Tadej Pogačar didn’t just win his fourth Tour de France; he closed it out in style, rolling into Paris aboard a custom-painted yellow Colnago Y1Rs that matched the jersey he’s worn with dominance.
The Y1Rs was more than a ceremonial showpiece; it was Pogačar’s go-to weapon across nearly all 21 stages. From the high mountains to uphill time trials and even punchy sprint finishes, the aero-focused Y1Rs proved itself as the all-rounder Pogačar needed to tame the most grueling race on the calendar.
Pogačar has used the Y1Rs to snag Tour de France stage wins on wildly different terrain (Stages 4, 7, 12, and the uphill Stage 13 mountain TT). Additionally, UAE Emirates teammate Tim Wellens added another win on Stage 15, giving the squad a total of five victories on the Y1Rs. And if that doesn’t say “aero > weight,” how about Pogačar just finishing Mont Ventoux aboard it hours ago?
Why Pogačar Keeps Reaching for the Y1Rs
Colnago built the Y1Rs to push UCI tube-depth allowances and minimize frontal area. The Colnago crew took some heat last year for not offering a “true aero frame,” given that the V4R was more of an all-arounder. They shocked the cycling world in December 2024 and launched the Y1Rs—a very different design from any Colnago seen before, and one that split brand loyalists. But you can’t deny that the new Y1Rs frame is faster. The result is a frame that the brand claims reduces drag by ~19% compared to the V4Rs and can save an average of 20W at 50 km/h in controlled testing.
What Makes Y1Rs Different?
For a full tech breakdown of the Y1Rs, check out our tech piece here. In a nutshell, Colnago didn’t just shrink/flatten tubes; it re‑imagined the rear triangle. The wild “Defy” seat cluster effectively decouples the seatpost from the main structure, creating room for engineered flex and rider comfort while shielding the rear wheel in cleaner airflow. The layout also helps vertical compliance without dulling power transfer.
And while some aero bikes go noodly when you stomp, Colnago’s data showed a ~3.5% bump in out‑of‑saddle sprint stiffness vs the prior V4Rs, keeping Pogačar’s accelerations sharp, something we’ve seen plenty of this Tour.
What Stage To Ride Y1Rs vs V5Rs? UAE’s internal modeling leads the team to favor the Y1Rs on any stage with long fast sections, rolling terrain, or climbs averaging below truly alpine gradients. So pretty much everything that isn’t a long, sustained climb. The team says, weight only starts to claw back meaningful time once the route tilts consistently steep. That thinking aligns with Colnago’s race scenario guidance: pick Y1Rs when aerodynamic drag dominates; reach for the lighter V5Rs when massive elevation gain and low speeds prevail. But still, Pogačar used it on the Ventoux, so he must feel very drawn to all aspects of the bike.
Real‑World Race Weights: Closer Than You Think
Yes, the V5Rs can dance near the UCI 6.8 kg (14.99 lbs) limit. Still, never underestimate what a team of world tour mechanics can do. The team claims that Pogačar’s Tour-ready Y1Rs have routinely landed in the low-7 kg (15.4 lbs-ish) range, which is hardly tank territory. The UAE team also proved how far it can go by creating a super barebones Y1R for the Stage 13 hill-climb. Pogačars’ trick Y1R, which weighed a claimed 6.9kg (15.2 lbs), was possible due to a raw carbon frame, minimal hardware, and superlight part swaps.
Aero and Adaptable: Stage 16 Ventoux Build
For the Ventoux summit finish (Stage 16), Pogačar rolled the same raw-weave as the uphill TT, paper-thin clear-coat Y1Rs, but with a build for stage race practicality. The mechanics reinstalled the bar tape, bottle cages, and a standard 160mm front rotor, following the 140mm one used for weight reduction in the TT.
Details: Tadej Pogačar’s Stage 16 Colnago Y1Rs
- MODEL: Colnago Y1Rs – size M
- INTEGRATED COCKPIT: Colnago CC.Y1 – size 125-37
- WHEELS: Enve 4.5 Pro special Yellow and Rainbow edition
- GROUPSET: Shimano Dura Ace Di2 with Power Meter
- CHAINRING: Carbon-Ti 55-40
- SADDLE: Yellow-logoed Fizik 3D printed Argo R1 Adaptive 140
- TIRES: Continental Archetype 30mm – with Tour de France logo
- BOTTLE CAGES: Elite Carbon T-race
- BOTTOM BRACKET: Bikone Ceramic DCTech
- HANGER: FramesAndGear
Check out every angle of Tadej Pogačar’s Stage 16 Colnago Y1Rs here:
