Castelli Thermosuit Ridden on Bike Radar

Castelli have a new “Onesee” Featured below is  Bike Radars first ride

Castelli have unveiled a cold weather version of their Sanremo Speedsuit called the  Thermosuit.

The “onesee” for the winter cyclist

They claim it provides the weight and aerodynamics of summer kit with the cold weather protection of winter clothing. It combines the benefits of the summer version such as the lack of restrictive bib straps with the thermoregulation of a one-piece suit.

To overcome the problem of heat build-up in a completely sealed suit, Castelli put a lot of time into choosing the right materials in the right places. The jacket’s front panel was developed with Gore, the makers of the Windstopper fabric, with the result being a lightweight, breathable, windproof and water-resistant material.

Its back is made from the fleecy Thermoflex Core Due built from hollow polyester fibres that trap warm air while wicking moisture to the outer layer. The same material is used for the tights and means they’re lighter and warmer than standard tights. Padding comes from the same chamois that’s found in the Speedsuit and Body Paint shorts, Progetto X2 Air.

The Thermosuit is available now priced £250/$349.99.

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Castelli sponsored Garmin Sharp Pulling out all the Stops for Tour de France TT

The final round in this years Tour de France before the finish in Paris. What will come out of this 53.5 km time trial on rather flattish terrain – all of which will be really tough?

Three weeks into the race, 53.5 km are a long way to go in a time trial. This is where the likes ofDavid Millar and David Zabriskie, of the Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda Team get to show their worth as true TT specialists. Both are among the few riders in the world who can turn big gears consistently over a long distance.

WHAT GARMINS SPEED SPECIALISTS WILL BE WEARING:
Everything that we have learned about cheating the wind has been poured into these products. Like our signature Body Paint bibshort, the BodyPaint Speed Suit is engineered around the same principle of using a single, seamless piece of fabric to construct the fastest and best-fitting time-trialing advantage possible.

The Aero Race Shoe Covers have been cut to reduce the drag around the shoe and lower ankle. Their cuffs come up quite high (to the bottom of the calf) in order to increase the aero benefits. At the rear an aero mesh insert has been added to aid in the separation of smooth air. The Aero Race glove is form fitting and long in the cuff for great aerodynamics on the part of your body that slices the wind first.

Ready for the race of truth: Tour Stage 19, Bonneval to Chartres: 53.5km Time Trial.

The Castelli, Team Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda casual collection on show at TdF

The Team Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda casual collection was on show on yesterdays second rest day at the 2012 Tour de France. The entire collection is available at Castelli Cafe

All riders want to look their best on and off the bike. The true individual off-bike style of a rider can be measured in those moments off the bike: at the press conference; at the team mechanics truck, during the stage transfer; in the café; or for looking classy in general.

Show the colors of your favorite team or dress in Castelli style.

The Team Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda casual collection will make you look good along the roads of the Tour. The 100% cotton Polo-Shirt looks to be an instant fan favorite in 2012. The full zip hooded sweatshirt is perfect for cool and dry summer night, while the awesome collectors item, the team Podium Cap, will make you look good and almost as happy as Peter Stetina with the podium girls.

In Castelli colors, the stylish Libero Casual Short stretch fabric accommodates big legs and small, moves well, sits well, travels well, and washes well. They can also be worn over tight-fitting cycling shorts as baggies. The Libero Shorts are long, almost to the knee. The fabric is joined with an elegant overstitch and hidden-seam construction.

Matching the Libero Short, the Veloce Polo is in the realm of semi-technical team wear. Every aspect of the top is influenced by cycling clothing. The cut of the top is slim, closer than a T-Shirt, but not a jersey. The fabric has enough stretch for comfort and then return; it will fit you at both your winter weight and your mid-summer race weight. The zip neck gives you the ability to precisely adjust your torso’s microclimate.

The fitted Veloce T-Shirt has the aesthetic elements to match the Veloce Polo and Libero short while the Podium Wool Cap will contain your post-ride helmet hair.

