The Critérium du Dauphiné is at all times a helpful efficiency yardstick for groups and riders within the run-up to the Tour de France, which is simply weeks away now. New gear is usually rolled out on the Tour or within the run-up to it and this appears to be the case with Workforce AG2R Citroën who’ve been noticed with a brand new BMC race bike at the beginning of the Dauphine. BMC seem to have been busy after we coated the prototype BMC time trial bike that appeared on the Tour de Romandie
Cyclingnews noticed some new prototype bikes forward of the race’s opening stage mounted on the workforce’s automotive roof rack. The brand new bikes have a plain black paint scheme apart from a big ‘create pace’ emblem on the downtube and a small RedBull superior applied sciences emblem on the fork (extra on this beneath).
The primary query that wants answering is: What’s it? AG2R have the BMC Workforce Machine SLR01 and extra aero BMC Time Machine Highway 01 at their disposal to race on. The Time Machine is the extra aero, speed-focused mannequin of the 2 however this new black bike appears to be taking the aero concerns up a stage with a chunky, aero headtube and seat keep junction particularly in addition to typically aero profiled tubes and aerodynamic options such because the bottle cages and their low mounted place. The ‘create pace’ emblem additionally factors to an aero-focused, race machine. Might this be a brand new Time Machine or maybe a model new all-out Aero mannequin?
The headtube is severely deep on the brand new bike and the fork legs look wider than regular too. The above image supplies a extremely helpful comparability between the present TeamMachine bike and the brand new body, the place the variations are clear.
There have additionally been rumours of AG2R switching to Van Rysel bikes and gear for the 2024 season. Will we see AG2R racing aboard this new bike subsequent season? Or will a distinct workforce be using it if the rumours are true?
This would not be the primary time BMC has collaborated with RedBull superior applied sciences, with the 2 firms partnering to create what they referred to as ‘the world’s first F1 bike’ final 12 months after they created a brand new time trial bike.
The inclusion of the Crimson Bull emblem on the fork leg factors to some collaboration taking place between the manufacturers for this new bike too, maybe within the aerodynamics division once more.
The bikes appeared to simply be for Greg Van Avermaet and Ben O’Connor at the moment, with O’Connors quantity two spare bike being on the workforce automotive roof rack.
The frames are displaying UCI prototype stickers on the seat tube, UCI prototype software kinds have to be submitted to the UCI within the occasion of a brand new body being delivered to market and raced on.
AG2R are the one workforce within the World Tour racing on Campagnolo wheels and groupsets for 2023. Campagnolo not too long ago launched its new Tremendous Report Wi-fi groupset which options wi-fi derailleurs and the omission of the well-known Campagnolo thumb shifter buttons.
The workforce are utilizing a mixture of older wired Tremendous Report EPS and the brand new groupset however we anticipate to see extra bikes fitted with it later within the season or on the Tour de France.
The above bike was additionally fitted with the brand new Campagnolo Hyperon Extremely wheelset which was not too long ago launched by Campagnolo, relaunching the Hyperon title. The Hyperons are extra of a mid-depth wheel and could also be a alternative for riders after they don’t need the depth of a Bora mannequin or for extra climbing-focused levels.
The brand new Campagnolo Tremendous Report chainset doesn’t have an influence meter at the moment, although we anticipate this to vary. This bike has been fitted with an older Energy 2 Max energy meter chainset so the rider can keep watch over their energy output. An virtually crucial piece of kit in immediately’s World Tour.
We’ve not acquired any official data on the brand new bike from any workforce workers at AG2R, however we are going to replace this story with extra data if and after we obtain it.
