'I couldn't really pedal': Fabio Aru on the moment he had to use a Tour de France neutral service bike
The Italian lost time after a mechanical meant he had to ride the Mavic neutral service bike


Italian Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates) "couldn't really pedal" but took a Mavic neutral service bike to continue in the Tour de France.
In stage three Épernay, the Mike Teunissen (Jumbo-Visma) with the yellow jersey had been dropped. Aru, at that time, suffered a mechanical when George Bennett (Jumbo-Visma) rode into his rear derailleur
"Yeah, it broke the whole derailleur and it was impossible to ride ahead," Aru told Cycling Weekly.
"I jumped on the Mavic bike. Usually, Rui Costa has more or less the same frame size, so I can use his bike, but he was near Dan Martin at that time."
Mavic stopped with its distinctive yellow bikes, this year they are Canyon frames. Aru jumped on, but could only ride for two kilometres.
"That bike! I had to get on the Mavic bike right away because of the barrage holding off the team cars because the yellow jersey had been dropped," Aru continued.
"It was working somewhat for me, but the saddle was way too high for me to really continue. I couldn't really pedal!
"I've had to do this before in other races. The only thing is that if the saddle's a little too low, you can still pedal and ride, but if it's too high, you can't go! It's hard to do ride."
The UAE Team Emirates car quickly arrived with another Colnago bike for Fabio. He switched and continued. With the change, he finished 1-22 minutes back on stage winner Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) and 51 seconds behind the group of classification riders with Geraint Thomas (Ineos).
Former Vuelta a España winner Aru, 29, has only just returned to racing after missing the Giro d'Italia to have surgery for a constructed iliac artery in his leg. He raced at the Tour de Suisse before starting the Tour, where he will likely support Irishman Dan Martin to a high placing in the overall.
Martin sits 1-22 back on the yellow jersey after losing time in the stage two team time trial in Brussels.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
-
Five talking points from stage 12 of the Giro d'Italia 2022
It was a long, hot, and fast day from Parma to Genoa
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Can a classic steel race bike beat a modern superbike?
We fit power meter pedals to a Colnago C68 and a Colnago Master Olympic and ride them back to back to find out what 30 years of progress translates to in the real world. As it turns out? 14 seconds.
By Simon Smythe • Published
-
'Maybe I am out of my comfort zone' — Tadej Pogačar ahead of his first Tour of Flanders
Two-time Tour de France winner says it is going to be a "crazy race" on Sunday
By Adam Becket • Published
-
João Almeida victorious on top of Boí Taüll on stage four of the Volta a Catalunya
UAE Team Emirates rider wins stage, but Nairo Quintana moves into leader's jersey
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Tadej Pogačar wins Strade Bianche with stunning solo attack
The UAE Team Emirates rider becomes the first Tour de France winner to win the Italian classic
By Pete Trifunovic • Published
-
Matteo Trentin sprints from the front to win Le Samyn
Italian rider triumphs out of leading group on tough day in Belgium
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'Having a team like this gives you goosebumps': Pogačar credits team after UAE Tour triumph
Slovenian takes control of leader's jersey after stage four
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Tadej Pogačar 'pretty happy' with fourth place in UAE Tour time trial
The Slovenian sits fifth on general classification after three stages
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'Nonconformist' Marc Hirschi 'makes cycling spectacular' and will return to previous levels after injury setbacks
The Swiss rider will start his season later due hip surgery, the injury that has troubled him for three years
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
UAE-Team Emirates will not use train-like tactics to help Tadej Pogačar: 'We will not contract champions to work as domestiques'
Pogačar is the outright favourite to win the Tour de France for a third year in a row
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published