BOA® had a strong Tour de France, and not only in the shoe aisle. BOA® Fit System has been part of top-level road shoes for years, but this Tour also put the BOA® Fit System featuring FS2 into the helmet conversation.
Most riders know BOA® for that last little turn before a climb, sprint, or finish line effort. It is the difference between “pretty close” and locked in. Now that same fit mindset is moving above the neck with FS2, a helmet platform aimed at a more even hold without the pinch points that can come from over-tightening.
We recently reviewed the Specialized S-Works Evade 4, which uses the BOA® Fit System featuring FS2, and came away impressed. The adjustment felt precise, but the fit stayed balanced around the head instead of digging into one spot.
Tour de France – BOA® Goes All In On Helmets
At the Tour, 48 riders raced helmets using the BOA® Fit System featuring FS2. Specialized, POC, and UVEX-sponsored teams all had FS2-equipped helmets in the race. It wasn’t just about volume for athletes, it was quality too.
You might recognize some of these names, all of which used BOA® dials on their shoes, helmets, or both:
- Remco Evenepoel, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe (Belgian overall runner-up in the general classification, won back-to-back victories on Stage 15 and Stage 16)
- Tim Merlier, Soudal Quick-Step, also wearing BOA® Specialized Shoes (so-called “sprint king” won a trio of flat days in Stages 7, 8, and 12)
- Mathieu van der Poel, Alpecin-Premier Tech (won a thrilling final day on Stage 21 in Paris)
- Jasper Philipsen, Alpecin-Premier Tech (2nd overall in the final points classification, Stage 21 runner-up)
- Mads Pedersen, Lidl-Trek (led his squad to win overall team classification)
- Team Visma | Lease a Bike (TTT) (Stage 1 Team Time Trial victory)
- Demi Vollering, FDJ United-SUEZ (second career overall TdFF title)
- Lorena Wiebes, SD Worx-Protime (Stage 1 and Stage 2 victory as well as winner of final Green Jersey Points Classification)
- Kim Le Court, AG Insurance-Soudal (Stage 6 victory)
- Puck Pieterse, Fenix-Premier Tech (claimed final Polka-Dot Mountains Jersey)
The key model was the Specialized S-Works Evade 4. It was used by BORA and Soudal teams during the Tour de France, along with Women’s Soudal and FDJ-SUEZ teams at the Tour de France Femmes.
What Makes FS2 Different?
FS2 is BOA®’s helmet fit platform built around Dynamic360™. The system wraps the head more evenly, helping balance tension, reduce peak pressure, and deliver up to 6% stronger hold. BOA® says FS2 also offers up to 40% finer adjustment resolution than traditional dial-based helmet fit systems.
The FS2 YOKE Dynamic360™ weighs 19g and is shaped to lock around the occipital bone while cradling the sides of the head. The yoke ladder gives riders 11 vertical positions, spaced 4mm apart, to fine-tune fit.
Prototype UVEX & POC in the Tour
FS2 was not limited to road helmets. EF riders used a prototype POC Tempo Sonic TT helmet, while Cofidis riders raced the UVEX Ultimate DNAero road helmet and Ultimate Race X TT helmet.
67% of Tour Riders Were on BOA®
BOA® was even more visible below the ankle. Of the 184 riders in the 2026 Tour de France, 123 raced shoes featuring BOA® Fit System. That is 67% of the peloton.
That number matters because BOA® says riders were not contractually required to use BOA® products. If a team has a shoe sponsor, riders choose from that brand’s product range, usually with input from performance staff.
The Race-Day Advantage
Riders adjust fit before climbs, attacks, and sprints. Heat, sweat, and long hours can change how a shoe feels, so small changes matter.
“I micro-adjust my BOA dials when I hit a climb or start an effort. I tighten them so there’s no movement inside the shoe, just direct power transfer to the pedal.”
Kasia Niewiadoma Phinney, winner of the 2024 Tour de France Femmes
That added level of connection is the practical side of the BOA® Fit System: fast, precise adjustment when the race is about to get hard.
This article is sponsored by BOA.