Get the lowdown on all the bikes and technology at this year’s Tour Down Under
It won’t just be on the road where the Tour Down Under is won. The teams are also in a technology and manufacturing arms race that’s reaching extreme lengths. Take a look.
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When it comes to professional cycling, it isn’t just on the road where the race is won.
Every year teams are trying to find ways to get faster and faster, and often this comes down to what bike and equipment they use.
Manufacturers use wind tunnels, and even aerospace companies to try and get the marginal gains that can make their bikes faster and lighter than the rest.
So what kind of bikes and what technology will the teams at this year’s Tour Down Under be using when racing kicks off?
The Advertiser was able to get early access to the bike workshop at the Tour Village to find out what the teams are racing on in Adelaide and for the 2024 season. Take a look.
UAE TEAM EMIRATES
Bikes: Colnago V4Rs
Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 Disc 12 Speed
Wheels: Enve
Components: Colnago integrated handlebars
Tyres: Continental
Saddles: Prologo
Price: Between $15,000 to just over $20,000
UAE topped the UCI standings in 2023 on the super fast Colnago V4Rs. Designed with the pros in mind, it apparently has been optimised for an average speed of 50km/h but is also said to be one of the best bikes in the peloton when it comes to handling.
TEAM JAYCO ALULA
Bike: Giant Propel Advanced SL
Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2
Wheels: Cadex
Components: Cadex bars and stems
Saddles: Cadex
Price: From $13,999 on Giant’s website
Jayco has had a change in colours and this has been translated to the bikes the Australian WorldTour team will ride in 2024. Giant claim its AeroSystem Shaping, from computational fluid dynamics and wind-tunnel testing, “optimises aerodynamic performance at every yaw angle. They have also saved 225 grams of weight through their manufacturing processes.
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS
Bike: Merida Reacto Team
Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 Disc
Wheels: Vision
Saddles: Prologo
Price: Around $12,500
The Merida Reacto Disc Team Bahrain Victorious will ride in 2024 has had a paint job but much of what the team will use is the same. The fourth generation model of the Reacto Team has wider tires and just needs an effort of 209 watts to reach 45km/h.
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP
Bikes: Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8
Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2
Wheels: Roval
Components: Roval Rapid Cockpit
Saddles: Specialized
Price: $19,900
Soudal Quick-Step has upgraded from the Tarmac SL7 to SL8 for 2024. The big change from last year is that the bikes are equipped with the one-piece Roval Rapide Cockpit. It is claimed this accounts for around four watts of the 16.4 watts of aero gains the SL8 has on the SL7.
Specialized claim it’s the world’s fastest race bike and for nearly $20,000 it would want to be damn fast.
DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM
Bikes: Van Rysel RCR Pro
Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 Disc 12 Speed
Wheels: SwissSide Hadron
Components: Deda cockpit
Tyres: Continental GP5000 S TR
Saddles: Fizik
Price: Around $16,000
A new bike on the scene with AG2R moving on from BMC to use Van Rysel for the 2024 season. It is the first time Van Rysel has been in the WorldTour peloton and they have worked with the French National Office for Aerospace Studies and Research on the aerodynamic development of the bike.
INTERMARCHÉ - WANTY
Bike: Cube Litening C:68X
Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 Disc
Components: Cube integrated bar/stem
Wheels: Newmen
Saddles: Prologo
Price: $11,999
Intermarche continue to go with Cube for their bikes but have changed their groupsets from ROTOR to Shimano for 2024. They are also the only team to use Newmen wheels. Cube say the C:68X is among the lightest bikes in the peloton with a sophisticated aerodynamic profile.
ISRAEL - PREMIER TECH
Bike: Factor Ostro VAM
Groupset: FSA K-Force TEAM Edition
Components: Fully integrated Black Inc barstem
Wheels: Black Inc
Saddles: Selle Italia
Price: From $13,890
Israel-Premier Tech might be in the competition outside of the WorldTour but in the Factor Ostro VAM they have a bike that is the envy of many teams above them, as demonstrated by one of the other teams mechanics taking a sneaky picture of the bike when we were photographing it. Factor say it is the ultimate all-round bike – meaning it can be fast on the sprints, mountains and even the cobbles if you are so inclined. The goal was to create the lightest aero-orientated bike in the peloton and Factor say the Ostro VAM can built up to below the UCI’s 6.8kg weight limit.
INEOS GRENADIERS
Bike: Pinarello Dogma F
Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 12 Speed
Wheels: Shimano
Components: MOST handlebars and stems
Tyres: Continental
Saddles: Prologo
Price: $23,999
One of the most if not the most expensive bikes in the peloton, INEOS will again use the Pinarello Dogma F and it’s no surprise given the success the team has had with the bike in the past. At one point, seven of the last 10 Tour de France’s were won on it. What do you get for nearly $24,000? Well it is made out of carbon T1100 1K, which Pinarello says is “high tensile and high modulus carbon fibre with patented Nanoalloy Technology for extreme performances”. The Dogma also has different shaped forks, which Pinarello says “delivers precise turning abilities, stability and reduction of longitudinal and lateral shocks”. While they have kept nearly everything the same from 2023, INEOS is using Prologo saddles this year.
