A Weekend with Sportful

Seven months working for C3 Products, UK distributor of Sportful, it's no time at all..... I would compare those 7 months to the first season of a neo pro, you're still figuring things out, everything is new, everything exciting. Like every job it has its good days and not so good.

But for one memory packed weekend in May, it was spectacular and for that reason I’d like to share a few highlights, with you. A weekend in Fonzaso, Italy, home of Sportful.

Fast forward to the moment when I get handed my kit bag, its waiting in the hotel room, my name attached (that's pretty PRO in my books - Rich). Like the first training camp of the season, I find myself in the enviable position of being issued with a full set of Saxo Bank kit, we’re talking gillet through to track mitts!! Lack of ability, somewhat quashed childhood dreams of being the next Maurizio Fondriest but I can assure you, at that precise moment I felt like I’d just signed a contract with Bjarne Riis!

Fast forward to the first espresso, a mere 20km into the bike ride and we’re stopping for coffee, this is Italy and who am I to argue. The sun is out, everyone is in good spirits. Steve Smith (Sportful brand manager), a man who can recall all the names in the pro peloton, translates the Gazzetta, it sure makes up for not reading Cyclingnews that morning! 

Photo above - Wanabe Saxo Bank Pro with Steve Smith (Sportful Brand Manager)

Fast forward to the moment when I’m riding one of my favorite climbs, the Monte Grappa. A climb that has the perfect ingredients, the perfect blend of gradients, tunnels, sweeping bends and incredible views. But its not the geographical features of this climb that make it special this morning. Complete contentment, sore legs aside, I was perfectly happy to be there. Who’d have thought you’d have to go up a mountain to find that?

Photo above - The Monte Grappa - is that not the most perfect piece of road?

Fast forward to the Zonchalon, close to 7hrs have passed since we left the coach, a roadside lunch has been consumed, laughs have been had, hawds of cycling fans have passed. The wall which was comfortable only a few hours ago is killing us, shifting to find a position thats comfortable, when we know there isn’t one. The rotor blades of the helicopters are getting louder, the noise of the crowd below is audible. The front group passes, Basso, Evans, Scarponi!!! Not a single rider goes by without some kind of encouragement. Then all of a sudden Neil (C3 Products boss) spots Daniel Lloyd (Cervelo) the people around us think we’re crazy, our shouts of encouragement to Basso and Evans were subdued in comparison! Despite the steep gradient, Dan is seated, upper body motionless, as he shares the pace with Nicki Sorenson (Saxo Bank ). He is about to pass us, when he says, and I quote “....I’d love to stop and talk but I'm kinda busy...”

I’m sorry but how good is that! To see your mate racing the Giro and the fact he takes the time out to say hello, on a 22% gradient!!! 

Photo Above - Cervelo Test Team Pro, Daniel Lloyd. Picture was taken on the Monte Grappa. Too busy to take a photo on the Zonchalon!

Fast forward to the Monday night, a day of checking out the summer 2011 Spring / Summer line has left us excited for next year but somewhat overloaded with information. We sit in a great big restaurant, surrounded by other distributors, friends of Sportful. Our Italian is poor but the encouragement and effort made by the employees of Sportful mean we’re not left out. Perhaps too much Prosecco has been consumed but I sit back from the conversation and pause for a moment. Imagine working for a company where the people are passionate about product, what they’re doing and most importantly cycling. Is every company in the bike industry like this?

A Special thanks to Mike Cotty for the photos - much appreciated mate! (If you were going for a bike ride with Mike Cotty, wouldn't you want every reason and excuse to slow the guy down?)

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.

Sportful Saxo Bank Team Kit

I have just had the new Saxo Bank kit explained to me. My impression is just Wow. Since the introduction of the Cervelo Test Team the Aero Jerseys and shorts and the rest of the investment they have made has changed the way they are percieved and what riders now what from their kit.

Seeing the new Saxo kit it the level has been raised again. The fabrics and cut have taken the advantage to a new level. The difference between a regular jersey and an aero jersey is worth about 10 watts at 40kmh. In a sport where every second counts and marginal differences make a huge difference over 8 hours or 3 weeks this is not only an advantage in myth, but in reality.

Will you want some, absolutely cycling clothing is now as technical as the bikes the riders are riding.

When does the racing start again?