Pogacar with new Colnago director Jhon Gutierrez(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Pogacar signs the celebratory bike which will take pride of place in the museum(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Pogacar on his way in(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Colnago presents a signed yellow jersey as well as the bike(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The yellow bike joins the rest in the famous museum(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Pogacar in Cambiago(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) paid a visit to Ernesto Colnago at the legendary bike maker’s headquarters in Cambiago, Italy, on Saturday.
The Slovenian donated the special yellow Colnago V3RS, on which he rode into Paris in September, to the adjoining museum that showcases race-winning bikes from the likes of Eddy Merckx and Johan Museeuw.
Colnago has already released a €30,000 replica of that yellow bike, with 116 models - each adorned by a gold plaque and accompanied by a jersey and casquette - made to celebrate the company’s first Tour-winning bike.
Now, Pogačar has given back the bike that was rushed over to France for him after he snatched yellow from Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) in the penultimate day time trial. "To Ernesto, with friendship," Pogacar wrote on the frame with marker pen, alongside his signature and the words "2020 Tour."
The bike is complete with yellow seatpost, matching yellow bar tape, yellow Look Keo Blade Carbon pedals, and yellow Elite bottle cages. Despite having opted for disc brakes for the race's flat stage 10, the Slovenian's yellow bike is rim-brake equipped using Campagnolo Super Record direct-mount calipers. The frame is paired with Campagnolo's Bora WTO 60 wheels, which have been set up tubeless-ready with Vittoria Corsa tyres.
"It is always a great thrill to arrive in sight of Colnago because here is the history of cycling," Pogačar said, according to Tuttobici. "Walking in this museum is really exciting."
Pogačar was joined on the visit by UAE Team Emirates advisor Giuseppe Saronni, who won a number of races on Colnago bikes, and team board member Mauro Gianetti. Also present were Valentino Campagnolo, head of the component company, and John Gutierrez, the new CEO of Colnago.
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As well as the bike, Pogačar signed posters and other promotional material, as well as posing for photos, albeit wearing a mask because of COVID-19 coronavirus protocols.
In May, there was a restructuring at Colnago, with the UAE-based company Chimera Investments LLC acquiring a majority stake in the company started by Ernesto in the 1950s.
"We would like to thank the master of the design and invention of great bikes Ernesto Colnago, and we would like to follow his path and move forward in his legacy bringing Colnago to a bright future as no one else would," read a statement from Chimera at the time.
"Mister Colnago will always be the Godfather and the guiding force of the new developments."
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