Castelli Cafe Man Bag Spotted at TREK Launch

Castelli Cafe bag at Treks launch party

New in; Baristas-(iL) Soigneur Team Jersey

Fresh in  Just Arrived at Castelli Cafe we have some very limited edition Baristas-(iL) Soigneur Team Jerseys. You might recognise the (iL) Soigneur name  they make some fantastic bags just down the road in Bristol

Baristas – (iL) Soigneur Team Jersey

Both Baristas Bristol and (iL) Soigneur have a shared passion for cycling, coffee, good food and of course cycle racing, so it was perfectly natural for us to start hosting rides throughout the year.

Revolving around the Classic’s and Grand Tours, on our rides we dose up on caffeine and bacon, ride a local Bristol route, and return to Baristas to watch the race or stage, eat, drink and make merry.

To help us bring this all together and to help us look sooo much more Pro, we’ve been working with StudioLobster and Saddleback (Castelli Clothing) to design a Team Baristas-(iL) Soigneur Jersey.

The original remit to StudioLobster was to make the design look amazing, to stand out from the crowd and regardless of your knowledge of Baristas – (iL)Soigneur you’d see the jersey as a great piece of design and want it for that.

I think we’ve achieved that by the bucket load and when combined with the Castelli heritage we have a great jersey.

Go to (iL) Soigneur site

Giro d’Italia into the last week

Wow…. Wow

What a weekend of racing in the cold wet mountains we had it all. More drama and more action that most races achieve in 3 weeks. I just love the Giro its the greatest race on earth, proper racing proper old school stage racing, where time gains can be massive and losses bigger still… So if you missed it shame on you… but heres what happened…. Watch the videos…

Stage 14

Stage 14 was wet and cold and hard , so wet the Garmin boys where wearing the Castelli Pocket liner Jacket. This was the  first of the high mountain stages and Ryde Hesjedal made a stunning move with 4 km’s to go chasing the break away on his own and leaving his GC rivals in his wake. “”I felt good. It felt easy when the guys were setting the tempo,” Hesjedal said to TV cameras after finishing. “When some guys started to accelerate a bit, I knew it eased off after 3km, and I figured I’d give it a go and test myself. I wasn’t really thinking of anything except putting in an effort and seeing how the other guys did.”

The stage went to breakaway rider Andrey Amador. But the real action took place further back as Liquigas set tempo up the climb slowly sheading all but the strongest riders. Hesjedals move was certainly unexpected and for him to leave, climbers of Bassos and (Pink Jersey) wearer Joaquim Rodriguez caliber wanting on the climb was a truely impressive achievment…

Giro d’Italia stage 14

Stage 15

Saw the most thrilling stage so far, another cold wet day in the high mountains saw Matteo Rabottini at the front of the race from the 18km mark. And despite falling he held off first the challenge of the Cunego led chase and when they where swallowed up Rodriguez mounted a massive attack catching and passing Matteo in the final few hundred meters, but the Italian held the Spaniards wheel and re-passed  him in the sprint, But Rodriguez could be content with knowing he had done enough to grab the leaders pink jersey back from Garmin’s Ryder Hesjedal.

Giro d’Italia stage 15

There is still a week left who knows how this Giro will end.. And still a week to get you free Garmin Barracuda cap from Castelli Cafe

Captain America in Yellow

US National time trial champion David Zabriske of the Garmin-Barracuda team  took the stage win and the  overall lead at the Amgen Tour of California with a great performance in the individual time trial in Bakersfield.

Zabriskie set a winning time of 35:59.21, in his Castelli  ‘Captain America’ skinsuit, while superstar veteran Jens Voigt of RadioShack-Nissan was next best just under half a minute back. Tejay van Garderen  of BMC was the best of the rest and fastest climber coming in third at 34 seconds A performance that moves him into second place overall.

If you want the best cycling performance wear,  for your team, and you want the same race winning technology as the Garmin Barracuda Team (and your in the UK)  check out Servizio Corse custom team wear.

And dont forget for the month of May Castelli Cafe is offering a free Garmin Barracuda cap on all orders over £60 (UK only)

Video of stage 5 Tour of California

Giro d’Italia stage 9

Spanish rider  Francisco Ventoso of the Movistar team was the main beneficiary from the final-corner crash which brought down Mark Cavendish and Matt Goss to win stage nine of the Giro 

Ventoso out sprinted Fabio Felline and  Giacomo Nizzolo, in yesterdays stage 9 sprint all 3 being in the right place at the right time as chaos ruled behind.

