World Tour Bikes: What the Pro Peloton Rides in 2024
Which Bikes Do the Pros Ride in the World Tour?
If you’re remotely attuned to world tour cycling, you probably appreciate high-end road technology. Every year, the pro peloton shows up with the latest and greatest road bikes; some of which are freshly unveiled to the world for the very first time.
The UCI World Tour is well underway with early-season classics like Paris-Roubaix and Milan–San Remo giving way to fiercely competitive single-day events. These races set the tone for the grand tours like the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France, and Vuelta a España.
It's the world tour peloton where some of the industry's top road bikes are broken in by the most talented cyclists in the world. Here are some of our favorite race bikes of the world tour.
Soudal Quick-Step’s Specialized Tarmac SL8
When Remco Evenepoel launches a 50km solo attack or sprinter Fabio Jakobsen threads through a chaotic finale, they’re aboard the Specialized Tarmac SL8 – a bike that’s as versatile as the riders themselves. Weighing a UCI-legal 6.6kg, this featherweight marvel shaves 200g off its predecessor while adding aero tricks like the “Speed Sniffer” head tube, which slices through wind like a falcon’s beak.
Soudal Quick-Step’s 2025 iteration flaunts a refreshed white-and-ice-blue livery, with Roval’s Rapide cockpit (saving 4 watts over traditional setups) and Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 delivering buttery shifts even at 60kph. The Tarmac SL8’s secret lies in its Aethos-inspired rear triangle, which soaks up cobbles during classics while maintaining razor-sharp power transfer. Riders pair it with 28mm Specialized Turbo Cotton tires and CeramicSpeed bearings, creating a package that’s equally lethal on Flanders’ bergs and Grand Tour summit finishes.
Shop the 2025 Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8. Or check out all Specialized race bikes.
Giant TCR Advanced SL: Jayco AlUla
When Team Jayco AlUla storms through a mountain stage or launches a sprint train, they’re doing it atop bikes that look as fast as they ride. The Giant TCR Advanced SL – a featherweight climber with a 7.1kg claimed weight – pairs razor-sharp handling with a legacy of Grand Tour success. Its integrated seat mast and oversized bottom bracket deliver stiffness where it counts, while the redesigned carbon layup absorbs vibrations on cobbles and descents.
For 2025, Giant’s in-house Cadex wheels and Vittoria’s Corsa Pro tubeless tires keep things rolling, while Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 ensures buttery shifts. But the real head-turner? The team’s collaboration with Aussie kit brand MAAP, draping bikes in a gradient of electric purple that fades to stealth black – proof that pro bikes can be both tools and trophies.
Check out the 2024 Giant TCR Advanced SL or see all Giant road bikes.
Bianchi Specialissima RC: Arkéa-B&B Hotels
When Arnaud Démare attacks a Pyrenean summit or Kévin Vauquelin dances through hairpins, they’re doing it on a bike that weighs less than a week’s worth of croissants. The Bianchi Specialissima RC – tipping scales at 6.8kg – combines Italian carbon artistry with Celeste-green panache.
Its ultra-thin seatstays and flattened top tube soak up cobbles, while the Reparto Corse 33R wheels (1380g) spin up gradients like espresso-powered turbines. For 2025, Arkéa-B&B Hotels pairs it with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 and FSA’s Powerbox cranks, letting riders toggle between the aero Oltre RC and this featherweight maestro mid-race.
Scope out the 2024 Bianchi Specialissima Pro. Or view all Bianchi road bikes.
EF Education-EasyPost’s Cannondale SuperSix Evo LAB71
Ten years of collaboration between Cannondale and EF Education-EasyPost has birthed a bike as bold as the team’s iconic pink kits: the SuperSix Evo LAB71. This anniversary edition blends EF’s signature magenta with Cannondale’s heritage green in a downtube “10” graphic, commemorating milestones from Garmin-era blues to 2025’s Olympic golds. At 6.8kg, the LAB71 frame leverages Hi-MOD Carbon for stiffness on climbs, while aero tweaks like the Delta fork and integrated bottle cages shave watts on flats.
