The spectacular Cervélo S5 of Vingegaard for the Tour: single chainring and only 6.8 kg

The first week of the 2026 Tour de France has left Jonas Vingegaard as the closest rival to Tadej Pogačar. The Dane, who started the race wearing yellow and occupies the second position in the general classification, is facing the battle for the mountains with a Cervélo S5 weighing just 6.8 kg, the minimum weight allowed by the UCI. An aero bike with a single chainring transmission, specific wheels for mountain stages, and a setup fine-tuned to the last detail that we will explore in depth here.

Vingegaard is contesting the mountain stages of the Tour with a Cervélo S5 aero weighing only 6.8 kg

To try to reclaim the Tour he won in 2022 and 2023, the leader of Visma Lease a Bike is using a Cervélo S5 as his main bike, which, despite its marked aerodynamic character, surprised everyone with its lightness when it was presented just a year ago. In Vingegaard's case, the assembly and configuration have been taken to the extreme, leaving the total weight exactly at the minimum limit of 6.8 kg set by the UCI.

And it is not just a bike reserved for flat stages or fast routes. Vingegaard is also using the S5 in the high mountains and it was the bike chosen to tackle the sixth stage and its passage through the Pyrenees, including the Col du Tourmalet.

RECOMENDADO

Vingegaard strikes first in the Tour: Visma conquers Barcelona, and Pogacar loses 12 seconds in their first battle

The powerful Visma team to try to conquer the 2026 Tour with Vingegaard

Cervélo boasts of lightness with its new R5 weighing just 5.97 kg

From world champion XCM to WorldTour cyclist: Kate Courtney signs with FDJ United-SUEZ

A piece of asphalt got stuck in his lever: the strange reason why Pidcock ran out of gears

How are lactate gels used and what do they provide?

For years, teams have alternated their aerodynamic and climbing models depending on the profile of each stage. However, the progressive weight reduction of aero bikes is changing this choice, and Vingegaard's Cervélo S5 is one of the most evident examples.

The Dane currently has the option to use the new Cervélo Soloist, a more versatile model, but since the arrival of the latest generation of the S5, he has made this bike his main choice.

In fact, Vingegaard already used the Cervélo S5 to win the 2025 Vuelta a España and the recent 2026 Giro d'Italia.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by SRAM Road (@sramroad)

The secret to reaching 6.8 kg lies mainly in the wheels

A good part of the configuration used by Jonas Vingegaard is similar to what he used during the 2025 Tour de France, but Visma Lease a Bike has made some important changes to reduce weight. The most obvious is in the wheels.

In the previous edition of the Tour, the Dane's Cervélo S5 was equipped with Reserve wheels with a 57 mm front profile and 64 mm rear. For this year's mountain stages, Vingegaard has switched to using Reserve Turbulent Aero 42/49.

The reduction in profile allows for weight savings without completely sacrificing aerodynamic performance. With the hubs used in this configuration, the declared weight of the wheelset is around 1,300 grams.

On them, Vittoria Corsa Pro Speed TLR tires are mounted. The combination of tires and rims results in a real width of 33.4 mm in the front and 29.9 mm in the rear.

Vingegaard maintains the single chainring even for the high mountains

The choice of wheels is not the only striking detail of the setup used by Vingegaard. His Cervélo S5 continues to rely on a SRAM Red AXS transmission with a single chainring. The Dane uses an aerodynamic 52-tooth chainring combined with a 10-36 cassette and short 160 mm cranks.

Eliminating the front derailleur allows for the removal of a component from the bike and slightly reduces aerodynamic drag. Instead, it features a chain guide to minimize the risk of the chain dropping.

Although Vingegaard could resort to a conventional two-chainring setup in certain stages, his use of a single chainring in the mountains is not new. In the 2024 Tour de France, he already tackled the Galibier with a 1x transmission.

Another aerodynamic detail is the Wahoo Speedplay Aero pedals, whose shape is also designed to reduce drag.

A cockpit of only 36 cm and a particularly narrow position

Another area where Vingegaard seeks to improve aerodynamics is in the handlebars. The Dane, who uses a size 51 frame, mounts a 120 mm stem and a handlebar that measures only 36 cm from center to center. At the bottom, the width increases to 40 cm. This configuration allows Vingegaard to adopt a very narrow position on the bike to reduce his frontal area.

Among the more personal details of the setup is the family photograph that Vingegaard has placed on the handlebars which is the reason we see him kiss his handlebars when he wins a stage.

Complete setup of Jonas Vingegaard's Cervélo S5 for the 2026 Tour de France

• Frame: Cervélo S5 size: 51
• Integrated handlebar HB19 with V-shaped stem of 120 mm: width of 36 cm from center to center and 40 cm at the bottom
• Group: SRAM Red AXS with 52T single chainring and cassette: 10-36
  160 mm cranks with SRAM Red AXS power meter
• Pedals: Wahoo Speedplay Aero
• Wheels: Reserve Turbulent Aero 42/49
• Tires: Vittoria Corsa Pro Speed TLR
• Saddle: Prologo Choice
• Weight: 6.8 kg