In 2014, we were given an unforgettable Tour de France for many reasons, good or bad. The race had its grand start from Leeds to Harrogate in the UK, which saw crowds like those at Alpe d’Huez on the side. Unfortunately, we also saw Mark Cavendish’s hopes of a level victory in this edition dashed due to a fall in the final few meters that sent him home with a separated shoulder.
Later in the race we were treated to a spectacle as the race took position on the rain-soaked cobbles of northern France with eventual overall winner Vincenzo Nibali attacking and gaining minutes on his rivals. It was also at the start of this level that protective champion Chris Froome went down with a broken wrist.
While some of the riders from the 2014 edition are still performing well in the WorldTour peloton, one thing it has replaced for a decade now is the Tour de France bikes.
It may not seem that long ago, but since 2014 professional motorcycle design has undergone evolutions that position modern racing motorcycles in a completely different class. In 2014, Nibali took the win on Specialized’s S-Works Tarmac SL5 equipped with rim brakes, a Campagnolo Super Record mechanical groupset and incredibly narrow 22mm tubular tires.
Nowadays you might not find any of that stuff floating around in the package, so what’s changed?
Nibali’s Astana Pro team had a choice of the Tarmac SL5, the cobble-focused Roubaix SL4 or the first-generation Venge aero bike. Even with this selection, Nibali rode exclusively on asphalt, adding Level 5 cobblestones.
When the SL5 came out, it was the first Specialized motorcycle to use its Rider First engineering technology. This allowed each frame length to achieve individual tube profiles with the aim of ensuring that each frame length had the same riding characteristics.
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