His bicycle was so heavy that it prevented him from being further ahead in the Tour

Explosive statements from Cofidis cyclist Guillaume Martin after finishing 13th in the Tour de France 2024. The Philosopher did not hold back and reproached Look, supplier of the team's bikes, that the 795 Blade RS model, the aerodynamic-light bike option from the brand used by this squad, is one of the heaviest in the peloton.

Guillaume Martin explodes against Look, supplier of Cofidis bikes

It is extremely rare for a professional cyclist to give an impartial opinion on the equipment they use, conditioned by sponsorship contracts, both personal and those linked to different teams. However, Guillaume Martin did not hold back a few days ago in an interview with a French newspaper when asked about the analysis of his power data.

Martin was straightforward "That is impossible because I have not used a power meter during the Tour. Our bikes weigh 7.7 kilograms, one kilogram more than the allowed limit. I do not want to make my bike even heavier with a meter that would add 200 grams."

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A release for the French cyclist after a Tour de France where he was seen active but without the possibility of entering the fight in the decisive moments of the stages. Particularly curious was how he tried to keep up with the favorites group during the ascent to La Bonette, having to give up near the end and the tremendous effort he had to make on the descent to reconnect, which inevitably led him to fall behind at the beginning of the final ascent to Isola 2000.

Guillaume was categorical about this stage "Throughout the year we watch our weight at the limit with our diet, adding 200 grams may seem little. But if we do the calculations with a bike that weighs 1 kilogram more, I would have reached the top of La Bonette in Pogacar's group and not 45 seconds behind. I could have eaten on the descent and would have had a calmer stage."

We often see in catalogs the weight declared by brands for their bikes. However, it must be taken into account that these weights are measured in an intermediate size, usually in a 54, often with the lightest available paint, without bottle cages, without pedals, and, of course, without accessories like the cycle computer and its mount.

In recent years, since disc brakes, internal cabling, and a greater emphasis on aerodynamics changed the paradigm on which manufacturers worked, the average weight of competition bikes has increased and it is not uncommon for them to exceed 7 kg in running order, far from the 6.8 kg that the UCI sets as the limit, leaving behind those years when mechanics had to add lead weights to reach that weight.

However, when facing high mountain stages, the weight of the bike becomes important again, especially considering that cyclists arrive at races as important as the Tour de France with the minimum possible weight and that every extra gram means more watts in the climbs in a cycling with tremendously equal levels and that is disputed at unimaginable speeds a few years ago.

As a reference, Tadej Pogacar's Colnago weighs around 7.2 kg in running order. 6.7 kg for the Cervélo R5, the climbing option from the brand that has to be weighted to reach the minimum. Or the 6.8 kg of the Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 of Remco Evenepoel or Primoz Roglic. This places the Look 795 Blade RS from Cofidis, with its 7.7 kg, among the heaviest in the peloton, on par with machines that prioritize aerodynamics like Mathieu van der Poel's Canyon Aeroad.

Of course, both Look and Cofidis have not hesitated to discredit Guillaume Martin with clichés such as "The weight of the bike is important but not the only performance factor" or "The bikes have been designed in collaboration with our cyclists who have contributed their experience and shared their feelings about the bike. The Look 795 Blade frames offer a stiffness/aerodynamics/weight ratio approved by our riders for over a year."

Cyclists' public complaints about equipment are very rare and, in Guillaume Martin's case, they occur in a context where Cofidis has had a practically irrelevant participation during the Tour de France 2024, being the best French cyclist classified and, obviously, the best of the team. It is also worth noting that, according to all rumors, the French cyclist would be in his last season with Cofidis, with whom his contract ends.