A custom-made Colnago Y1R for Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), which the Slovenian rode in both the Tour de France and the World Championships, sold at auction for $190,500.
The bike was initially estimated at $15,000-$20,000, but it ended up selling for ten times that amount. With just minutes left on the auction, the highest bid was $90,000, but last-minute activity pushed the final price up another $100,000. While there’s no exact Colnago frame for sale, similarly equipped Y1Rs are estimated to retail for $22,000-$29,000.
Sotheby's auctioneers are keeping the seller's details confidential, so it's not known who exactly will receive the nearly $200,000 (minus commission) for this custom-made bike. Since the bike was part of a collection called "Colnago: Legends & Icons," the seller could also be Colnago himself.
We don't know who got Pogačar's bike, but the auction house rightly called it a collector's item, not a very, very expensive new vehicle for the buyer. "A distinctive and historically significant racing machine, the Colnago Y1Rs Raw Carbon is a bike for the most passionate and demanding collectors," the auction description reads.
Among other items sold at the Sotheby's auction was Pogačar's teammate João Almeida's Vuelta C68 bike, which found a new owner for $21,590.
Pogačar first used the bike in its raw form in a time trial up the mountain at this year's Tour. The bike was later given a new paint scheme, now featuring rainbow colors, celebrating the Slovenian's world championship titles. The new-look bike made its first public appearance on the Mont Ventoux stage.
After his debut at the Tour, Pogačar used the bike to achieve major victories throughout the second half of the season.
"Pogačar secured his fourth Tour title, cementing his place among cycling's elite. From that day on, he would not use any other bike to achieve major victories, winning the World Championships, the European Championships and a record fifth consecutive Il Lombardia — all on this unique carbon-black Y1R," the description reads.
