Climbing bikes are facing a shrinking role at the Tour de France, even when a new lightweight model is available. Bahrain Victorious has access to Bianchi’s latest Specialissima, released last month, yet the bike has barely appeared in racing.
Through the Pyrenees, only Damiano Caruso raced the new Specialissima, using it on stage 6. The rest of the squad stayed with the Bianchi Oltre, the team’s standard aero race bike.
The choice looked especially notable after the Col du Tourmalet had already featured. That climb removes the idea that Bahrain Victorious was simply saving the Specialissima for the Tour’s hardest terrain.
Climbing bikes meet the aero-bike threshold
The new Specialissima sits in Bianchi’s road range as a flagship all-rounder rather than a pure climbing bike. Still, it is the lightest frame Bianchi has produced.
The top RC frame weighs a claimed 750 grams in a 55cm size. That figure makes it light by Bianchi standards, but not exceptional across the wider climbing-bike category.
Frames from brands including Cervelo, XDS, Scott, and Specialized can go lighter. The Specialized Tarmac SL9, for example, is cited at under 700 grams for a similar size.
Bianchi’s launch message for the Specialissima focused heavily on aerodynamics, not only weight. The brand claims a 16-watt improvement over the previous model at 50kph.
That headline figure depends on several performance changes. Bianchi says cockpit integration and narrower handlebars contributed a 25 percent efficiency gain.
The frame itself also changed around the leading edge of the head tube and fork. Bianchi claims that area delivers a 17 percent aerodynamic improvement.
The Specialissima also uses Countervail technology to reduce road vibrations through the frame. That feature points to comfort as part of Bianchi’s broader all-round design goal.
Bianchi Oltre remains the race default
The more telling comparison is not with other lightweight bikes, but with the Bianchi Oltre. Bahrain Victorious continues to rely on that aero-focused platform.
Bianchi claims the Oltre RC can reach 6.85kg as a complete build in size 55cm. The UCI minimum weight limit is 6.8kg.
On paper, that leaves only about 50 grams between the claimed Oltre build and the legal minimum. The Specialissima could save some weight, but the gain appears marginal.
Real race builds can differ from published system weights. Sealant, component choices, and sponsor equipment can all move a bike further from the UCI limit.
Even so, the Bahrain Victorious selections show where the performance balance currently sits. The team’s decisions suggest aerodynamic gains outweigh small weight savings on modern Tour routes.
The Oltre may not be Bianchi’s newest bike, but it remains the preferred WorldTour racing option. That matters when evaluating any claim that the Specialissima leads the brand’s performance range.
UCI limit shapes the future of climbing bikes
Bianchi is not alone in this situation. Aero bikes across the WorldTour have become light enough to approach the UCI minimum.
That development has narrowed the practical gap between dedicated climbing bikes and aero road bikes. Once aero platforms get close to 6.8kg, teams have little reason to sacrifice speed for grams.
The trend also pushes race bikes toward similar designs. Brands still use different tube shapes and layups, but WorldTour needs increasingly favor one do-everything aero platform.
A change to the UCI weight limit could reopen the split between aero bikes and climbing bikes. Lowering the minimum would reward brands capable of producing much lighter frames.
That shift would likely require more than trimming small parts. Manufacturers might need to remove some aerodynamic shaping to cut meaningful weight from current all-round race bikes.
Several major brands already show what is possible. Specialized, Scott, and XDS have bikes that can be built stock well below the current 6.8kg limit.
For now, Bahrain Victorious offers a clear case study. The latest Bianchi Specialissima may be lighter and more refined, but the aero Oltre remains the team’s main Tour de France weapon.