Groupama-FDJ has officially unveiled the team's new Wilier Filante SLR race bikes for the 2024 season.
The year 2023 saw the end of an era for the team after it brought its partnership with French brand Lapierre to a close after 22 long years, as was initially reported back in September.
Frame: Wilier Filante SLR
Handlebar: Wilier Zero Bar
Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9200
Wheels: Shimano Dura-Ace C60 tubular
Tires: Continental Competition Pro Ltd tubular
Saddle: Prologo Scratch M5
Bottle Cage: Elite Vico Carbon
Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace
Bar Tape: Prologo
Groupama-FDJ will be racing on Wilier Triestina bikes for 2024 and the team officially announced the new partnership with Wilier in line with the New Year on January 1. Alongside the Filante SLR road bikes, the team will use the Turbine SLR time trial bike, shown below. Wilier will also continue to sponsor Astana Qazaqstan who also race on the Filante SLR model.
The Groupama-FDJ bikes feature a unique paint scheme which we have covered in more detail below, but otherwise feature a build spec that is very similar to what the Lapierre bikes they raced on last year used, with Shimano groupsets and wheels, Continental tyres and Prologo saddles. This means at least some familiarity for the team's riders as they get to grips with their new frames.
The Filante SLR is Wiliers aero-influenced, lightweight-focused top-end race bike as is the current trend. And the usual suspects like dropped seat stays, Kamm tail (squared off) tube profiles and wider fork legs are all present.
The 2024 paint scheme is based on a white base colour with red and blue hatching in places. Customers can purchase a frame in the same team colour scheme for an €800 upgrade over the frame's retail price.
"The colour scheme is clearly a tribute to the team's colours and to the French flag," said Wilier's CEO and Product Manager, Michele Gastaldello. "However, we wanted to add a fresh touch, with a new decal type that introduces a faux weathered look to the graphics, in line with the fashion and clothing trends, if you will. The background colour is white. We have finally had the opportunity to dispel the false myth that a white based bike is heavier than the others. The Filante SLR as you see it, in its team configuration with pedals, bottle holder, 50mm profile wheels, bike computer, size M, weighs 7.2Kg. Not bad for an aero bike."
As mentioned, elsewhere the spec of the bike looks very similar to last season's setup for the team. Shimano continues to be the groupset and wheel supplier choice with the team sticking with Dura-Ace R9200 groupsets and wheels from the same range.
Interestingly these press shots show the team using Continental Competition Pro Ltd tubular tyres, now becoming rarer and rarer despite their excellent pedigree. The team lists GP5000 TT tyres in the press release so perhaps next year's wheels and tyres haven't arrived yet.
The off-season will mean riders setting up and becoming familiar with their new machines before racing them in anger, but the team's Tour de France GC hopeful, David Gaudu, says it didn't take long.
"There's always a certain amount of excitement when you discover a new bike," he began. "Even though we'd already had a first look at it in October, this time we've had 10 days to ride the bikes and get to know them. The first tests were really conclusive, I felt good on the bike straight away, I immediately found my position.
Wilier Turbine SLR TT bike
Groupama-FDJ will also race on the Wilier Turbine SLR time trial bike for this year. For time trial specialists like Stefan Küng, this will probably mean some work to set up and recreate his preferred time trial position on the new machine.
The Turbine SLR in its current form was rolled out at the 2022 Giro. It is a bike that balances aerodynamics up front with a weight saving via shallower tubes at the back. One presumes the previous Turbine (without the SLR suffix) will also remain available to the more out-and-out aero men such as Küng.
Notably, it doesn't appear from the first pictures that the time trial bike is receiving the white, blue and red colour scheme the Filante has.
