Rui Oliveira: Y1Rs, the Aero Bike That Doesn’t Fear the Climb

Among the most dedicated users of the Y1Rs within the UAE Emirates XRG team is Portuguese rider Rui Oliveira. A versatile rouleur-climber with a sharp sprint and a world-class track pedigree—he clinched Olympic gold in the Madison at the last Games in Paris—Oliveira wouldn’t hesitate to take the Y1Rs even into the hills.

In your role within the team, when do you find the Y1Rs to be most effective?

Definitely on flat terrain. When you're leading the bunch and doing long pulls at the front, every bit of assistance matters. With the Y1Rs, I can take longer turns at the front while pushing fewer watts. I personally feel noticeably less fatigue at certain speeds. And when you’re nestled inside the peloton, the bike helps you recover more efficiently—it rolls incredibly smoothly. So yes, it’s a huge advantage both when you’re pulling and when you’re sitting in.

What kind of terrain or race profile do you think brings out the best in this bike?

I think this bike really shows its strengths on rolling or flat courses—routes with constant ups and downs. But it’s on the flats where it’s almost mind-blowing: once you’re over 45 km/h, you feel it begin to glide, almost as if it’s floating. The aerodynamics kick in, and it suddenly feels like hitting high speeds takes way less effort. Personally, I find it performs very well even on moderately steep climbs.

Can you be more specific? What kind of gradients are we talking about?

I’d say up to 7 or 8 percent gradients, I don’t feel at a disadvantage compared to a pure climbing bike. Even on steeper pitches, if they’re short—say 5 to 10 minutes long—it still makes sense to use it. You know you’ll recover faster on the descent and in the fast sections afterwards, thanks to how aerodynamically efficient it is.

If you had to describe your Y1Rs in three words, which would you choose—and why?

Stiff, fast, and powerful. It’s stiff because it transfers power efficiently without any flex. Fast, thanks to its aero profile and smooth rolling. And powerful because it makes you feel like every watt you put into the pedals turns into speed—no losses, just forward momentum.