Jonas Vingegaard competed with the yet unreleased Cervélo S5 in stage 1 of the Critérium du Dauphiné

The Tour de France is the perfect stage where brands decide to officially present their new bicycles, however, teams do not attend that appointment without perfectly tested and fine-tuned equipment. That is why, the races prior to the Tour, such as the Critérium du Dauphiné, serve as a perfect test for the teams and allow us to anticipate the new models like the new Cervélo S5 that the cyclists of Visma-Lease a Bike are using.

Cervélo redesigns its most aerodynamic bike to continue being the icon in the fight against the wind

If we ask you to tell us a model of an aerodynamic road bike, it is very likely that many of you will think of the Cervélo S5 as the first model that comes to mind. And it is because this bike is one of the pioneers in terms of aerodynamic bicycles for road use, as well as being one of the most efficient machines in the peloton and having an aesthetic characteristic that makes it unmistakable in an era where applying similar solutions to bike design makes it very difficult to differentiate.

That is why, the new version of this Cervélo S5 that Jonas Vingegaard is currently testing at the Critérium du Dauphiné these days barely represents a facelift compared to the bike we already knew, with the sole purpose of taking advantage of more lenient UCI rules regarding the design of aerodynamic frames.

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In fact, you need a certain knowledge of bikes to appreciate the differences between the version currently in Cervélo's catalog and the one being used by Visma-Lease a Bike at the Critérium du Dauphiné. Changes that focus on the front part of the bike under the philosophy that many brands have been applying to focus on this area, the first to receive the impact of the wind and where the most benefits can be obtained in terms of reducing resistance.

The characteristic bayonet fork, a design in which the fork is anchored to the steering tube at both ends with a connection between both parts that serves to streamline the steering; has a deeper and narrower profile towards the front. Additionally, it also extends further towards the frame seeking to achieve a better transition between the fork and the frame. Furthermore, the fork legs seem to have a deeper profile.

We also find changes in another characteristic element such as the Y-shaped handlebar. Until now, it consisted of separate stem and handlebar, with the latter being anchored at both ends of the Y allowing for a slight tilt adjustment. However, now Cervélo has turned this element into a fully integrated handlebar, available in different sizes as seen on the bikes of different members of Visma-Lease a Bike.

On the contrary, the rear part of the bike receives minimal modifications and we would even dare to say that it could be the same mold currently being used. Except for a deeper profile behind the steering tube, no changes are noticeable. A good example of this is that, despite Visma-Lease a Bike mounting their Cervélo S5 with the SRAM Red AXS groupset in a single chainring configuration, Cervélo has not taken advantage of the bike's redesign to equip their frame with a UDH-type dropout that would allow them to mount the XPLR version of SRAM's top-of-the-line groupset with its 13 sprockets and specific design for single chainring that has been used by the Lidl-Trek cyclists during the spring, whose bikes do have a UDH-type dropout.