Stage 11 of the 2021 Tour de France is, to put it mildly, a big one. At just under 200km long, the stage takes in two ascents of one of the Tour’s m

Aero vs lightweight bike: What is fastest for a double ascent of Mont Ventoux? Tour de France stage 11 tech analysis

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2021-07-06 16:30:03

Stage 11 of the 2021 Tour de France is, to put it mildly, a big one. At just under 200km long, the stage takes in two ascents of one of the Tour’s most iconic mountains, the 1,910m Mont Ventoux.

If that wasn’t enough, there are three other categorised climbs during the stage, including a first category ascent of the Col de la Liguière – a 9.3km climb with an average gradient of 6.7 per cent.

All things considered then, there’s a lot of climbing. But what kind of bike is best for a course like this? Traditional wisdom would say a lightweight road bike designed for climbing would be the fastest choice. But, as our understanding of aerodynamics, rolling resistance and performance have developed, the answer is no longer so clear cut.

Although there will undoubtedly be a lot of time spent riding uphill during the stage, there are plenty of flat or rolling roads to consider, plus all of the descending.

Of course, the perfect bike would be one that weighs in at exactly the UCI weight limit of 6.8kg yet compromises nothing in terms of aerodynamics or rolling resistance compared to the best aero road bikes. Unfortunately, that bike doesn’t yet exist (despite what some manufacturers love to tell us).