Matej Mohorič’s Bianchi Specialissima RC for the 2026 Tour de France has immediately caught our eye at the Grand Départ in Barcelona. Could this be one of the best-looking bikes in the race?
The new Specialissima, which launched in June, is said to shave weight off its predecessor to be Bianchi’s lightest road bike ever and is claimed to be a darn sight quicker, too. Then there’s the more trivial fact that our team on the ground in Spain says the updated bike is much easier on the eye, too.
While the Bahrain-Victorious rider – a three-time stage winner at the Tour de France – may not care so much about his bike’s aesthetics, the new Specialissima does reveal that lightweight all-rounders haven’t entirely conceded to aero bikes at the world’s biggest bike race.
Balancing speed and weight
The 2025 Tour de France seemed to be dominated by aero bikes, with Tadej Pogačar opting for his Colnago Y1Rs throughout the race. This makes sense when you consider that the Tour is getting faster and faster. But for the likes of Bahrain Victorious, the updated Specialissima offers an interesting option alongside the Bianch Oltre.
A lot of the reason why – excluding any potential motives to use the race as a platform to show off a brand’s latest goods – will be down to the fact that the latest all-rounder road bikes are getting lighter and, in aero terms, faster. Just look at the claims Specialized has made about the new Tarmac SL9.
According to Bahrain Victorious staff, riders can freely choose between the Specialissima and the aero Oltre, and Mohorič is expected to opt for the Specialissima on high-mountain stages.
Why? Well, the new Bianchi Specialissima’s frame weighs a claimed 750g (size 55cm) and is said to weigh 40g less than the 2023 model. That saving helps keep Mohorič’s bike down to just over the UCI weight limit, at 6.92kg on our scales.
More Tour de France tech
- Here's every bike at the 2026 Tour de France
- 5 Tour de France tech trends that will dominate the 2026 race
- Tom Pidcock has this limited-edition Pinarello Dogma F for the 2026 Tour de France
The new Specialissima's reduced weight is paired with aerodynamic improvements, too.
It’s said to save 16 watts at 50kph, and a lot of this comes down to the new fork, according to Bianchi. The fork is said to increase aerodynamic efficiency by 17%.
The Specialissima has also gained what’s quickly becoming a trend on race bikes, including the Y1Rs: a gull-wing cockpit. Bianchi claims this wing-like shape has led to a 25% improvement in aerodynamics compared to the more conventional cockpit on the previous Specialissima.
Mohorič’s cockpit is narrow, measuring 37cm centre-to-centre, which will also aid aerodynamics for a rider always chasing marginal gains. Remember, it was Mohorič who used a dropper post when he won Milan-San Remo in 2022.
The bike has also lost its ‘overbite’ headtube, which, in our opinion, aids its looks, but it retains the same geometry as before.
Matej Mohorič’s Bianchi Specialissima RC
- Frame: Bianchi Specialissima RC
- Size: 55cm
- Handlebar width (centre-to-centre): 37cm
- Stem length: 140mm
- Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace (54/40 crankset, 11-34t cassette)
- Power meter: Elilee
- Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace
- Wheels: Vision Metron 45 RS
- Tyres: Continental GP5000 TT TR
- Nominal tyre size: 30c
- Measure tyre size (front): 33.3mm
- Measured tyre size (rear): 33.6mm
- Total weight: 6.9kg
The finer details
Away from the major claims about the Specialissima’s weight and speed, Mohorič’s bike packs several neat details that show how pro bikes are like ours – but very much not like ours.
The 2023 gravel world champion has Vision Metron 45 RS wheels with tyres that measure up to 33.65mm, which follows how many amateurs are embracing the comfort and grip of wider tyres, even if the pros hung on to 25mm and 28mm rubber for longer.
Unlike those of us without a support car to offer a wheel swap in the event of a puncture, Mohorič is running Continental GP5000 TT tyres. These have become a popular choice with pros for road racing, where all-out speed trumps longevity.
Elsewhere, Mohorič has a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset with a 54/40 crankset and 11-34-tooth cassette, providing some unequivocally ‘pro-level’ gear ratios.
He can flick through these gears from his titled-in levers or the sprint shifters which poke out from the pristine white bar tape. That tape is a nice detail that helps this bike stand out, but would be far from a practical choice without the luxury of a mechanic to rewrap your bars frequently.
Something that might be more relatable on Mohorič’s bike is the beat-up Dura-Ace R9100 pedals. Not everything is brand new, not even at the Tour.
