This is Remco Evenepoel's new bike for the Tour de France
Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe's new race bike is an aero-optimised upgrade on its SL8 predecessor, and one that Evenepoel hopes will help him secure a first yellow jersey.
Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe have unveiled the team's new bike for the Tour de France – the Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL9. Designed for aerodynamic efficiency, it will be ridden by co-leaders Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz as they target the yellow jersey this July. Here's a full bike check of their new machines, and the tech that could make the difference when cycling's biggest race gets underway in Barcelona on July 4.
The Tarmac SL9 is the latest evolution of Specialized’s lightweight all-rounder platform. Aerodynamically optimised on the flats but within a whisker of the UCI’s 6.8kg weight limit for when the road rises and drag becomes less of a factor, it’s a do-it-all that Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe will ride for all-but the time trial stages at the 2026 Tour de France.
When approaching the Tarmac SL9’s design, Specialized used its own ‘time to finish’ performance modelling to determine the fastest blend of aerodynamics, weight, stiffness and ride quality, rather than focusing on one characteristic alone.
That means that while other bikes like Jonas Vingegaard’s Cervelo S5 might appear faster in wind tunnel tests, in real-world riding conditions, the Tarmac SL9 will have the advantage because of its lighter weight. This has been achieved courtesy of a claimed 687g frame weight – an impressively low figure for a bike that’s not an out-and-out lightweight bike.
The headline stats from the Tarmac SL9 launch is that it offers a four-watt saving at 45kph over its predecessor, the SL8 – an impressive bike in its own right that had won everything from Grand Tours (Primož Roglič’s 2024 La Vuelta victory), to one-day Classics (Amstel Gold Race) to sprint finishes (Jordi Meeus at the 2025 Copenhagen Sprint). With the 2025 Tour de France peloton averaging 42.8kph and even exceeding 50kph on fast flat days, these four watts could be the difference between winning and finishing second.
A four-watt saving at 45kph over its predecessor could prove pivotal
It has achieved this by marginally redesigning the frame’s tube shapes, creating a smoother all-round profile with a narrower head tube that is able to cut through the air more cleanly. The most noticeable change is the addition of the ‘Win Fin’ – an extension of the bike’s seat tube that hugs the rear wheel more closely, which Specialized claims contributes 0.5 watts alone at 45kph. Atop the Win Fin sits a new seat post, which has been made slimmer and deeper to aid its aerodynamic properties.
Interestingly though, the geometry of the Tarmac SL9 hasn’t changed from its predecessor, highlighting how Specialized had already hit on a winning formula with its previous iteration.
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The components that could lead to the yellow jersey
Elsewhere, there are no new components to go with the Tarmac SL9’s launch, with the Roval Rapide cockpit, Roval Rapide CLX III wheels, Turbo Cotton TLR tyres and S-Works Power EVO with Mirror 3D-printed saddle carried over. This provides consistency for the riders, who have already spent hours in the saddle refining their fit, and for the mechanics who need to be able to repair on the roadside at speed across three weeks of a Grand Tour.
The SL9 retains the same components as before for consistency
The Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL9 build uses groupset sponsor SRAM’s pioneering RED AXS drivetrain and braking system to provide propulsion and stopping power. The wireless shifters include ‘wireless blips’ that are fitted inside the handlebars hoods, allowing riders to shift gears when attacking in the drops.
The SRAM RED AXS can also be set up as a 1x drivetrain, meaning that there is only one chainring; the removal of a front derailleur and second chainring providing an additional aerodynamic and weight advantage on fast, flat days when lower gearing isn’t required.
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Elsewhere, flourishes include a chain catcher and head unit mount by K-Edge (the former minimising any mechanicals and time lost by dropping a chain), while the SRAM-owned Hammerhead’s Karoo 3 is the team’s head unit of choice.
Finished in a distinctive gold colourway that represents two of Remco Evenepoel’s most notable victories, don’t be surprised if the gold turns yellow by the end of July.
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Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe's Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL9 bike check
Component
Specification
Frameset
Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL9
Paint
Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe World Tour Team
Front Derailleur
SRAM RED AXS
Rear Derailleur
SRAM RED AXS
Shifter/Brake
RED AXS HRD Shift-Brake lever with custom SRAM graphics, and SRAM Wireless Blips
Rotors
Paceline X 160mm front, 140mm rear
Cassette
RED XG-1290, 10-33T, gold detailing
Chain
RED, gold
Crankset
RED AXS with Quarq power meter, 172.5, 56/43T chainrings with custom SRAM graphics
