or tubeless, remain the preferred choice on Lidl-Trek's Trek wheels, as well as Wahoo computers.
The Orbea Orca for Lotto-Dstny
Orbea needs no introduction when it comes to aerodynamics, and the CLM bike of Victor Campenaerts is a testament to that. At just 6.7 kg, this bike is designed to be one of the lightest in the international peloton, offering formidable efficiency in high mountain passes. For rolling stages or sprints, riders will choose the Orca Aero. The bikes are equipped with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 transmissions and Oquo wheels.
The Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 for Soudal-Quick Step and Red Bull-bora-HansgroHe
For Soudal-Quick-Step, the bike is equipped with Shimano Dura-Ace. They also retain the rest of the Specialized equipment, including S-Works saddles, handlebars, and Roval wheels.
As for the Red Bull team, the bike features Roval's Rapide CLX II Team wheels mounted with the new SRAM RED AXS groupset and the S-Works Power saddle with Mirror up to Turbo Cotton tires.
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The Enve Melee for TOTAL Energies
The Melee, equipped with the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 transmission, is a versatile bike in the American manufacturer's catalog. It is equipped with the brand's competition wheels, the famous SES with hookless rims (without hooks) of 23 mm internal width. Anthony Turgis, winner of the 9th stage, prefers the 6.7 models with profiles of 67 mm at the rear and 60 mm at the front. His teammates, on the other hand, mainly use the 4.5 models, with an internal width of 25 mm and profiles of 56 mm at the rear and 50 mm at the front, thus offering more versatility.
The Colnago V4RS for UAE Team Emirates
On the other side, Tadej Pogacar, the other great favorite, once again opts for a Colnago V4RS equipped with the high-end Shimano Dura-Ace. Colnago has announced a 4% increase in stiffness for the sprint position (standing) and a 5% increase for the seated position (used notably during climbs). These improvements were achieved through a special blend of carbon fibers.
The Dare VSRU for Uno-X Mobility
The Dare VSRu of the Norwegian team retains its Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 transmission, including pedals. This year, they pair this transmission with an FSA K-Force Team Edition Powerbox crankset. The team also changes their saddle, now opting for Prologo models.
Still the Cervélo R5 and P5 for Visma-Lease A Bike
You don't change a winning team... In 2024, the adventure between Cervélo and Team Visma Lease A Bike continues, around star cyclists Jonas Vingegaard and Wout van Aert, as well as European champion Christophe Laporte, Dutch champion Dylan van Baarle, and Hungarian champion Attila Valter.
This year, Jumbo retains the same models from the Cervélo brand: the lighter R5 for the mountains, the S5 with its distinctive triangular stem for faster stages, and the time trial bike, the P5, all now equipped by SRAM.
On some stages, the incredible Jonas Vingegaard and the formidable Wout Van Aert use the single-chainring groupset, a still uncommon choice on the road. The advantages of this 1x configuration include a slight aerodynamic gain and a reduced risk of chain drop since there is only one derailleur.
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The Tour de France 2024 gives us a glimpse of the most advanced and high-performance bikes on the market, used by the world's best cyclists. These state-of-the-art machines, equipped with the latest technological innovations, are not only reserved for professionals. Discover our latest road bike models. We don't promise you the Tour de France, but we guarantee you'll at least enjoy some great sensations !
