Remco Evenepoel unveils his new weapon for the Tour de France, it is the Specialized Tarmac SL9, which aims to revolutionize all the laws of aerodynamics, also thanks to the "Wind Fin" system. It will be the new queen in the Specialized house, a jewel whose cost is 14,000 euros.

The Tour de France, like every year, will also be the stage for a new generation of bicycles. Among the most anticipated is undoubtedly the one that will accompany Remco Evenepoel in his pursuit of the yellow jersey. The Belgian champion of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe will be able to count on the new Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL9, a bike that the California-based company defines without mincing words as "the fastest road bicycle ever designed".

Behind this project lies extensive research into aerodynamics, developed starting from a fundamental principle: it is not enough to make the bicycle faster, you must design a system in which man and mechanical means work as a single entity.

«We developed a mannequin with sixth-generation articulated legs - explained Paul Durville of Specialized - A bicycle must be designed with the cyclist in mind, because pedaling continuously modifies the air flows. It is a dynamic system.» The analyses carried out during races highlighted an apparently trivial but very important detail: many riders finish stages with only one water bottle on the frame. A situation that significantly modifies the behavior of air around the bicycle.

For this reason, Specialized engineers completely rethought the rear triangle, introducing a new aerodynamic solution called "Wind Fin", designed to optimize air flow even in the presence of a single water bottle.

The seatpost was also redesigned thanks to data collected from the mannequin in motion, while the front part of the frame, at the head tube, was thinned by four millimeters to further reduce aerodynamic drag.

In recent years, many manufacturers have chosen to develop different models: one dedicated to mountain stages and one completely oriented toward aerodynamics. Specialized, however, followed a different path. «The challenge was much more complicated - explains Durville - We wanted to build a bicycle capable of being competitive both in 70 kilometer-per-hour sprints and on a 25-kilometer climb. A versatile bike, but without compromises.»

A philosophy also shared by the teams that use the American brand, given that among its users are both some of the world's best sprinters, such as Tim Merlier, Paul Magnier and Jordi Meeus, as well as climbers of the highest level. The objective is simple: to allow riders to tackle any stage without having to choose between an aerodynamic model and a climbing one.

Evenepoel's bike, however, will be unique. If the technical base will be the same used by his Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe teammates, the one destined for Remco Evenepoel will have an identity all its own.

Specialized has indeed created an exclusive livery dedicated to the Belgian champion, in which the gold color will play a predominant role compared to the beginning of the season. There will naturally be no shortage of graphic references to Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, including the iconic bull symbol of the team.

A personalized version that, at least for now, will not be available on the market. Those who instead want to purchase the model used by other team riders will need to prepare for a significant investment: the price of the new S-Works Tarmac SL9 is 14,000 euros.

However, the news may not end there. Remco Evenepoel conquered his three world time trial titles in the saddle of the Specialized Shiv, but within Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe rumors are circulating that the Belgian could present himself at the Tour's opening time trial with a completely new bicycle, developed specifically for time trial races.

According to what filters from the team environment, the new model would be destined to surprise both from a technical and aesthetic point of view. If the rumors are confirmed, the Tour de France could become the theater for the absolute debut of Evenepoel's new weapon also in time trials.

For the Olympic champion, who has prepared this year's French appointment with extreme care, every detail can make the difference. And in modern cycling, where gaps are often measured in just a few seconds, even a more aerodynamically efficient bicycle can become a decisive weapon in the race for the yellow jersey.