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Will Jones

Tadej Pogačar's Tour de France bike: Up close with the Slovenian's Colnago Y1Rs

Tadej Pogacar's tour de france bike.

Tadej Pogačar, year after year, is building a palmares that could well mark him out as the greatest male rider of his generation, and perhaps even of all time. Three Tour de France victories would be plenty for most riders, but he performs equally as well at three-week grand tours as he does in shorter stage races, recently winning the Critérium du Dauphiné, and in one-day races too.

His trophy cabinet from monument races is astounding, with two Tour of Flanders, four Il Lombardia, and three Liège-Bastogne-Liège victories to his name. Perhaps the biggest endorsement of his talent is that his coming 2nd on debut at Paris-Roubaix was seen as something of a surprise, if not quite a disappointment.

He's the only rider in history to break the 6,000-point barrier for UCI ranking points too, and even dabbles in cyclocross on occasion (naturally he also wins here, too), and is part of what is regularly being called 'the new generation' of riders, along with Wout van Aert, Matthieu Van der Poel, Remco Evenepoel, Tom Pidcock, et al.

While at the Dauphiné, which is the premier pre-Tour warm up race, I got a few minutes alone with the Slovenian's Colnago Y1Rs. This should give us the best possible idea of how he's going to run his aero bike for the flatter stages, though he will still use the lighter V5Rs for hilly and mountainous stages.

What is Tadej Pogačar's bike for 2025?

Pogačar's Colnago Y1Rs represents a departure from the status quo, not just for the team but for Colnago itself. For some years the Italian brand had the V-series of do-it-all race bikes, and the made-inItaly C-series, catering more to consumer. The Y1Rs is the first proper, all-out aero bike from the brand since the Concept back in 2017, a time before disc brakes, integrated cockpits, and fully internal cables.

Now, in 2025, the Y1Rs is among the most radical bikes in the pro peloton, with its key rivals in a visual sense being the Ridley Noah Fast 3.0, the Cervélo S5, and whatever that mad new Factor prototype was that we spotted at the Dauphiné.

At the front, the super deep fork blades join into a bayonet front end, where the fork hinges around the head tube rather than simply passing through it. This makes the effective head tube deeper, and usually narrower too, which in turn makes the bike more aerodynamic.

The deep down tube shrouds the front tyre, and at the back end the quite unusual arrangement with a cantilevered setup of a seat tube allows the rear wheel to be heavily shrouded too. This does mean that the seat post has to be cut precisely at the right length.

The Y1Rs was effectively made for Tadej Pogačar, and while it is commercially available, it is made in limited quantities, involves signing up to a waiting list, and once you get to the checkout, it'll set you back nearly €17,000. Perhaps a bike best left to the professionals?

What size is Tadej Pogačar's bike?

At 1.77m tall, Pogačar is likely to be riding an approximately 54cm frameset. Colnago does sizing a little differently though. We believe he's using a '485' frame, which is a little smaller than is perhaps ideal for a customer of his height but allows him to run a longer stem, especially with the saddle pushed far forwards. Luckily the Y1Rs has a clear stats sheet printed on it, and from this we can see he's running a whopping 145mm stem.

Tadej Pogačar's Colnago Y1Rs Specifications

Frame

Colnago Y1Rs

Groupset

Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9250 12-speed

Brakes

Shimano Dura-Ace 9270 hydraulic disc

Wheelset

Enve 45 (training), Enve SES 4.5 (racing)

Tyres

Continental GP5000 TR (S, TT and AS depending on conditions)

Cockpit

Colnago CC.Y1. 145mm stem, 79mm bar reach, 130mm drop, 397-420mm drop.

Chainset

Shimano Dura ace FC-9200P - 54/40T - 165MM with CarbonTi chainrings

Power meter

Shimano Dura ace FC-9200P

Pedals

Shimano Dura-Ace R9200

Saddle

Fizik Vento Argo Adaptive

Bottle cages

Colnago integrated

Bar tape

Colnago

Computer

Wahoo Elemnt Bolt

The Y1Rs certainly has an unusual silhouette, even amongst other aero bikes. (Image credit: Will Jones)
The seat tube area is particularly unique, with the seat stays effectively continuing to the top tube and the seat post cantilevered out in a similar fashion to the Trek Madone. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Look past the trademark Hulk sticker for a second - He's the only rider on the team so far to get a custom 3D printed computer holder for his Wahoo. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Here's another look at the computer mount. It's made by Dutch brand Hinlopen Design. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Instead of twisting the computer, one pushes the computer into place and turns the dial on the underside of the mount. (Image credit: Will Jones)
His carbon chainrings have his own 'TP' monogram logo laser cut into them. (Image credit: Will Jones)
The direct mount rear derailleur hanger from Framesandgear allegedly makes the shifting crisper. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Here's a fuller look at those carbon chainrings from CarbonTi. (Image credit: Will Jones)
His Fizik saddle is 3D printed. (Image credit: Will Jones)
The 'One to One' label on the rails denotes that this is a custom made saddle. (Image credit: Will Jones)
The fork extends around the head tube like a hinge, rather than simply passing through the frame. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Here's another look at the rear end with its unusual geometry. (Image credit: Will Jones)
The bottle cages are specific to the Y1Rs frame. (Image credit: Will Jones)
The downtube mount will only accept the smaller 500ml bottles. (Image credit: Will Jones)
The bayonet fork allows the head tube to be extremely narrow. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Tyre clearance is set at 32mm, which should be music to Pogačar's ears, as someone who tends to run wider tyres than most. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Like many riders, Pogačar often opts for time trial tyres even on standard road stages. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Mid-depth Enve SES 4.5 wheels are often fitted to his Y1Rs, but he may use the deeper Enve SES 6.7s too. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Rainbow stripes on the fork legs to match the custom wheels. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Even the bolt covers on the cockpit have been replaced with 'Tadej' custom ones. (Image credit: Will Jones)
The bars make a distinct Y shape at the front, which is perhaps where the name comes from. (Image credit: Will Jones)
The brake hose exists the fork about halfway down. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Here are the cockpit stats - a 145mm stem is very long! (Image credit: Will Jones)
The end of the leg holds a neat race transponder mount, also 3D printed. (Image credit: Will Jones)
The seat clamp bolt is well hidden in the top tube. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Pogačar runs his cockpit with a single spacer under it. (Image credit: Will Jones)
At a glance

Year

Team

Main bike

2025

UAE Team Emirates

Colnago V4Rs, Colnago V5Rs, Colnago Y1Rs

2024

UAE Team Emirates

Colnago V4Rs

2023

UAE Team Emirates

Colnago V4Rs

2022

UAE Team Emirates

Colnago V3Rs/Prototipo

2021

UAE Team Emirates

Colnago V3Rs

2020

UAE Team Emirates

Colnago V3Rs

2019

UAE Team Emirates

Colnago V2-R

...

For an already storied rider, Pogačar has an extremely simple bike history, having been with UAE Team Emirates his whole professional career. The only real changes have been which model Colnago he was using in any given year.

History

Pogačar's World Champion's Colango V4Rs

These images were from the end of Pogačar's tenure with the V4Rs, before it was replaced by the V5Rs, and taken after he used the machine to win the Tour of Flanders in 2025.

Besides the paint, the changes to his team issue V4Rs of 2023 are relatively subtle, with a more forward position, a new saddle, and his own logo etched into carbon chainrings.

While it's pretty stock, it's still a handsome machine. Helped somewhat by being a smaller sized frame. (Image credit: Will Jones)
The chainrings are from CarbonTi. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Rear derailleur cable neatly tucked into the Framesandgear aftermarket derailleur hanger. (Image credit: Will Jones)
World champion's logos for his Enve SES 4.5 wheels, and 32mm Continental tyres. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Satellite shifters give an extra option while riding in the drops. (Image credit: Will Jones)
165mm cranks, another growing trend thanks to the Slovenian. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Compared to the radical Y1Rs, the V4Rs looks very... normal. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Rainbow stripes on the top tube in case he forgets. (Image credit: Will Jones)
He ran his saddle slammed forward with a distinct nose-down angle. (Image credit: Will Jones)

Tadej Pogačar's 2023 Colnago V4Rs

The 2023 season marked perhaps the biggest sea change in the UAE Team Emirates camp, at least in terms of equipment. The Colnago frameset still remains staunchly Italian, but the Italian leaning team cast off the 'Italy first' mantra when it came to gear choices. Campagnolo was replaced by Shimano, with Enve wheels taking the place of the Bora Ultras, and Continental tyres replacing Pirelli.

What is also interesting to note is Pogacar's bike fit changes versus his 2024 bike. In 2023, he was still using a setback seatpost and 172.5mm cranks.

