"We gave him the best possible option": Shimano responds to Pogacar about his "wheelbarrow”

The image of Tadej Pogacar riding a neutral bike during the Paris-Roubaix was one of the most striking moments of the race, so much so that even a week later it continues to generate comments from those involved. The Slovenian, who shared his feelings about the bike after the race, described it as a “wheelbarrow,” and the response from Shimano's service team was swift.

Shimano responds to Pogacar after he called the Roubaix bike a “wheelbarrow” and explains why it was the best possible option

More than 120 kilometers from the finish line, at a moment when the race was starting to tense up, Pogacar suffered a flat tire without his team car nearby. The neutral service acted within seconds and provided him with one of their spare bikes, which he rode for several kilometers before returning to his Colnago. That intervention prevented the incident from having greater consequences in the race, although the rider made it clear afterward that the experience was not exactly comfortable.

The Slovenian explained that “the bike was very uncomfortable, the saddle height was not correct, and the wheels were not suitable for the cobblestones” and used the term “karjolo,” in Slovenian, which can be translated as “wheelbarrow,” to describe the sensations he had during those kilometers.

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As we explained in this other article, the bike was a 2020 Canyon with a telescopic seat post so that cyclists could adjust the saddle height on the go.

But Kévin Poret, head mechanic of Shimano in the race, explained in statements to Ouest France that the intervention was carried out exactly following the protocol established for such situations. “I didn’t hesitate to give him what was best for him,” he assured, emphasizing that the choice of bike was not random, but the most suitable within the available material at that moment. The priority, he insists, is always speed. “The world champion was able to get back on the road very quickly. For us, that is the most important thing.”

This point is key to understanding the clash of perceptions. While the rider evaluates the bike based on performance and sensations, the neutral service does so from the ability to resolve a critical situation in seconds. Poret makes it clear by explaining that “the assistance was quick, we did our job,” in an intervention where there was not even an exchange of words between mechanic and rider.

Behind that speed is a level of preparation that is rarely seen from the outside. Poret himself explains that all bikes are pre-configured to adapt as best as possible to each rider. “All our bikes are carefully prepared, equipped with adjustable seat posts to fine-tune the position if necessary. We have detailed lists with the pedals, transmissions, axles, and tire pressures used by the teams and their leaders.” That prior work is what allows, in a situation like Roubaix, the choice of bike to be made in a matter of seconds rather than minutes.

Even so, it is evident that the bike a rider receives in these circumstances will never replicate their exact configuration. Pogacar came from a bike specifically prepared for Roubaix, with very specific adjustments for the cobblestones, and suddenly switched to a machine designed to be compatible with many different profiles. That transition is, inevitably, tough.

From Shimano, the message is that the goal is not to offer an identical bike, but to ensure that the rider can continue in the race. “Last year, when he crashed and lost his chain, we helped him get going again before his car arrived,” Poret recalled, referring to another intervention in the Tour de France. “Whether it’s the world champion or any other rider, it’s the same. We are there to help a cyclist with a problem get back on the road. We trust our material.”