It's a new bike day for Chris Froome.
The Ineos Grenadiers rider revealed a custom painted Pinarello Dogma F12 for his ride on the first rest day of the Vuelta a España. The bike has a pop art design that will give the dazzling EF Pro Cycling Palace kit a run for its money.
Cyclingnews understands that Froome will continue racing on the pop art Pinarello until the end of the three-week Grand Tour, and that the bike will be put up for auction after the race in order to raise money for Best Buddies International.
The bike has been designed by Romero Britto, a renowned Brazilian pop artist. The design will undoubtedly turn heads and catch second glances, even at a time where custom bikes and out-there designs seem commonplace in the WorldTour ranks, thanks to the multi-coloured pop art style in which Britto specialises.
The bike features splashes of blues, purples, greens, yellows and oranges, all over the matte black base coat of the Dogma F12's carbon frame. The customary Froome rhino features on the head tube, albeit in an appropriately pop-art style, and the frame's traditional branding overlays the design. The 'Britto' trademark does likewise, situated on the chainstays, and the seatpost is finished with a Best Buddies logo.
Best Buddies International is a not for profit organisation that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) such as Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and other undiagnosed disabilities.
Froome has history working with the charity; the seven-time grand tour winner previously headlined the Best Buddies Challenge in Miami, raising over $700,000 in 2017, as well as a 2019 gala which raised $2.9m.
Despite pre-race hopes of a GC attempt after his determined comeback from last year's Critérium du Dauphiné crash, Froome sits 98th overall after six aggressive days of racing.
He is working for teammate Richard Carapaz, who took the race lead on stage 6, 18 seconds ahead of another Briton, EF Pro Cycling's Hugh Carthy.