We weren't allowed to weigh it, but Colnago says the bike, in a similar spec, will hit the legal minimum of 6.8kg. This is in line with the usual weight of a Tour de France bike. (Image credit: Will Jones)
The model name, following in sequence from the V3Rs, is V4Rs. If you're wondering how much a Tour de France bike costs, we have a full feature covering various examples. A Team Edition of this bike is available at the cost of EUR 15,260. (Image credit: Will Jones)
One of the biggest changes for 2023 was the team's switch from Campagnolo to Shimano, but here he's still using the stock Dura-Ace chainrings. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Continental's best road bike tyre at the moment is the GP5000 S TR, and it looks as though Pogačar was currently using inner tubes instead of tubeless. In doing this, mechanics have fitted tape around the valve to stop it rattling (Image credit: Will Jones)
Up front, the cockpit is made by Colnago, not Deda like the last bike. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Richard Mille isn't a bike manufacturer, nor a cockpit manufacturer, but a team sponsor whose expertise lies in designer watches. Keep an eye out on Pogačar's wrist and you might spot him sporting one during occasional races. Mathieu van der Poel wears them too, on occasion. (Image credit: Will Jones)
His crank length was 172.5mm, which is quite standard for his height. In more recent seasons he has gone down to 165mm however. (Image credit: Will Jones)
A threaded bottom bracket is typically easier to maintain than pressfit. It's also less likely to go out of alignment and cause creaking (Image credit: Will Jones)
Pogačar switched saddles for 2023. He previously used the Prologo M5 Scratch, but now he's using a Prologo Dimension with the 'PAS' cutout down the centre. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Colnago makes a seatpost with 0mm offset but for 2023 Pogačar didn't use it. His saddle is slammed as far forward on the rails as possible, past the recommended limit of the rails. (Image credit: Will Jones)

Tadej Pogačar's 2022 Colnago Prototipo

In many respects, this is a very similar bike to Pogačar's 2023 V4Rs. After all, it is the prototype on which the current model was based, so the frameset, seatpost, and cockpit are all functionally identical, though the cockpit here is a Deda model rather than the Colnago CC.01 unit of the V4Rs; we can't dive into the carbon layup because however nicely we ask, the team mechanics are always reluctant to let us saw a team bike in half.

In many other respects, this is a different beast. A Campagnolo Super-Record EPS 12-speed groupset deals with shifting and braking, mated to a spider-based SRM power meter, communicating with an SRM computer at the bars.

Look pedals and a Prologo Scratch saddle are different contact points for Pogačar, and the bike is connected to the road by 26mm Pirelli P-Zero Race tyres. The same beating heart of the bike, then, but a different set of organs (to stretch the anatomy metaphor a little too far to be comfortable).

At it's heart this is functionally the same bike as Pogačar's 2023 Colnago V4Rs (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Prototype UCI stickers show it's still in development ta this point in time though, so doesn't need to be registered in the same way (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
A different saddle last season, but still from Prologo (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
While we have seen Pogačar using a separate bar and stem at time, it seems this Deda Alanera model was his preferred setup (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Here an SRM power meter measures his watts, though it does mean it replaces the distinctive Super Record spider (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
As well as covering the drivetrain, Campagnolo supplied the instantly recognisable Bora Ultra wheelset (Image credit: Josh Croxton)

Tadej Pogačar's 2021 Colnago V3Rs

Have you really won the Tour de France if you don't get a commemorative yellow bike? Technically yes, but the winners of any grand tour nowadays always get their hands on a colour-matched frameset and usually some equipment here too.

Here the Colnago V3Rs frameset is blocked out with yellow sections, along with yellow Colnago logos. Yellow Look pedals and yellow bar tape complete what is again quite a subtle winner's build compared to others we've seen in the past.

Much the same componentry as we've seen on the Prototipo, but here it's kitting out a commemorative Tour de France Winner's bike (Image credit: PhotoFizza, UAE Team Emirates)
Yellow bar tape and logos round out what was a relatively subdued yellow edition bike (Image credit: PhotoFizza, UAE Team Emirates)
Discs here, and in the 2021 Tour, Pogačar spent 19 of the 21 stages with discs, flitting only to rim brakes for the two biggest mountain days (Image credit: PhotoFizza, UAE Team Emirates)

Tadej Pogačar's 2020 Colnago V3Rs

Pogačar's bike has had something of a slow evolution. Before swapping to the 2023 equipment he was using the old gear on the new prototype frame. Back in 2020 he was on both the older V3Rs frame and the Campagnolo build.

The frameset is similar in its ideals to the V4Rs; to be a single race bike capable of winning everywhere. Here, though, there's a T-shaped top tube rather than the smooth one of the V4Rs. The geometry is tweaked too; the V3Rs has a shorter reach than the current bike, which was lengthened to allow the riders to achieve a more stretched-out, aero position. The chainstays here for the V3Rs are longer too, keeping the same wheelbase in an attempt to normalise the handling characteristics across the two models.

This year, he typically used a rim brake model, but for the crosswind stages in the middle section of the race, he went with disc brakes.

One step back in the evolution: The same frameset as his yellow bike, but standard team paint and a different power meter (Image credit: John Wakefield / UAE Team Emirates)
Gone is the SRM power meter, replaced by a single-sided Stages unit inside the non-drive-side crank arm. Fans of this lovely spider can rejoice. (Image credit: John Wakefield / UAE Team Emirates)
Again, disc brakes can be seen here, but Pogačar often opted for rim brakes in key stages to save weight and allow faster wheel changes (Image credit: John Wakefield / UAE Team Emirates)
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