TOP 5: cycling watches saddle up

For several years now, watch brands have invested in cycling – as official timekeepers, sponsors of athletes and teams, but also as a source of inspiration for watchmaking creativity. Cycling watches that have more than one trick (of the pedal) up their sleeve and are worn as much by accomplished athletes as by wannabes. The choice is as technical as it is stylish, two major attributes of this sport. My selection is tinged with colors, adrenaline and elegance – a quality that applies so well to road cycling, its bikes and its streamlined calves.

The most embodied: Breitling Top Time B01 Fausto Coppi

Breitling’s Top Time Cycling editions are dedicated to legends of the discipline. Choosing a favorite among them is impossible: Eddy Merckx, Fausto Coppi, Gino Bartali, these champions beyond competition no longer suffer from rivalry, even if they were rivals in their time. However, out of love for turquoise (the pink of the Giro will come in future selections) and for my Italian origins, I opt for the Top Time B01 Fausto Coppi. The watch stands out from the ordinary, just like the extraordinary cyclist it celebrates. Nicknamed l’Airone, the heron, because of his slender physique and long legs, he pedaled with fluidity and lightness, a true gazelle of the asphalt. And his look was worth the detour: Bianchi white and sky-blue jersey, matching bicycle, small black shoes, white socks, impeccable hairstyle and dark sunglasses. For this “Campionissimo,” who was already a Breitling ambassador at the time, a “monstrissime” was required! Breitling materializes it here, all freshness and sporting distinction, striped by an orange lightning-shaped seconds’ hand. As its mechanical engine, its manufacture 01 caliber has been certified as a chronometer by the COSC.

The most high-performance: Richard Mille RM64-01 Manual Winding Tourbillon Colnago

In cycling, white takes on a very particular elegance. On the roads, athletes willingly wear immaculate socks and shoes – the atmosphere is a long way from mountain biking or muddy, dusty downhill. With its shades of white, blue and gold, Richard Mille’s new RM 64-01 Tourbillon Colnago interprets the codes of the Italian manufacturer and more specifically those of C68 bicycles. The structure of the RM64-01 caliber is inspired by Cambiaghesi frames – minimalist, light and transparent: the 274 components are visible, a spectacle capable of providing champions under pressure with a restorative moment of meditation. The layout recalls that of a bike’s drivetrain: the barrel is positioned opposite the tourbillon, off-center at 7 o’clock. Every detail breathes the precision of competition mechanics: watchmaking and cycling seem to merge on the wrist, what a spectacle! And one transforms into a pure racing machine.

The most exciting: Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono Pink

Its carbon case recalls racing bicycle frames – light and resistant, enough to speed along the roads. Entirely black, it features matte finishes that absorb light. With touches of pink, the contrasts and legibility are sporty to perfection. The color brings out the spiral tachymetric scale on the rehaut – calibrated to a cyclist’s speed rather than a car’s – and the chronograph counters. Offered in a limited edition of 300 pieces, this shade of course refers to the jersey worn by the leader of the Giro d’Italia. A legitimate execution since Tudor has served as the official timekeeper of this Grand Tour since 2023. The brand also competes there as the main partner of the team formed by Swiss rider Fabio Cancellara (formerly Swiss Pro Team, founded in 2018 and holding a pro license since 2023). A watch spiced with pink to inspire dreams of speed on the splendid Italian roads.

Elegant and realistic: Tissot PR 100 cycling edition in 34 and 40 mm

Here is a perfect watch for those who like to sweat in moderation and therefore approach their performances with a certain pragmatism. With its textile strap and its streamlined look in shades of beige, it is clearly not made for getting your hands dirty putting a chain back on the right track but for exuding sport-chic. Tissot plays here with cycling design elements: the pattern engraved on the dial recalls bicycle chain links. Yet this PR100 can transform into an instrument thanks to the pulsometric scale on its rehaut, capable of measuring the frantic beating of the heart during a sprint <3. For those who idealize their performances more (or have a better level), the very racy Tissot x Pinarello advantageously takes over. This exclusive collaboration comes in a few watches and a few bicycles (barely a hundred) with carbon and aerodynamic lines taking pride of place.

The most detailed: Bravur Pioneer Corsa Rosa

Among the watchmaking community, this chronograph wins all the votes. Extremely well proportioned, elegant but never boring (the magic of Swedish design), it intelligently plays with different surfaces, colors and cycling references. The dial recalls the texture of asphalt, the very surface on which no cyclist wants to graze their knees and stain their white socks. The different shades of pink on the counters add that particularly delightful touch that once again recalls the Giro d’Italia – a color that contrasts wonderfully with a touch of technicality. Multiple details, perfectly integrated, spice up the dial – from kilometer-marker-style hour markers to an upside-down 13—, as riders wear this number to ward off bad luck, as well as judiciously placed touches of pink. As for the case, its compact dimensions make it a particularly well-crafted object on the wrist.