Why are Pogačar and Del Toro riding different bikes?

When Isaac del Toro won Stage 2 of the 2026 Tour de France in Barcelona, he was riding the Colnago V5Rs lightweight race bike, rather than the Y1Rs aero road bike preferred by the rest of UAE Team Emirates-XRG, including team leader Tadej Pogačar, who crossed the line just behind him.

Why would del Toro choose the V5Rs, when the Y1Rs offers, according to Colnago, around 4% energy savings? Its wind-tunnel test results show it to be 16 watts faster at 50km/h, a speed that’s not unrealistic in a pro race.

A source within the team has told us it’s mainly because del Toro really likes the V5Rs and uses it a lot in training. He swaps between the V5Rs and the aero Y1Rs and, we’re told, will be back on the Y1Rs on subsequent stages (as seen during today's Stage 3).

• Read more about Isaac del Toro's Colnago V5Rs

In fact, del Toro started Stage 2 on the Y1Rs, which was also ridden by the rest of the team. He swapped to the V5Rs after a mechanical with 60km to ride forced a bike swap.

The Stage 2 profile shows much of the 2,500m elevation gain was in the second half of the stage and the three laps of the finishing circuit included the particularly steep Montjuïc climb.

Lower weight

While in the majority of situations, aerodynamics trumps low weight, the V5Rs probably sits right on the UCI’s 6.8kg weight limit. Ahead of the 2026 Grand Départ, we weighed Pogačar‘s Y1Rs at 7.25kg. 

The Y1Rs del Toro was riding until his bike swap was painted, so it will weigh even more than Pogačar‘s bike. For a weight-obsessed pro forced to make a bike change coming into a punchy finale and for his directeur sportif, that might tip the decision in favour of the lighter bike.

There are other reasons why del Toro might favour the V5Rs over the Y1Rs. The bikes’ geometries are subtly different, with Colnago claiming the low weight and all-rounder design make the V5Rs “an ideal companion for elevation-heavy stages, mountain stages in Grand Tours and for riders seeking an exceptionally responsive and lightweight ride”.

Colnago reckons the V5Rs is the bike for steep climbs and explosive sprints, too, attributes that make it well-suited to the Montjuïc circuit.

More agile geometry

Colnago claims the V5Rs “delivers greater agility and superior control, especially on technical climbs and descents”. It also says it is generally more comfortable.

There are more frame-size options for the V5Rs, with seven sizes offered, rather than the Y1Rs’ five. The head tube angle for a medium-sized bike is 72.3 degrees versus the Y1Rs’ 73 degrees, and the front-centre is longer, which might offer greater ride stability on the fast descent that also featured. 

It may be easier to get a fit that suits del Toro, too, and there are more component choices. While UAE Team Emirates-XRG usually rides the V5Rs with an ENVE SES Aero Pro cockpit, the V5Rs can be fitted with other cockpits if preferred. 

In contrast, the Y1Rs uses Colnago’s distinctive proprietary cockpit. For anyone who likes to climb on the tops, it’s arguably not ideal because the Y-shaped tops angle the hands and arms outwards, where they’re probably less aero than a tucked position, compared to the T-shaped bars of the V5Rs’ classic one-piece cockpit.

All the UAE Team Emirates-XRG riders have a choice between the two bikes, so we may see them swap between the Y1Rs and V5Rs, as Pogačar did when he won the 2025 Critérium du Dauphiné (now renamed the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes).

We’re told del Toro will be back on the Y1Rs for some of the coming stages.

And finally, it was a great marketing coup for Colnago to have a 1-2 on the first road stage of the 2026 Tour, with the team’s star riders on different bikes. It showcases the brand's road bike range and should raise awareness of its other options when the halo Y1Rs aero bike and the TT2 time trial bike have tended to hog the limelight thanks to their association with Pogačar.