Covering nearly 3,500km in just three weeks, Tour de France riders can’t afford to overlook saddle comfort, it’s a crucial part of surviving the race. We’ve taken a closer look at what the pros (or their sponsors) actually think are the best saddles to keep their bums comfy through every kilometre.
Well, we say what they choose, but we must add that because most riders don’t have full freedom when it comes to saddles, as teams are usually tied to specific sponsors. That said, many brands offer extensive ranges and even custom options, with the emergence of the 3D-printed saddle offering a more personalised fit than stock options from years gone by. While we do sometimes see star riders using sponsor-unfriendly saddles with the logos blocked out, most stick with what’s available through their team’s official partner.
Below, we take a look at the saddles used by all 23 teams riding this year’s Tour de France.
Prologo
The majority of Tour de France riders are opting for Italian Prologo saddles, as it is the choice for eight of the men’s teams, including Team Visma–Lease a Bike, Intermarché-Wanty and Bahrain Victorious.
Previously, Visma-Lease a Bike’s Jonas Vingegaard and Wout van Aert relied on Fizik’s super-light Vento Antares 00. However, Vingegaard can now be seen using Prologo’s Scratch M5 PAS saddle which is 250mm long and 140mm wide, with a claimed weight of only 131g for the Nack model. This version features a PAS channel designed to alleviate pressure peaks.
Not all riders stick to sponsor-issued saddles and there have been a few unbranded examples in the peloton. Pictured above is Matteo Jorgensen’s saddle, which appears to be a long-nosed Fizik model with the branding covered, the same brand that sponsored the team last year.
Intermarché-Wanty’s Hugo Page also chooses the Scratch M5 PAS, while teammate Louis Meintje uses the Prologo Scratch M5, which shares the same dimensions but lacks the cut-out channel. Instead, Meintje’s saddle incorporates an active base system for pressure relief.
Bahrain Victorious, Ineos Grenadiers, Groupama-FDJ, Team Picnic PostNL, XDS Astana Team and Uno-X Mobility are also partnered with the brand.
Selle Italia
Selle Italia has grown in popularity among the pros, with seven teams now riding the Italian brand’s saddles, up from four at last year’s Tour. These include WorldTour teams Alpecin Deceuninck, Cofidis and Arkea B&B Hotels, while the ProTeams Lotto and Israel Premier Tech also choose Selle Italia.
Mathieu van der Poel rides the Flite Boost Kit Carbonio Superflow MVDP saddle, complete with custom graphics (pictured above). This special edition is available to purchase for £339.99 if you’re a fan of white saddles, with Selle Italia encouraging you to “ride like Mathieu van der Poel.”
The Flite Boost Superflow Kit Carbonio features a flat seat with a Superflow cut-out, and is 250mm long and 145mm wide, promising the “perfect platform to provide stability and comfort on the longest of cycles”.
Benjamin Thomas of Cofidis uses the standard Flite Boost Pro Team Kit Carbonio Superflow, available in two widths: 135mm and 145mm. Another popular choice in the peloton is the SLR Boost Pro Team Kit Carbonio Superflow — slightly shorter at 248mm (versus 250mm) and available in a narrower 130mm width.
Selle Italia saddles will also feature on the bikes of wildcard teams TotalEnergies and Tudor Pro Cycling. Mathieu Burgaudeau of TotalEnergies is using the 3D-printed SLR Boost 3D Ti 316 Superflow, which claims to offer “differentiated cushioning zones for progressive absorption,” while the TI 316 rails are said to add strength and comfort with every pedal stroke.
Fizik
Four teams in the pro peloton are using Fizik saddles: EF Education-EasyPost, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale and Movistar.
Tadej Pogačar is now riding a Fizik saddle following the Italian brand’s takeover of sponsorship from Prologo, ending a partnership that lasted more than a decade with UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Pictured above is Pogačar’s 3D-printed Fizik Vento Argo 00 Adaptive saddle – a short-nose design that has “zonal cushioning comfort across the entire surface and full-carbon shell and rails to save weight without sacrificing support”.
The Vento Argo is a popular choice in the pro peloton. Ben Healy of EF Education–EasyPost, for example, uses the Vento Argo R1. Unlike Pogačar’s Adaptive model, this version is not 3D printed. It shares the same 265mm short-nose design and is available in 140mm or 150mm widths. The 140mm model has a claimed weight of just 179g.
