Tour de France Tech: UAE and Red Bull unveil new Tour de France bike plus state-of-the-art pirelli tire for Van der Poel

The Tour de France is the biggest annual sporting event of the year. It's basically Christmas for the sponsors of the participating teams, and the perfect chance to showcase their latest innovations and products. Several teams unveiled new items ahead of the Tour de France.

Let’s start with the bikes, since several brands have unveiled new models. For example, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe unveiled the S-Works Tarmac SL9, in the team’s colors. A new identity for what the team claims is “the fastest bike in the world.”

Soudal Quick-Step also uses Specialized bikes, so The Wolfpack was treated to a fresh version of the SL9 as well. Naturally, it features the Belgian team’s colors, with blue as the primary color.

Pinarello-Q36.5 also unveiled a new bike for the Tour de France—at least in terms of color. The already stunning blue-and-gold edition of the Pinarello Dogma F was transformed into a fresher—and equally gorgeous—silver-and-gold version.

On the first day, the UAE Emirates-XRG team is rolling out a brand-new time trial bike from Colnago. Tadej Pogacar and his teammates will be riding the TT2, a bike that weighs 550 grams less than its predecessor. Pogacar also signed a lifetime contract with his shoe sponsor, DMT.

Alpecin-Premier Tech and Lidl-Trek are also using the very best in the Tour de France, although Pirelli’s so-called “P ZERO™ Race TLR SL-R” tyre was already unveiled earlier this year. This state-of-the-art tyre is also expected to make a difference in the Tour. In an interview with IDL Pro Cycling, Pirelli’s Head of Marketing, Samuele Bressan, explained why the tires on the Alpecin-Premier Tech and Lidl-Trek bikes are so cutting-edge for the Tour de France.

Pirelli has been involved in cycling for many years, having once partnered with teams such as Mitchelton-Scott and AG2R. Lidl-Trek joined the program in 2020, and according to Bressan, the feedback from that team was “essential” to the development of the tires. Using its so-called PAAS technology (Pirelli Advanced Aerodynamic System), Pirelli has been claiming for several months now that it has the “most aerodynamic and fastest tire” in the peloton.

Not by being lighter, thinner, or thicker, but by manipulating airflow. Using “precise mathematical and geometric ratios,” the perfect tire width was determined, resulting in “significantly lower aerodynamic drag compared to tires with a traditional tread pattern.” Pirelli estimates it can gain 5 watts in crosswinds and up to 15 watts “in specific situations.”

"PAAS changes the shape of the tire to improve interaction with the rim, make the airflow more uniform, and take full advantage of the sail effect of the wheel-tire system," according to Pirelli, which also boasts “the lightest and most efficient tubeless-ready structure” for its so-called LiteCORE carcass. This is expected to reduce rolling resistance by 10 percent.

Van der Poel and Alpecin-Premier Tech will have a chance to shine in the team time trial on Stage 1.