Team Picnic-PostNL is debuting a new still-to-be-released Michelin Power Cup S race tyre at stage one of the Tour Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes. The new tyres were revealed fitted to bikes ahead of stage one, with a new S moniker setting them apart on the tyre sidewall. More meaningfully in performance terms, a team mechanic confirmed to BikeRadar that the tyre is faster than the current Power Cup Competition TLR tyre, featuring a smoother compound down the centre of the tyre for lower rolling resistance, and a gripper compound on the shoulders. The new tyre has a remodelled tread, and according to the Picnic PostNL team, new compound and casing layouts. Ashley Quinlan / Our Media The tread has also been slightly modified, which could help to improve aerodynamics as well as grip. Under the skin, the mechanic also said the construction has been tweaked, although they wouldnt confirm to what end. The current Michelin Power Cup Competition TLR tyre has a 3x120 TPI (threads-per-inch) casing, but its not beyond the realms of possibility that Michelin may have upped the thread count to improve suppleness. A material change is also not out of the question, with high TPI cotton casings used by both Vittoria and Specialized in their racing tyres, and Michelin may also have shed a layer in a similar manner to how Continental makes its GP5000 TT TR tyre compared to the S TR all-round race tyre. Not TT-specific? The team is said to be hard at work on a new time trial-specific tyre, which they hope will be ready for stage one of the 2026 Tour de France, a team time trial. Ashley Quinlan / Our Media While visiting the team before the race, we spotted the teams time trial bike still fitted with blanked out Vittoria tyres (close inspection revealed these to be Corsa Pro Speed tyres). The team confirmed that it is working with Michelin on a new time trial specific tyre, but that a reveal date was still to be confirmed. Of course, the team could be playing possum and well see that tyre (or even the Power Cup S tyre) on the bikes come Tuesdays team time trial. If it isnt ready for then, its likely the brand and team are pushing to have it ready for the opening stage of the Tour de France in Barcelona, which is also a team time trial.