Unique to the race this year was the much-feared cobbled stage 5 which saw Nibali create massive time gaps over his rivals due in large part to his S-Works Roubaix SL4. With its class-leading vertical compliance and overall stiffness thanks to the Zertz inserts and CG-R seatpost, the Roubaix carried Vincenzo over the cobbles in one piece, further proving that smoother truly is faster.

Weapons of the Tour
Just as every stage is dissected with a fine-toothed comb by team staff and riders, equipment choice for any given day is approached with a meticulous focus. On flat stages where aerodynamic efficiency was paramount Vincenzo and his teammates relied on the S-Works Evade helmet, which provides all the aero benefits of a TT helmet with the comfort and ventilation of a road helmet. Ensuring that his power was efficiently and comfortably transferred to the road were the S-Works Road shoes, which combine the stiffness of a FACT carbon sole with the comfort of the Body Geometry Fit designed construction. With one of the wetter Tour’s in recent memory, Vincenzo relied on the unparalleled grip and efficiency of the S-Works Turbo Tires featuring Gripton to allow him to still push his performance without losing traction.

Sharing in the glory was Rafal Majka of Team Tinkoff-Saxo who, in his first Tour de France, secured the Polka Dot jersey in the King of the Mountains competition. Also aboard his new Tarmac, Rafal relied on the lightweight and aerodynamic combination of the Roval CLX 40 wheels to help him secure two impressive mountain top victories as well as the jersey.

Nibali’s win started long before the Grand Depart in Leeds. Utilizing the Body Geometry Fit system, both his TT and overall riding position were fine-tuned to find the perfect balance between power and comfort. Additionally, Vincenzo worked closely all season with the Specialized Racing Team, conducting numerous tests both in real world situations and on the velodrome. Coupled with the availability of the Specialized Win Tunnel in Morgan Hill, Vincenzo had all the support he could need to ensure he could spend less time on the details, and more on the business of riding his bike.

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