Sepp Kuss and Remco Evenepoel both spotted wearing what looks to be a variation of the Encoder model with a new vented lens
(Image credit: Alexander Hassenstein)
The Vuelta a España finished yesterday and saw Kaden Groves take a dramatic sprint victory in Madrid after a furious late breakaway attempt. The final Grand Tour of the year saw three weeks of hard racing culminate in Sepp Kuss taking a popular and hard-fought win, which wasn't without a little drama along the way.
We have also spotted race winner Sepp Kuss wearing what looks to be an eye-catching new version of the Oakley Encoder sunglasses. The shades in question look to feature the same arm design as the current Encoders but with a striking new large vented lens.
This particular lens option isn't currently listed on the Oakley website which leads us to think it's a new or prototype model being used. The far larger vent could be there to help promote extra airflow, something which would probably have been welcome given the amount of slower speed climbing in this year's Tour of Spain.
Is a new Oakley Encoder model on the way? (Image credit: Alexander Hassenstein)
The Oakley Encoder sunglasses took the best overall spot in our best cycling sunglasses buyers guide after intensive testing. The Encoders themselves are a one-piece, lightweight design which means the lenses can't be swapped but there are, as is usually the case with Oakley, a myriad of different lens versions available.
A Vented Strike option for the Encoder model has been available for a while now and features six smaller top vents. The unknown models being worn appear to take this to a new level with a large opening or vent in the top part of the lens and an additional thin section of lens above this.
Remco Evenepoel appeared to be wearing a black and blue pair of sunglasses for podium duties but seemed to stick to Sutro Lite Sweep models during the racing. Kuss meanwhile was sporting a pair with black arms and red lenses to match his red leaders jersey during the later stages of the race.
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Cyclingnews has reached out to Oakley for details, and we will update this story if we receive more information.
Kuss seemed to be the only member of his team wearing the unknown model (Image credit: Tim De Waele)
Remco Evenepoel seen wearing a pair of the sunglasses on the podium during the race (Image credit: Tim De Waele)
Tom joined the Cyclingnews team in late 2022 as a tech writer. Despite having a degree in English Literature he has spent his entire working life in the cycling industry in one form or another. He has over 10 years of experience as a qualified mechanic, with the last five years before joining Cyclingnews being spent running an independent workshop. This means he is just as happy tinkering away in the garage as he is out on the road bike, and he isn’t afraid to pull a bike apart or get hands-on with it when testing to really see what it’s made of.
He has ridden and raced bikes from an early age up to a national level on the road and track, and has ridden and competed in most disciplines. He has a keen eye for pro-team tech and enjoys spotting new or interesting components in the wild. During his time at Cyclingnews, Tom has already interviewed some of the sport's biggest names including Mathieu van der Poel, Tadej Pogačar and Alberto Contador. He's also covered various launches from brands such as Pinarello, Ridley, Specialized and more, tackled the Roubaix Challenge sportive aboard his own rim-brake Cannondale SuperSix Evo, tested over 20 aero helmets in the wind tunnel, and has created helpful in-depth buying advice relating to countless categories from torque wrenches to winter clothing.
