Spotted: Specialized Tarmac SL9 'Project Black' at Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Spy pics of Specialized Tarmac derived road bike — (Image credit: Andrew Daley)

The cycling world is abuzz following the latest sighting of the unreleased Specialized Tarmac SL9 at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, previously known as the Critérium du Dauphiné.

The bike was first spotted on the roof of a Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team car during an altitude-training camp in Sierra Nevada, Spain. But this time, we got a much closer look.

We spotted the bike outside a team truck where mechanics were setting up the bike on precise measuring equipment, presumably preparing it for its first public race outing on Sunday.

What's new

Both sightings thus far were of the bike Specialized’s stealthy pre-production "Project Black" livery, a designation the brand uses for developing and testing future products through professional athlete feedback.

The frameset showcases a clear shift toward greater aerodynamic performance compared to its predecessor, the SL8. Notable changes include a reshaped fork with a chunkier crown and deeper blades, alongside a seat tube designed to hug the rear wheel closely.

The seatpost has also evolved into a deep-section aerodynamic blade, signalling Specialized's intent to further optimise its flagship race rig for top-end speed.

As the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes serves as a crucial warm-up for the Tour de France, the presence of the SL9 here suggests that we may see the bike in action at summer's main event.

While Specialized maintains its standard "Project Black" protocol regarding unreleased tech, these considered design choices indicate a machine that aims to balance its legendary comfort with a new benchmark in aerodynamic efficiency.

We reached out to Specialized, but the brand remains mum on the subject, stating: "Specialized relies on feedback from professional athletes in both developing and testing advanced pre-production products in real-world applications. With this top-level feedback, some of these design elements and products eventually show up in future retail product offerings. We call this Project Black."

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Andy Carr is the tech editor at Cycling Weekly. He was founder of Spoon Customs, where for ten years, him and his team designed and built some of the world's most coveted custom bikes. The company also created Gun Control Custom Paint. Together the brands championed the highest standards in fit, fabrication and finishing.

Nowadays, Andy is based in Norfolk, where he loves riding almost anything with two-wheels. He was an alpine ride guide for a time, and gets back to the Southern Alps as often as possible.