Outclimb the Tour: Vincenzo Nibali’s Merida Scultura
Vincenzo Nibali hasn’t had the dream Tour, dropping himself out of GC contention after a sluggish Stage 8, but the Italian solidified his elite status by dropping the peloton up Stage 20’s final climb on Saturday. Nibali mounted a solo attack from the breakaway and escaped the peloton as it caught the rest of the break, barely holding off the field as he labored up to the finish in Val Thorens. Like his teammate Dylan Teuns’s Stage 6 performance, Nibali handed Team Bahrain—Merida its second stage victory on a Merida Scultura.
Merida, the German bicycle company that has done manufacturing for companies as large as Specialized, has two bike options for the the Bahrain—Merida squad: the aero-focused Reacto and the all-purpose Scultura. Nibali opted for the slightly lighter Scultura and, according to Cycling News, he began the season with disc brakes but switched to rim brakes before the Tour. The team Scultura is full Dura-Ace Di2, save the SRM Origin cranks, and runs Fulcrum Speed wheels. Look just below the brake hoods and you’ll see Di2 sprint shifters, small buttons that allow Nibali to change gear while in the drops.
Bahrain-Merida’s other gear sponsors include Rudy Project, Sidi, Fulcrum, and SRM, so you’ll see their products on riders like Teuns throughout the tour. Nibali is headed to Trek—Segafredo for the 2020 season, so check out the rest of his Bahrain—Merida gear while you still can.
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