BORA - HANSGROHE
Bikes: Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8
Groupset: SRAM Red AXS
Wheels: Roval
Components: Roval handlebar and stem
Tyres: Specialized
Saddles: Specialized
Price: $19,900
Global giants Red Bull are set to buy into Bora - Hansgrohe and given their success with technology advancement in F1 they could be one to watch in the cycling world. For 2024, Bora has changed their groupsets from Shimano to SRAM. Outside of that it’s the same S-Works Tarmac SL8 they first started using at the Vuelta last year.
TEAM DSM-FIRMENICH POSTNL
Bike: Scott Addict RC
Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2
Wheels: Shimano C36, C60
Components: Syncros Creston IC SL Aero
Saddles: Syncros
Price: $15,599
DSM keep the same Scott bike they used in 2023 but after they changed their colours of their kit recently this is set to be translated to the bikes shortly. The Foil RC has two quite unique features. The first is an oversized head tube that not only allows for fully integrated cabling but more acts as a “fairing” for the bike. What this does is splits the oncoming air and reduces aerodynamic drag as a rider powers forward. Scott says one of the most innovative features is patented new Syncros Duncan SL Aero CFT. As part of this when on light gravel or cobbles, the seatpost will ensure the rider is able to deliver maximum power through the pedals as they won’t be bucked out of the saddle.
COFIDIS
Bike: Look 795 Blade RS
Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 Disc 12 Speed
Wheels: Corima
Components: Look bar and stem
Saddles: Selle Italia
Price: $13,895
Look has gone a bit of a different way in present day bike manufacturing. It doesn’t really look like any other aero-race bike and has chosen efficiency over the most aero design possible. Because of this it is more of a climbers bike, even though it is a bit heavier than others.
ARKEA-B&B HOTELS
Bikes: Bianchi Specialissima RC
Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2
Wheels: Vision
Components: Bianchi integrated handlebars
Tyres: Continental
Saddles: Selle Italia
Price: $14,700
In 2024 Bianchi’s Specialissima will take centre stage for Arkea-B&B Hotels after their riders rode the Oltre last year. Coming in at a 6.6kg weight this is one of the lightest bikes around and unsurprisingly it goes crazy fast. Vision have come on board to provide wheels. The team’s climbers will use the Specialissima and the sprinters are still likely to use the Oltre in 2024.
MOVISTAR TEAM
Bikes: Canyon Aeroad CFR
Groupset: SRAM Red eTap AXS
Components: Canyon handlebars and stems
Wheels: Zipp
Saddles: Fizik
Price: $15,849
The Canyon Aeroad CFR is one of the more popular bikes out there with some big wins by riders on them in recent years. Canyon have built their new frame for the Aeroad in collaboration with aerodynamics experts Swiss Side with the company saying “every tube, every component and every angle has been tweaked to reduce drag and slip through the air cleanly”. The only change to Movistar’s equipment is that they will be using Time pedals in 2024.
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE
Bike: Cervélo R5
Groupset: SRAM Red eTap
Components: Cervélo handlebars and stems
Wheels: Reserve
Tyres: Vittoria
Saddles: Fizik
Price: $17,500
Along with the Cervelo S5, which conquered nearly everything in 2023, Visma Lease a Bike will also use the R5 as its climbing bike in 2024. The bike has had a serious paint job but apart from that no real changes. The R5 is 130g lighter than Cervelo’s previous model, which it says is a 16 per cent reduction on an already-light frame, making it a climber’s dream.
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST
Bike: Cannondale SuperSix Evo LAB71
Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 Disc 12 Speed
Wheels: Vision
Components: Cannondale System bar/stem
Saddles: Prologo
Price: $19,999
EF always have some of the more striking kits and bikes in the peloton and it’s no different with the Cannondale SuperSix Evo LAB71. Costing nearly $20,000, it boasts Cannondale’s Series 0 Carbon, low-drag SuperSix EVO frameset, which it says is its lightest, most advanced carbon construction ever. While to design the cockpit they partnered with the renowned MOMODesign to come up with a new tube design called Delta that integrates the bikes cables from the cockpit to the frameset while shrinking the headtube’s frontal area for reduced drag.
ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK
Bike: Canyon Aeroad CFR
Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 Disc
Wheels: Shimano
Components: Canyon
Tyres: Vittoria
Saddles: Selle Italia
Price: $13,899
Alpecin is another team to use the Canyon Aeroad. But unlike Movistar they are rocking Shimano groupset. This the same from 2023, and given the year they had it is no surprise.
LIDL-TREK
Bike: Trek Madone SLR 9
Groupset: SRAM Red eTap AXS
Wheels: Bontrager
Components: Bontrager handlebars and stems
Saddles: Bontrager
Price: $18,999 to $19,999
With its unique little cut at the back of the frame just under the seat post the Trek Madone SLR 9 does stand out among the other bikes. Trek says it is built with an 800 Series OCLV Carbon frame and new IsoFlow technology “that adds an aerodynamic advantage, cuts weight and smooths the road ahead”.
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