Team bikes of the Tour de France: Team Giant Shimano

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· 07.07.2014

Team bikes of the Tour de France: Team Giant Shimano

Photo: Jens Klötzer

Every day of the Tour of France, the TOUR reporters present an original team bike on which the pros are tackling the Tour. Today: the Giant of Marcel Kittel, Team Giant Shimano

Third stage of the 2014 Tour de France, second stage win for Marcel Kittel of Team Giant-Shimano. And after yesterday, when we spotted the bike of eventual winner Vicenzo Nibali before the start of the stage in York, we had a good nose for the second time this morning in Cambridge. Although a bet on Kittel's victory in the flat stage from Cambridge to London wouldn't have brought the big odds either...

Like almost all of his team-mates, Kittel is riding the aerodynamically optimised Propel model from Giant on this tour. The only exception: Ji Cheng from China, who is riding a "normal" TCR Advanced in an extremely small frame size. With Shimano as the team's second eponymous sponsor, there is naturally little room for surprises when it comes to equipment. Interesting fact: All of the team's propels brake with aluminium V-brakes specially made for the professional bikes, which come from the French small series manufacturer Fouriers. The team mechanic couldn't or wouldn't tell us why Kittel & Co. don't use the standard carbon brakes from Giant. However, we had the impression that the pressure point of the Fouriers stoppers is somewhat harder than that of the Giant brakes.

Kittel has extended the shifting options with the Di2 shifting system with optional sprinter buttons in the handlebar arches, which allow him to operate the rear derailleur without having to reach round. With the exception of the aero seatpost, all components are from the Shimano accessory brand Pro. Like an estimated 90 percent of the pros on this tour, Kittel also rides aluminium handlebars and the super-stiff carbon Vibe S stem from Pro. You can find the picture gallery and the rest of the equipment list here: