The Tour de France is the world’s most important bike race – and the sport’s biggest shop window.
Cycling’s ‘model year’ traditionally starts in September with the annual Eurobike trade show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, but the calendar is being redrawn and many bike manufacturers now choose to launch their latest machine earlier in the year, ready for it to appear in front of the eyes of journalists, fans and millions of television viewers through the season and, most importantly, at the Tour de France.
The Pinarello Dogma F8 is the latest to be unveiled and will be debuted at the Critérium du Dauphiné before the defence of Chris Froome’s Tour de France title. The Italian firm’s latest flagship machine joins the Specialized Tarmac, the Colnago C60 and the Lapierre Aircode as the fourth machine launched so far this year that we expect to see in the paddock at the Grand Départ in Leeds on July 5.
We also know of at least two more WorldTour-level machines that will break cover ahead of the Tour – but our lips our sealed. For now, here’s what we know about the four latest bikes to join the peloton.
