{"id":288331,"date":"2025-07-24T16:26:20","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T16:26:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/288331\/"},"modified":"2025-07-24T16:26:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T16:26:20","slug":"if-it-aint-broke-dont-fix-it-wout-van-aerts-squirrel-sporting-1x-tour-de-france-cervelo-s5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/288331\/","title":{"rendered":"If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it \u2013 Wout van Aert’s squirrel-sporting 1x Tour de France Cerv\u00e9lo S5"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wout van Aert has played the role of key all-rounder domestique to Jonas Vingegaard again at the 2025 Tour de France, as he did in 2024.<\/p>\n

While the Belgian rider has won nine stages over previous Tours, the last of those came in 2022, when he also scooped the green jersey.<\/p>\n

He won stage 9 of this year\u2019s Giro d\u2019Italia, though, outsprinting Isaac del Toro on the Strade Bianche stage into Siena, so he hasn’t missed out on Grand Tour wins in 2025.<\/p>\n

Single-chainring setups<\/a> have previously been spurned by many pros, but van Aert has been making extensive use of SRAM\u2019s aero single chainrings at this year\u2019s Tour.<\/p>\n

New Cerv\u00e9lo S5
\n\"\"A deeper head tube is claimed to contribute to a 6.3-watt aero gain for the new S5. Ashley Quinlan \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

As with team leader Vingegaard, van Aert has been riding the freshly updated Cerv\u00e9lo S5 aero bike rather than the latest, as-yet-unlaunched Cerv\u00e9lo R5<\/a> we spotted at the Lille Grand D\u00e9part ride-ready for Matteo Jorgenson. Sepp Kuss has also been riding the bike on mountain stages.<\/p>\n

We don\u2019t have a weight for van Aert\u2019s S5, but Vingegaard\u2019s Cerv\u00e9lo S5<\/a> with a single-chainring SRAM Red AXS drivetrain weighed 7.385kg. While Vingegaard is 1.75m tall, van Aert is 1.90m, so his bike will be heavier due to the larger frame.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

We weighed Jorgenson\u2019s Cerv\u00e9lo R5 at 7.03kg, suggesting there\u2019s a small weight penalty of a couple of hundred grams from riding the S5, although in compensation it will be more aerodynamically efficient.<\/p>\n

More from the Tour de France<\/p>\n

Single-chainring drivetrain
\n\"\"Van Aert has been using a single chainring on most stages of the 2025 Tour. Ashley Quinlan \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

There are more potential aero gains from running SRAM\u2019s single aero chainrings and skipping the front derailleur.<\/p>\n

Van Aert, like Vingegaard, ran a 54-tooth single-chainring SRAM Red AXS groupset<\/a> for the relatively flat stage 1. He\u2019s since been swapping back and forth between 1x and 2x, choosing 2x for the mountain stages, but riding with a single aero chainring on the lumpy stages 11 and 15 \u2013 and even on stage 7 with its double ascent of the M\u00fbr-de-Bretagne.<\/p>\n

\"\"A Wolf Tooth chain guide helps guard against chain drop. Ashley Quinlan \/ Our Media
\n\"\"Van Aert’s 172.5mm cranks are a little shorter than usual for a rider of his height. Ashley Quinlan \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

Van Aert’s single-chainring setup includes a Wolf Tooth chain guide, as used by Vingegaard too, to help keep the chain in place. Van Aert runs 172.5mm cranks \u2013 a fairly standard crank length<\/a>, although on the shorter side for a rider of his height. The Flattop chain is wax-treated.<\/p>\n

\"\"Wahoo Speedplay Aero pedals may offer a marginal aero gain. Ashley Quinlan \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

Van Aert is riding Wahoo Speedplay Aero<\/a> pedals, with a dimpled lower surface that\u2019s claimed to improve airflow over the base of the shoe.<\/p>\n

New one-piece cockpit
\n\"\"The new single-piece cockpit has a 4mm flare to the drops. Ashley Quinlan \/ Our Media
\n\"\"The single-piece design saves almost 120g over the previous two-piece S5 cockpit. Van Aert also gets his customary squirrel sticker (a tribute to his appearance on Belgium’s version of the TV show, The Masked Singer). Ashley Quinlan \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

New for the latest Cerv\u00e9lo S5 is a single-piece cockpit, replacing the previous model\u2019s two-piece design and claimed to save around 100g in weight, plus another 19g for the cockpit hardware. The 40mm flare to the bar contributes to a slightly turned-out lever position and better rider aerodynamics when riding on the hoods.\u00a0<\/p>\n

New Reserve wheels
\n\"\"Reserve’s 57|64 Turbulent Aero wheels are tuned for 29mm tyres and Visma-Lease a Bike are riding the 29mm Vittoria Corsa Pro Wide Rim tyres in this width. Ashley Quinlan \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

Van Aert was running the latest Reserve 57|64 Turbulent Aero wheelset, developed in tandem with the new S5. Reserve says the new wheels offer better aerodynamics and are stiffer than the 52|63 wheelset sold with the previous-generation S5, without adding extra weight.<\/p>\n

Visma-Lease a Bike has been trialling a carbon-spoked version<\/a> with Tune hubs at the Tour, but van Aert’s bike has standard steel spokes and the Reserve rims are laced to DT Swiss 180 hubs, the brand\u2019s top model.<\/p>\n

Classic saddle\u00a0
\n\"\"The new carbon cradle and alloy rails on the S5 are claimed to save 29g. Van Aert rides on a classic Prologo Zero II saddle. Ashley Quinlan \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

Another contributor to the latest Cerv\u00e9lo S5\u2019s weight loss is an updated saddle-clamping mechanism with a carbon cradle and alloy hardware. Cerv\u00e9lo claims this saves 27g.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Van Aert tops this off with a Prologo Zero II<\/a> saddle on the brand\u2019s Nack carbon composite rails, which has a claimed weight of just under 200g.<\/p>\n

Specs | Wout van Aert\u2019s Cerv\u00e9lo S5 for the 2025 Tour de France
\n\"\"Van Aert’s S5 for the 2025 Tour de France, pictured at the Grand D\u00e9part. Ashley Quinlan \/ Our Media<\/p>\n