HTC and Specialized

HTC have bagged the most wins on both the Women's and Men's Team over the last few years. As a Team they have really been dominant in areas where other Teams seem to have recieved much of the praise, but in reality the wins have gone to the squad in Yellow and White. ark Cavendish gets much of thelimelight, but in reality they are a Team that wins on many fronts and have some really fantastic riders in their ranks (both men's and women's Teams) with names like Eisel, Pinotti, Martin, Arndt, Fahlin and Van Garderen all springing to mind.

I can't help wishing the Team the best of success for the coming season and I really applaud them on providing both a top level Men's and Women's squad when many sponsors would look for a cheaper financial solution. Specialized have a Team which will give them the greatest depth of wins this year, and will no doubt help the brand take their products to the next level again.

 

http://www.highroadsports.com/

http://www.tdwsport.com/

http://iamspecialized.com/road/team/htc-highroad

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Cav's Tour of Flanders Set Up

Short little video today, Cav being a little bit of a bike geek. This makes me like him a little bit more, and it also makes me realise that he loves riding his bike, and I think that translates well into his riding.

TDW Sport

 

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Saxo Bank, the Jersey (and a little about the shorts)

I managed to get some pictures of the new Team Jersey, nice isn't it. Although the graphics are familiar I like it, but it is the fabric and cut that lies beneath the sponsors billboard that is really firing me up. Aero has been a buzz word on bikes for a few years and in the last 12-18 months has also been applied to kits. Timetrailing skin suits have had lots of new wind cheating technology thrown at them in recent years with Teams spending time in the windtunnel to gain precious seconds.

Now what used to be a regular road jersey and shorts have had the same process applied to them. There maybe some argument over who created it but I think that Castelli rightly earns that badge. The energy saved by applying science to the clothing benefits the rider by shaving 10 watts (at 40kmph) compared to a traditional jersey. The attention to detail is massive and all angles have been thought about. The shorts look amazing as there are no seams facing into the wind (in a frontal direction) and have been moved out of the way to the back of the garment. This must be an expensive process as the cutting of the panels must be more complicated. Dual fabrics have been used here, a tough (as in as tough as Cordura) but soft fabric has been used for the seating area. The outside edge of the shorts uses a material which mimics the benefits of a golf balls indentations. The pad itself is a completely new item which looks flat to the eye and the top section is. The riders wanted a pad that had no moulding or ridges, but with Sportfuls knowledge they knew that the pad had to be multi density to other the riders the best solution while riding in different positions. I am sure at some point in the Spring of 2011 we will see this filter through to the stand alone collection.

The jerseys employs similar fabrics, although looking the same the hexagon 'golf ball' fabric is around 30% lighter that the similar looking material used on the shorts. Again each point has been looked at to take into account where seams should be placed and how to maximise aerodynamics but at the same time to ensure that comfort has been retained. This comfort comes from the fabrics which on the Aero Jersey has up to 400% stretch in certain panels, so aiding comfort by not being restrictive in the way a rider moves on a bike.

Do Aero jerseys work? The test data backs this up but how does that translate into the real world. This would be a massive benefit in any race but those longer races over 200km as the extra energy could be used in the finish. Thor Husvold has never got over the Poggio in such a good position, and although many willl remember the dramtic finish between Mark and Heinrich, what should also be taken into account is that Thor finished third. What doesn't bear thinking (well at least for the competition) is if Cavendish was actually using an Aero Jersey. But most of all if you think about the power houses on Saxo Bank like Cancellara, Voight etc what damage are those guys going to do with an extra 10 watts for free? The mind boggles, roll on March.

Now the Dust has settled

It has been a few weeks since the Tour de France has finished. I have had time to take stock of it and here are my ramblings.

This year I have enjoyed the Tour more than any other since 2003. Of course other Tours will always have a favoured status but looking back this years Tour was great for one reason alone. The battle for the Green Jersey. So often called the "Sprinters Jersey', it really is the jersey that rewards consistency, courage and great tactics.



As an Englishman many would be expecting me to be waving the flag for Cav. Don't get me wrong, he is truly an awesome athlete (and I expect him to win it next year), my heart was yearning for a Thor win. As both athletes are great proponents of 'clean cycling', this for me was the battle that I could sit back and enjoy without those nagging questions that sometimes surrounds the GC riders.

Stage 17 produced a day that will go down in Green Jersey history. The words that a impassioned and frustrated Cavendish spoke fueled Hushovd's fire to create an epic day in the saddle. I bet that Cav wishes that he hadn't said that the 'Green jersey was tarnished'. Those words mixed with equal doses of pride helped create one of the most memorable sights at this years Tour.



A footnote has to go to Wiggin's, another great proponent of 'clean' cycling. He finished fourth which was as an amazing feat as Armstrong's first win. He has transformed himself from one of the world's greatest Track riders to a genuine Tour contender. I've met him once and he strikes me as a nice guy and I do hope he take's one of cyclings greatest prizes.



This Tour has shown that riding clean can produce the most exciting racing, be that in the sprints or the mountains. It gives this jaded fan hope for the future. I am sure PED's will always be there, but lets hope that it's use is in a smaller minority and our sport can hold it's head high.