The 99% team-spec build pairs Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 with FSA’s PowerBox carbon cranks and Vision Metron SL 60 wheels wrapped in Vittoria Corsa Pro 28mm tires. Even the cockpit mirrors the pros’ setup – Cannondale’s one-piece SystemBar R-One – while hidden cable routing keeps mechanics (and weekend warriors) sane. New for 2025: T25 tool-compatible axles and a CeramicSpeed bottom bracket that spins smoother than a post-race espresso.
Save on the 2024 Cannondale SuperSix EVO LAB71. Or check out all of Cannondale's race bikes.
Lidl-Trek's Madone SLR
Mads Pedersen doesn’t just win sprints – he weaponizes airflow. The Trek Madone SLR Gen 8 redefines aero with a one-piece RSL Aero cockpit that narrows hoods by 3cm for slipstream tucks. Lidl-Trek’s powerhouse pairs it with SRAM Red AXS and Pirelli P Zero Race TLRs, creating a missile that’s equally lethal on Flanders’ bergs and Champs-Élysées straightaways.
New for 2025: RSL Aero Bottles that integrate seamlessly into the frame’s Kammtail profiles, saving 12 watts at 40kph. At 7.3kg, it’s not the lightest – but when your breakaway advantage comes from hidden fenders and a frame tested in F1-grade wind tunnels, grams matter less than grin-inducing speed.
Colnago Y1RS: UAE Team Emirates
Tadej Pogačar 2025 Tour de France weapon isn’t just fast – it’s physics-defying. The Colnago Y1RS slashes 20 watts at 50kph versus its predecessor via a radical split-downtube and seatpost that channels air like a jet intake. Tadej’s/UAE Team Emirates’ build weighs 7.45kg despite a frame that’s 19% stiffer where Pogačar needs it most: the BB386EVO bottom bracket.
But the real innovation? CC.Y1 handlebars with gull-wing profiles that stabilize crosswind attacks, and a DEFY seatpost that absorbs vibrations without flex. Paired with ENVE’s SES 4.5 wheels and Shimano’s unreleased 13-speed Dura-Ace, this isn’t just a bike – it’s Pogačar’s ticket to making Alps look like anthills.
Canyon Aeroad CFR: Alpecin-Deceuninck
When Mathieu van der Poel carves through cobbles or Jasper Philipsen unleashes a sprint, they’re piloting a machine built for conquests: the Canyon Aeroad CFR. This German-engineered speed demon, honed with direct input from van der Poel himself, merges featherweight agility (7.07kg) with wind-cheating aerodynamics.
The 2025 iteration sharpens its edge via a redesigned head tube and fork that slice drag by 12% compared to rivals, while titanium-reinforced bearings withstand classics-season abuse. Paired with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 or SRAM Red AXS groupsets and Vittoria’s 28mm Corsa Pro tubeless tires, this bike dominates both Grand Tour bunch sprints and bone-rattling classics. New for 2025: T25 tool-integrated axles and pressure-washer-proof seals that keep mechanics smiling.
Check out all Canyon road bikes.
Look 795 Blade RS: Cofidis
Cofidis’s signature steed, the Look 795 Blade RS, blends featherweight agility (a size-small frame weighs just 890g) with aero tweaks like wind-cheating seatstays and a fork designed to slice through crosswinds. Riders like Guillaume Martin and Axel Zingle rely on its adjustable two-part cockpit, which offers pro-level fit customisation without the rigidity of one-piece designs.
The 2025 season sees Cofidis doubling down on Gallic tech with a switch to Campagnolo Super Record Wireless groupsets and Vittoria tubeless tires. But the real showstopper? That iconic Mondrian-inspired paint job – a nod to Look’s heritage that turns every breakaway into a rolling art exhibit. With a geometry tuned for explosive attacks and cobbled chaos, this French thoroughbred proves lightweight bikes can still pack aero punches.
The World Tour peloton is a rolling tech expo where cutting-edge bikes become podium-worthy icons. From Alpecin-Deceuninck’s CanyonAeroad CFR to EF’s Cannondale SuperSix LAB71, each machine displays a relentless focus on marginal gains. You don’t have to spend $15k on a 2025 model, either. At BikeExchange, you can find previous years’ World Tour bikes at reduced prices.