Fabio Aru's Specialized S-Works Tarmac - Gallery

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Fabio Aru (Astana) is the latest big-name rider to be given a special custom decorated bike by Specialized, with the Vuelta a Espana winner using it for the first time at this week's Criterium du Dauphine stage race as he prepares for his Tour de France debut in July.

Aru's Specialized S-Works Tarmac is the similar to his standard issue black and blue Astana bike but stands out due its red and white colours. Aru hails from Sardinia and is especially proud of his roots. He has been nicknamed 'Il Cavaliere dei Quattro Mori - The Knight of the Four Moors'. As a result his custom bike reflects the colours and design of the four Moors flag – the official flag of the autonomous region of Italy.

More on this story:

• Nacer Bouhanni's Orbea Orca - Gallery
• Alberto Contador's Specialized S-Works Tarmac - Gallery
• Criterium du Dauphine: Aru wins stage 3 in Tournon-sur-Rhone

The chunky down tube, head tube and seat stays are white, while the forks, chainstays and seat tube are red, to create the mix of colours. The four Moors of the flag can be seen on the seat tube and on the head of the forks. Aru's personal logo of a horseman adorns the top tube, with his name also in black and red.

Astana – like Lotto Soudal and Movistar, uses Campagnolo components and while Giro d'Italia winner Vincenzo Nibali prefers mechanical gears, Aru's bike is fitted with Campagnolo EPS gears, with the control centre tucked away under the FSA stem. Astana uses SRM power meters integrated with the Campagnolo chainset, with CeramicSpeed bearing in the bottom bracket and headset.

Aru has a Specialized Toupe saddle and the bike is fitted with Look pedals and Tacx bottle cages.

Aru has race number 51 for the Criterium di Dauphine. His spare bike –also decorated in the Sardinian colours, has an outside spot on the roof of the Astana team car.

Click or swipe through the gallery above for more images of Aru's bike.