Italian Filippo Pozatto  ploughed into totally innocent  Matt Goss (leader of the points competition) going into the final bend. Both fell heavily, and those behind had no where to go. Mark Cavendish (who again look vulnerable with Sky unable to dictate the race in the final KM, crashed into the resulting carnage .

However Garmin-Barracuda rode strongly again to defend the maglia rosa worn by Canadian Ryder Hesjedal, who styed perfectly positioned and out of trouble to finish in seventh.

Earlier 2nd place on GC  Joaquin Rodriguez had tried an audacious late break to try and gain the stage win and the time bonus that would see him gain the converted pink jersey but his bid proved short lived and unsuccessful  .

More hills today so expect to see breaks and GC contenders at the front and the sprinters safely out of harms way at the back. Giro d’Italia stage 9

Dont forget you can claim a free Garmin Barracuda team cap with all orders over £60 at Castelli Cafe

Results
Giro d’Italia 2012, stage nine: San Giorgio nel Sannio to Frosinone, 171km
1. Francisco Ventoso (Spa) Movistar in 3-39-15
2. Fabio Felline (Ita) Androni-Giocattoli
3. Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) RadioShack-Nissan
4. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
5. Daniel Schorn (Aut) NetApp
6. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha
7. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Barracuda
8. Matthias Brandle (Aut) NetApp
9. Manuel Belletti (Ita) Ag2r-La Mondiale
10. Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge all at st.

Overall classification after stage nine
1. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Barracuda in 36-02-40
2. Joaqiun Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha at 9 sec
3. Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana at 15 sec
4. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana
5. Benat Intxausti (Spa) Movistar at 35 sec
6. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale at 40 sec
7. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale at 45 sec
8. Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 46 sec
9. Frank Schleck (Lux) RadioShack-Nissan at 48 sec
10. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale at at 52 sec

The Saddleback Fred Whitton Challenge

On Sunday (13th May) The best part of 2000 riders will be coming to my home county of Cumbria to ride the toughest Sportive in the country, The Saddleback Fred Whitton Challenge. So what awaits them.. Quite possibly the toughest sportive in the UK over a gruelling 112 mile course, climbing in excess of 4000m with gradients over 30%. Oh and its probably going to rain. In 2011 we had rain sleet hail and warm sunshine, so what do you wear?

Castelli make performance cycling clothing for Team Garmin Barracuda currently dominating the Giro d’Italia and they know a thing or too about fabrics cut and optimising both.

So what to wear then, cool windy wet then warm serious climbing scary descents.. It has to be the Gabba Jersey a windproof water resistant short sleeve jersey that the Garmin team use for cold wet races, Team it up with a Bodypaint Bib Short with the ProgettoX2 pad for all day comfort second to non. Throw in some NanoFlex warmers for warmth and water resistance and your all good to go what ever the weather throws at you. Oh you may want to take a shell jacket something like the Castelli Sottile just in case your stranded oh the weather really turns. Castelli Gabba 

Good luck to all who are entering dress well and stay safe I will be in a one of the support vechiles again this year so give me a wave as you ride past.

Will we see 6 hours beaten this year?

Garmin Barracuda Win Stage 4 TTT in Giro d’Italia

Garmin-Barracuda swept to victory on the 33,2km Team Time Trial course in Verona in 37 minutes, 04 seconds to claim the teams first stage win and the leaders jersey for Ramunas Navardauskas at the Italian tour.

Creating clothing for athletes at the highest level of the sport is the most demanding proving ground for Castelli. The BodyPaint SpeedSuit has been going through a lot of new updates, especially in terms of the fit and new ’slippery’ aero fabrics. With the help from the pro’s, it has been possible to make the fastest SpeedSuit in the pro peloton even faster. Now, you can profit from the same aero advantage as team Garmin-Barracuda. Just go to the Servizio-Corse page of Castelli Cafe to find out how.

And don’t forget to celebrate the Giro every UK order over £60 gets a free Garmin-Barracuda team cap just use code GIRO at the checkout.

Some of the above content was first published on the Castelli blog page.

http://blog.castelli-cycling.com/2012/05/09/garmin-powers-to-victory-and-giro-leaders-jersey/