"All our bikes are carefully prepared" - Shimano mechanic who provided Tadej Pogacar with neutral Roubaix bike responds to criticism
Cycling
Out of all the stories that Paris-Roubaix can provide, one of the most odd was the sequence of events and statements regarding Tadej Pogacar's mechanical and brief use of a Shimano neutral service car bike. For a few minutes, it was the bike that saved his race, however when asked after the finish his comments were rather negative regarding the fit. The mechanic himself who gave Pogacar a bike that day has shared Shimano's side of the story.
In an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws he used the Slovenian term of wheelbarrow and also called the bike 'very uncomfortable', sparking some debate post-race. This was necessary after, with 120 kilometers to go, Pogacar had to stop and wasn't given a bike by a teammate. “The saddle height was not correct and the wheels were also not suitable for the cobbles," the World Champion said of the 'blue bike' which riders are often given in situations of emergency, in which their team cars are also far behind.
The instance of uses of neutral bikes are not too many, specially amongst top riders. Famously, Chris Froome was given one after a crash near the summit of the 2016 ascent of the Mont Ventoux at the Tour de France, but could not clip in his pedals. Such incidents nowadays are quite rare, as the neutral service cars are equipped with bikes featuring pedals and other systems from a vast range of suppliers, making sure that such does not happen.
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Shimano's bikes were ready for Pogacar's incident
"All our bikes are carefully prepared," Kevin Poret, the mechanic himself who provided Pogacar with the bike, assured in an interview with Ouest France. He probably had a mechanical problem in addition to a puncture. Having the World Champion in need of a bike and in position to take one from the Shimano car was the prime example of why this vehicle is present in the races.
And sure enough, the World Champion did get back on track, which allowed him to limit his losses - unlike Mathieu van der Poel shortly after, who was given a bike by his own teammate Jasper Philipsen which had different prototype pedals. "We gave him a bike that was his size, the best for him. And he was able to get back on track quickly. For us, it's essential that the intervention be rapid. And we did our job".
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- for what?frieders311-11-2026
- Blah blah blah!frieders311-11-2026
- Where Merckx just rode every single race he could and won all the time, Hinault won less often (percentage wise) because he was more judicious in what he raced. His palmares are nuts. He had amazing rivals, one to start his career and another to end it in the grand tours. His classics were solid. What sets him apart from Merckx and Pogačar are that he basically dabbled in the classics while the other two love(d) them. I used to compare Pogačar to Hinault for his grand tour record and occasional classics win, until I realized that the comparison was wrong. Pogačar loves the classics - ah, the memory of his reaction to finishing fourth in a 2 person sprint in Flanders in ‘22: utter domination in any one day race since then, even when he doesn’t win. Hinault lived for the grand tours and I don’t think anyone else will ever reach his record. 10 wins in 13 attempts? Good lord. An amazing rider. Wish there was more footage to watch.RidesHills11-11-2026
- I had no idea about that either.
santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
- As he isn't currently with Red Bull, I guess if he want to race for one more year he needs to find a team. He's 37 so this will be his last year I would guess, unless he wants to race for almost nothing like Froome did.awp10-11-2026
- I think some are making much ado about nothing. Even though Jonas is getting older, before his crash in the Tour, he looked like a solid 2nd all the way home. No one can really climb with Tadej until this year, Eric Mas showed himself which I think was a one off year for him and Paul Seixas has been able to be pretty close to him. Whatever stage race Jonas enters as long as Tadej is not there he is a favorite to win.awp10-11-2026
- Giro or not Giro, he won't win the Tour!MajorPayne10-11-2026
- Very true.awp10-11-2026
- Ciccone had a very strong end of season. Consistently attacking and livening up races. Hope he makes that last leap in progress and starts notching some significant wins. Great rider to watch.Occam10-11-2026
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