Aero bicycle ridden by Ben O'Connor to triumph on Col de la Loze mountain climb
Ben O'Connor's Winning Ride on the Giant Propel Advanced SL in the Tour de France 2025
Ben O'Connor made history in the 2025 Tour de France by riding a Giant Propel Advanced SL aero bike to victory on the Col de la Loze summit finish[1][2]. The bike, finished in Jayco AlUla's striking mauve-themed livery, is outfitted with top-tier components.
The component parts include Shimano Dura-Ace PD-R9100 pedals and a 147g 3D-printed Cadex Amp saddle[1]. The bike's aero features include a sculpted deep head tube and fork, a fully integrated Cadex Aero cockpit with UCI-legal turned-in hoods that improve ergonomics and reduce drag[1].
Despite climbing stages traditionally favoring lighter bikes, the team chose this aero bike over Giant’s lighter TCR Advanced SL due to its superior aerodynamic efficiency (CdA), stiffness, and overall race efficiency[1][2]. This trend towards prioritizing aerodynamics even on climbs was evident throughout the 2025 Tour de France[2].
For mountain stages, it is expected that Ben O'Connor will opt for a more leg-friendly 54/40, 11-34T gearing setup. The rolling stock needs for the Tour de France 2025 are met by Giant's in-house component brand, Cadex. The team's rolling stock includes Cadex's C50 Ultra Tubeless wheels, with 30mm Cadex Aero tubeless rubber on the C50 Ultra Tubeless wheels[3].
The Propel Advanced SL model also utilizes the company's Vector integrated seatpost, which requires careful trimming by mechanics to achieve the ideal saddle height. The bike does not feature a lightweight, custom Fouriers universal derailleur hanger, but it does have a lightweight derailleur hanger to improve shifting performance[4].
Interestingly, both Jayco AlUla and UAE Team Emirates-XRG opted for stripped-down aero bikes for mountain stages, with UAE Team Emirates-XRG choosing Colnago Y1Rs instead of V5Rs[6]. This suggests a growing trend towards prioritizing aerodynamics in pro racing, as exemplified by Ben O'Connor's success on the Giant Propel Advanced SL[5].
[1] https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/propel-advanced-sl-1
[2] https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-2025-analysis-the-evolution-of-aero-bikes/
[3] https://www.cadex.cc/products/cadex-c50-ultra-tubeless-wheelset
[4] https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/propel-advanced-sl
[5] https://www.velonews.com/news/road/tour-de-france/ben-oconnor-wins-stage-18-tour-de-france-2025/
[6] https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/tour-de-france/uae-team-emirates-opt-for-stripped-down-colnago-y1rs-instead-of-v5rs-for-mountain-stages-433575
The Giant Propel Advanced SL bike, used by Ben O'Connor in the Tour de France 2025, is outfitted with top-tier components such as Shimano Dura-Ace PD-R9100 pedals and a 3D-printed Cadex Amp saddle.
Ben O'Connor's victory in the 2025 Tour de France on the Col de la Loze summit finish marks a growing trend towards prioritizing aerodynamics in pro racing, as exemplified by his successful ride on the Giant Propel Advanced SL.
