With winning a world championship, comes a new custom bike and Julian Alaphilippe’s new custom Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 arrived just in time to take on Milano-Torino. A departure from his past bike that featured more white with the world champion‘s rainbow stripes, this year Specialized has taken a more unified theme across all of the World’s winning riders’ bikes.
Nothing changed build-wise, but the paint job is new for the rest of 2021 and into 2022. Specialized Senior Graphic Designer, Tom Briggs, developed the new paint scheme. Similar color designs were also used for Christopher Blevins and Sina Frei custom world championship celebrating mountain bikes.
“The World Champion bikes were inspired the swirling storm of competition,” explained Briggs. “That moment when all of the rider’s effort is being put into the pedals. Their vision starts to blur and their eyes cross. If you look at the World Champ top tube logo it’s offset as though their vision was starting to see double and the world champion rainbow stripes are starting to blur on the downtube and headtube. The silver granite represents the swirling of thoughts, emotions, training and everything else that goes into that one singular moment of glory as they become the world champion.”
The Specialized SL7 was launched in 2020, replacing the SL6 and Venge. The SL7 is claimed to be just as aerodynamic as the outgoing Venge, but still retaining the low weight and stiffness of the SL6. Specialized adds in Roval Rapide wheelsets, Specialized tires, and the S-Works Romin Evo Saddle.
Rounding out the build, Alaphilippe continues with Shimano’s Dura-Ace Di2 9170 drivetrain, matching pedals, and Vibe Superlight handlebars from Shimano’s accessories brand, PRO. The Dura-Ace power meter isn’t pictured, but I’m sure it will be added. Supacaz provides the bar wrap and Tacx securely holds their bottles with the Deva bottle holder. Also not pictured is a Wahoo ELMNT BOLT computer.
Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Scott joined Bike World News as the Cyclocross Editor in 2012 before taking over as Tech Editor in 2016. He has also worked as a photographer for various pro teams and shoot races along the east coast of the US, including the 2012 US MTB National Championships, 2013 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, and 2016 UCI Road World Championships. Scott has a passion for performance and technology, with 35 years of riding and mechanic experience. He also enjoys soccer, running, teaching group fitness classes, and is the founder of Lancaster Beard Company.
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