Despite suffering a crash on stage 11, Tadej Pogačar tore up the script to win the first mountain stage of the Tour de France with a brutal attack on the Hautacam – showing no mercy to Jonas Vingegaard. Nobody could follow. For the first mountain stage of this year's Tour, Pogačar used his Colnago Y1Rs aero bike as opposed to his 400g lighter V5Rs, which proved the correct choice in the end given the 44km/h average speed and relatively flat 122km lead-up to the Col du Soulor.
The Colnago Y1Rs is one of the most outlandish bikes in the pro peloton, with only the new Factor prototype and Cervelo S5 running it close in terms of visual clout. Its design, however, eschews traditional tube shaping with a form-follows-function approach – something Colnago claimed at the time of launch was the fastest bike among its peers.
It certainly looks divisive, but the World Championship rainbow graphics that adorn its tube design do add some allure to the package. The Y1Rs is claimed to be just as stiff as the old V4Rs race bike but 20 watts faster at speeds of 50km/h – again, validating the Slovenians' reasoning behind opting to use it on all twelve stages so far.
Designed using the UCI’s latest 8:1 depth-to-width rule, the bike features a somewhat deep head tube, with a seatpost placement that also meets the new regulations. These tube profiles are said to enhance the sailing effect, and the forward-heavy geometry allows Pogačar to ride in his preferred position, just in front of the bottom bracket.
The Colnago Y1Rs features a bayonet fork design, which, combined with the Colnago CC.Y1 handlebar, has reduced the bike's frontal area by a claimed 19% compared to the Colnago V4Rs. The bayonet fork enables a narrower head tube and improved airflow around the front end of the bike, thereby enhancing aerodynamics. Pogačar's bike gets the added rainbow band decals on the fork legs.
The CC.Y1 handlebar arrangement may divide opinion, but it does have significant presence, further enhanced by the 145mm stem, trademark Incredible Hulk sticker and custom 3D-printed Wahoo computer holder. The holder is unique in that it eschews the regular clip-in procedure for a dial on the underside that twists and locks it in place. It's all very clever, adding extra security and minimising vibration and rattling over rougher surfaces. The handlebar layout also features custom 3D-printed 'Tadej' bolt covers to ensure everything is flush.
Even the wheels are special rolling stock options that came about because Tadej asked for them – Enve SES 4.5 Pro, which are lighter, stiffer, more aero and stronger than the regular SES 4.5 wheels. Not only do these wheels utilise a high-modulus carbon fibre layup, but they also feature a 23.5mm wide internal rim width. The wheels also use a new hubset, dubbed 'Innerdrive Pro', and ceramic bearings. As expected, the decal set has a rainbow theme to further accentuate the Slovenian's achievements.
While it doesn't have the widest fork and chainstays, tyre clearance is rated at a generous 32mm, allowing for the use of wide tyres, something Tadej uses extensively. For the Tour de France, the UAE Team Emirates XRG riders have been using 30mm tyres from Continental – GP5000 S TR/TT and the new Archetype, the choice of which is mainly dependent on the stage and parcours.
The drivetrain comes courtesy of Shimano, here in the form of 54/40T Dura-Ace FC-9200P and 165mm cranks. While we've seen Pogačar pair this crankset with the stock alloy chainring setup, we've also seen him employ CarbonTi chainrings, which are known for their crisper shifting properties as well as being marginally lighter than their alloy counterparts.
Another special component is the new Continental Archetype tyres, designed in collaboration with UAE Team Emirates XRG. The Archetype is available in a 30mm width only and meets the Colnago Y1Rs' maximum tyre clearance with room to spare. The tyres are tubeless-ready options and designed to pair with Tadej's hookless Enve SES 4.5 Pro wheels. While the tread pattern appears unchanged over the GP5000, the big win here is the 275g claimed weight, 35g less than the GP5000 S TR in the same width.
For a stage that features long, steep climbs, Pogačar will typically use an 11-34T Dura-Ace cassette. Paired with 55/40T chainrings, this gear range is well-suited for tackling steep climbs and faster sections – ideal for a profile like the Hautacam. A neat yet blingy touch is the direct-mount rear derailleur hanger from Danish brand Framesandgear, which reportedly improves shifting performance and speed.
After cutting ties with Prologo in 2024, UAE Team Emirates XRG has been using Fizik saddles. For Tadej, this is naturally a top-of-the-line 3D-printed Fizik Argo Adaptive saddle. Owing to the Slovenian's aggressive, forward-bias riding position, a bespoke 'One to One' 3D-printed lattice was created based on his biometric data and pressure mapping to enhance comfort and reduce pressure points.
Like the Trek Madone, due to its unique, highly angled seat tube design and limited adjustability, the Colnago Y1Rs requires the seatpost to be carefully cut to achieve the desired saddle height. Thankfully, Tadej has some of the best mechanics in the world taking care of his bike.