Specialized
The Specialized-sponsored duo of Redbull Bora-Hansgrohe and Soudal Quick-Step are unsurprisingly seen using Specialized saddles.
The new 3D-printed S-Works Power with Mirror is one of the most popular choices, alongside the slightly longer-nosed S-Works Romin EVO with Mirror. Both of those incorporate a custom honeycomb structure for “superior support”, as well as lightweight FACT carbon shell and rails.
We also spotted this very fancy limited edition version of the S-Works Power EVO with Mirror at the Tour de France departe on the bike of a Soudal Quick-Step rider.
Not all Spesh-sponsored riders use the latest models, though. Primož Roglič’s bike is adorned with the tried and tested S-Works Phenom, and not the latest Mirror 3D-printed version either.
Even more interesting is Tim Merlier’s choice, a women-specific S-Works Phenom Mimic. Soudal–Quick-Step mechanics told our reporter on the ground that it had been a popular choice in years gone by, but Merlier is now the last rider still using it. If ever there was a prime example of how saddle choice is very personal and not about how it’s marketed, this is it.
Bontrager and Cadex
Teams that have a bike sponsor with a components arm are seen using that subsidiary’s saddles as well, and hence we see Lidl-Trek riders with Bontrager saddles and Team Jayco–AlUla sits on Cadex seats.
Earlier this year, Trek made its move into the 3D-printed saddle market, with Lidl-Trek riders seen using custom models. Although these saddles aren’t yet available online, Edward Theuns’s saddle pictured above appears to be a short-nosed, 3D-printed design branded Trek. Many riders opt for 3D-printed saddles because they often offer enhanced comfort through better pressure distribution.
Lastly we have Team Jayco–AlUla who ride Giant bikes with a full Cadex finishing kit. The Cadex Boost seen under riders such as Eddie Dunbar has a claimed weight of only 138g, and has an interesting “Integrated Rail Design and Particle Flow Padding” (essentially a fancy name for the padding), making it stand out a little from the other short-nosed saddles.
What makes for a good pro saddle in 2025?
From the above, we can draw quite a few conclusions on what the pros demand from their saddles. It comes as a no-brainer that comfort is a key aspect – but what that means depends on each rider’s position and personal preferences.
Most of the saddles in the pro peloton are top-of-the-range models, featuring the most advanced material technologies that keep the weight low and even add some aerodynamic advantages. Cutouts are present on most riders’ saddles to relieve pressure on the perineal area. Most riders also ride short-nosed saddles, but even these come in varying lengths ranging usually from about 240mm to 250mm in length.
When it comes to materials, the pros prefer a stiff saddle with often quite minimal and firm padding, with carbon rails and shells.
> How to avoid saddle pain and get comfortable on the bike
Whether you should follow the pros’ footsteps (or should we say, bum shapes) is up for debate. None of the above saddles are bad choices, but most of them cost more than £250. While they can shave grams from your setup, and look the part, you are likely going to be as comfortable on your non-carbon-railed saddle.
That said, it’s clear that saddle choice remains highly personal – what works for one rider may be completely wrong for another. Interestingly, we are seeing far fewer sponsor-unfriendly saddles in the pro peloton these days likely due to brands offering 3D-printed options, meaning most riders can now find something comfortable within their sponsors range.
4 thoughts on “What saddles are the pros using at the 2025 Tour de France? It’s 3D-printing and cutouts galore as we look at what the fastest riders are sitting on”
Saddle choice is personal, it
Saddle choice is personal, it should fit your pelvis shape..
I’ve spent years getting to where i am now.
Yes, saddle, shoes and even
Yes, saddle, shoes and even possibly helmets should be personal choice, not sponsor/team dictated.
I find it interesting that
I find it interesting that despite the claimed enhanced comfort of 3D printed saddles, they’re not as common as I’d think they’d be in the racing scene.
What’s seemingly ignored (as
What’s seemingly ignored (as far as I can tell) is saddle nose width. Sit bone width is old hat, but with a given saddle width, a wide (or narrow -er) ‘nose region’ greatly changes saddle feel. Presently very few saddles have ‘narrow nose’ regions. Also not in vogue are saddles with curved rear profiles.
Great article by the way. Thank you.