Tour de France 2025: Racing bikes with special paint finishes
Our team on site (Liveblog with exclusive insights) have already noticed some customised paint jobs. These include the bike of German champion Georg Zimmermann, while Wilier has provided the Groupama - FDJ team with bikes in a special paint job. The Swiss champion is also riding a bike specially painted for him.
Special white paint finish for the man in white
After the second rest day of the Tour de France 2025, the German hopeful was given a Specialized in a special livery. The S-Works Tarmac SL8 is in white, as Florian Lipowitz is currently leading the rankings for the best young pro. The design is not entirely new: Remco Evenepoel also rode a similar model.
The Red Bull pro rides his SRAM Red AXS with 52/39 teeth at the front and 10-36 teeth at the rear. His team has also thought about the details: In addition to the white frameset, white stickers from SRAM also adorn the brake levers.
In the reel you can see how the wheel got its colour:
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The bike of the German champion Georg Zimmermann
The white metallic paintwork of the Cube Litening Aero is interspersed with black, red and gold colour particles, while at the rear a small black, red and gold paint job on the seat clamp refers to the championship title. The lightning bolts on the fork are a reference to the Litening model from Cube. A reference to his championship title is emblazoned on the top tube and his nickname "Gigi" is written on the seat tube.
Special paintwork for Swiss champion Mauro Schmid
Georg Zimmermann is not the only national champion to receive a special bike. Swiss champion Mauro Schmid, who has been riding a Giant Propel for Team Jayco-AlUla since last year, can also celebrate his national title with a special paint job. He won in Fischingen just ahead of Marc Hirschi (Team Tudor), who is also competing in the Tour de France.
The bike is plain red and white with the Swiss cross on the head tube and seat tube. On the top tube is the word "Grinta", which could be translated from Italian as "determination" or "courage".
This is Schmid's first Tour de France, but at least he already has some Grand Tour experience: he competed in the Giro d'Italia in 2021 and 2022 and in the Vuelta last year.
Fragments de Métamorphose for Groupama - FDJ
Wilier is only represented by one team this year. The Groupama-FDJ team is travelling with bikes from the Italians. Last year, the Astana team was also equipped. Nevertheless, the brand from Veneto did not let itself be outdone and presented a special livery for the Tour de France. Fragments de Métamorphose is the official name of the livery, which Wilier presented with flowery words: "It is a new garment, a unique creation that only comes to life once."
The Filante SLR, the French team's main work tool, only reveals what the special paintwork is all about on closer inspection. The blue gloss finish is interspersed with fine lines, giving the surface the appearance of an ice crystal. While the down tube and seat tube reveal the black carbon weave, the cockpit is also covered in the special paint.
Wilier also offers the Filante SLR for hobby riders in the new "ice look". The basic model costs 9,400 euros, while the top version costs 12,900 euros.
Lidl-Trek special paint finish for all
When it comes to special colour schemes, Team Lidl-Trek is traditionally at the forefront. The US team has already attracted attention in the past with spectacular colour designs. The reason: The bike outfitter from Waterloo/Wisconsin offers its own customisation programme for its customers with Project One and naturally wants to use the biggest possible stage during the Tour of France to draw attention to this.
This year's version is called "Couler" (French for "flowing") and is intended to evoke dynamic movements. For amateur athletes, the colour scheme is available in a limited edition for an extra charge of 2,400 euros. We took a closer look at Jasper Stuyven's "work of art" in the paddock on the sixth stage from Bayeux to Vire.
In addition to the striking paintwork, the Belgian's Trek Madone SLR 9 stands out with its single drive. Stuyven chose a 54 chainring for the second-longest stage of this year's Tour of France and combined it with a cassette gradation of 10-36 teeth.
The seat dome and the "hole" in the seat tube, known as "Isoflow" by the US bike manufacturer, are also striking. The racing bike benefits enormously from the design in terms of comfort, as Our laboratory measurements of a comparable model showed (test).
Kevin Vauquelin's Bianchi Oltre RC in Bluemarin Drip
Kevin Vauquelin, currently in 6th place overall, rides an Oltre RC in a customised livery. Bianchi is using it to promote its own customising called "Officine Bianchi". Kevin Vauquelin would also have had the choice today and could have opted for the lighter Specialissima RC. However, the mountain bike is still only used by individual team-mates.
As reported during the Tour de Francethe hope of French cycling fans rides a crankset from FSA. Today in the combination with 54/40 teeth. The cassette has a gradation of 11-34 teeth.
In addition to the chic colour scheme, the Selle Italia saddle mounted extremely far forward on Vauquelin's racing bike is striking. This allows the professional from Areka-B&B Hotels to adopt a very aggressive riding position.
Jens Klötzer
Editor
