Alberto Contador’s custom red S-Works Tarmac SL4 took pride of place on Specialized’s stand at the Cycle Show.
The machine, painted red and white to set it apart from SaxoBank-Tinkoff’s team issue blue and black machines, was presented to Contador ahead of the final stage of the Vuelta a Espana to celebrate his overall victory. You can see the bike being built to Contador’s exacting standards, including double wrapped ‘bar tape, by mechanic Faustino Muñoz in this video.
Contador tamed the Vuelta’s steep climbs with the help of SRAM Red WiFLi, the latest incarnation of the American manufacturer’s top-end groupset, which uses a long cage rear derailleur to accommodate a cassette as big as 11-32t.
We’ve already brought you the lowdown on that here, although Contador’s bike pictured below is fitted with an 11-26t cassette more suitable for the flat final stage. Let’s take a closer look.
This custom red Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL4 was presented to Contador ahead of the final stage of the Vuelta
The mark of a champion
Damaged goods
Low and long: Contador’s Zipp Service SL4 stem has the signature pro look, slammed onto the headset, while double handlebar tape provides extra cushioning for Contador’s hands
Contador utilised the new SRAM Red long cage rear derailleur, with a wide-ranging WiFLi cassette, for the Vuelta’s steep climbs but only needed an 11-26t cassette for the flat final stage
Contador uses Speedplay’s Nanogram Zero pedals, a race-day-only pedal system which weighs just 130g for the pair
