With the Tour de France just around the corner, it has long been known that Bora-Hansgrohe would be welcoming Red Bull as a new major sponsor. Red Bull Bora-Hansgrohe's sponsorship announcement comes this week ahead of the Tour, which kicks off on Saturday, and includes the creation of a new U23 team.

New sponsors generally mean kit redesigns, and a big sponsor like the giant Red Bull right before the world's biggest bike race definitely means new kit and bike designs.

Cycling News got exclusive shots of Bora Hansgrohe's new race bike ahead of the race. The bike is officially called the S-Works Tarmac SL8 LTD: Red Bull-BORA-Hansgrohe Edition.

To learn more about the Tour's other bikes and equipment, check out our Tour de France Bike Guide for details on each team's machine.

In short, the bike is a custom-painted S-Works Tarmac SL8 with a Red Bull/Bora color scheme called "Sticker Slap." It was designed by Tom Briggs, Specialized's lead concept graphic designer.

According to the press release, the model is "an exact replica of the bike the team will use in the 2024 Tour de France" and will be limited to 500 units worldwide. Price-wise, those who want this new model will pay as much as $16,500 (for an eye-popping price, check out our article on Tour de France bike prices). At the very least, expect this bike to come with a free can or two of Red Bull.

At first glance, it would be easy to dismiss this bike as simply "pearl white with Red Bull color accents," but upon closer inspection, there are indeed dozens of small graphics visible and hidden. The design is a repeat of S-Works and Bora Hansgrohe. The design is inspired by youth culture and the skateboarding aesthetic of the 90s. The accumulation of the logo on boards and other objects in the form of stickers demonstrated authenticity and connection to the countercultural.

While we at Cycling News are not experts on skateboard culture, it seems that skateboard stickers formed part of the art and culture surrounding the sport at the time. The brand Specialized is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, with headquarters in California, where surf and skateboard culture originally thrived. The brand mentions this and its "desire to continue to innovate" in the bike's press materials.

The bike's specs are naturally top notch. It is equipped with the latest Sram Red AXS groupset, a Hammerhead Karoo computer, and Roval Rapide CLX II Team wheels, limited to 1500 sets. In addition, the bike is equipped with a Roval Rapide cockpit and Specialized Turbo Cotton tires. Specialized also claims that the 56 cm size bike weighs 6.66 kg.

Whether team leader Primoz Roglic will be able to pilot the new machine to success at the Tour remains to be seen. The machine, of which there are only 500 worldwide, is a rarity, but it represents the entry of a big money public sponsor into the world of road cycling, and should be a good move for the Bora-Hansgrohe team and the sport.