BMC team leader Tejay van Garderen's Teammachine SLR01(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
The SLR01 has one of the best executed rear brake cable exits of any curent bike(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
Neat head tube cable entry for the rear brake and Di2 cable(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
Continental Competition Pro Ltd 25mm tubulars are a popular choice across the peloton(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
The Shimano C50 tubular wheelset is van Garderen's everyday choice for flatter stages(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
The BMC SLR01's asymmetric chain stays are even different heights from left to right(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
Shimano Dura-Ace PD9000 are the American's preferred pedals(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
The SRM-equipped version of Shimano's new Dura-Ace chainset with 53/39 rings(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
BMC created their own bespoke number board mounts, which are stuck to the flat rear face of the seatpost(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
Unusually, van Garderen chooses the Fizik Arione K3, originally developed for triathletes, featuring a wider, more padded nose(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
Fizik's latest saddle range, unveiled at the Tour, features a reflective central section(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
Shimano's Dura-Ace Di2 takes care of reliable shifting duties(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
3T's carbon Ergonova Team bars support an SRM Power Control 7(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
A 140mm -17 degree 3T ARX Team stem gives van Garderen sufficient reach(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
Like a number of top professionals, van Garderen prefers a long stem, and a short-reach bar with levers tipped back(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
Every BMC rider's bike (and their spare bikes) has been decorated with their national flag for the Tour de France(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
Elite's self-adjusting carbon Sior bottle cages provide secure bottle retention(Image credit: Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing)
After the departure of Andrew Talansky, Tejay van Garderen (BMC) is the USA's last GC rider standing at the 2014 Tour de France. The BMC team leader has had an up-and-down Tour thus far, but the main constant throughout van Garderen’s race has been his BMC Teammachine SLR01.
Launched in 2013 as successor to its Tour-winning predecessor, the SLR01 has won numerous friends, and glowing praise for its agility, speed and comfort, and for this reason, the BMC riders and team took the decision to favour it for this year’s cobbled stage 5 over BMC's own cobble-crusher, the GF01.
So this is van Garderen's only road bike model at this race, and it’s fitted out with a high-class, efficient and reliable component package, centred on Shimano's Di2 groupset. Following the pro’s usual sizing model, van Garderen rides a 56cm frame with 140mm, -17 degree stem, and relatively short-reach Ergonova Team carbon bars, with the Di2 shifters fitted high up on the bend for a comfortable all-day position.
BMC's proprietary Compliance Post seatpost in this instance has its maximum 30mm offset, with a Fizik Arione K3 saddle mounted well back on its carbon rails. The K3 is designed as a triathlon saddle, adding generous padding and a wider nose to the Arione's much-loved shape, and usually only appears aboard pros' bikes before Paris-Roubaix, but van Garderen must prefer it to the other options available to him.
Fizik's latest saddle range, unveiled at the Tour, features a reflective central section
Elite Sior carbon bottle cages are a split design that self-adjusts to allow easy bottle entry and exit, plus excellent retention. The race number board is fixed to a neat two-bolt bracket, custom made by BMC to stick on to the flattened rear of the SLR01's Compliance Post, and the SRM head unit was angled downwards, possibly to prevent distraction, or maybe that's just how Tejay likes it. Whatever the answer, the Tour's final week will be decided by a combination of watts, supreme bike control and staying power, and the SLR01 certainly has two of those in abundance.
The SLR01 has one of the best executed rear brake cable exits of any curent bike
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Tejay van Garderen's BMC SLR01: Frame: Teammachine SLR01 Fork: Teammachine SLR01 carbon Headset: BMC Stem: 3T ARX-Team 140mm -17 degrees Handlebar: 3T Ergonova Team 42cm Brakes: Shimano Dura-Ace Levers: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace 11-28 11 speed Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace HG ON9000 11 speed Crankset: Shimano Dura-Ace SR70 with SRM 175mm 53/39 Bottom bracket: Shimano BB86 press fit Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace PD9000 Wheels: Shimano Dura-Ace C50 tubular Front tyre: Continental Competition Pro Ltd 25mm ALX Rear tye: Continental Competition Pro Ltd 25mm ALX Saddle: Fizik Arione K3 with carbon rails Seatpost: BMC Compliance Post 30mm offset Extras: SRM handlebar mount, Elite Sior carbon bottle cages, BMC custom number board mount Total weight: 7.11kg / 15.67lb
Critical measurements: Height: 185cm / 6'1" Weight: 69kg / 151lbs Saddle height BB centre to top: 787mm Saddle setback: 105mm Seat tube centre to top: 560mm Seat tube centre to centre: 530mm Saddle to bar centre: 635mm Saddle to bar drop: 123mm Head tube length: 165mm Top tube length: 555mm
