Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Back to news
news
Garmin-Cervélo unveil limited edition Tour de France kitGarmin TDF kit.jpg

Garmin-Cervélo unveil limited edition Tour de France kit

White replaces black and there's plenty of argyle on show. Needless to say, we like it...
by Simon_MacMichael
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 09:46
15

Garmin-Cervélo has unveiled a one-off kit for the Tour de France that repeats the approach taken by Cervélo TestTeam in previous years of reversing the standard kit’s black and white, although this time of course there is added argyle. Needless to say, we’re fans of that last detail here at road.cc.

Coming just a week after Team Sky revealed their own black and green Rainforest Rescue kit, there’s now no chance whatsoever of fans confusing the two teams over the next three weeks.

“We’re really excited about the Tour de France kit,” said Jonathan Vaughters, CEO of Slipstream Sports and Director Sportif, of Garmin-Cervélo. “The lighter color is perfect for hot weather and our signature argyle is more prominent.”

The limited edition kit, which will go on sale early next month, is made by Castelli, which previously supplied Cervélo TestTeam with its own one-off kits for cycling’s biggest race.

“We consider the Tour de France a very special event that deserves a special design,” explained Steve Smith, Castelli Brand Manager.

“This team is rider-centric, and Castelli has done its part to make sure the riders have the most comfortable and technically advanced clothing for this big event,” he continued.

“Racing in hot weather is physically demanding, that’s a given, and despite the fact that Castelli makes some of the lightest and coolest fabrics in existence, wearing a lighter colour will make a big difference, both psychologically and physically, to a rider’s well being,” he added.

Meanwhile the Castelli Speed Research Unit has introduced what it claims to be the first skinsuit for road racing, although Team Sky among others may say that they got there first, with riders sporting one-piece suits as far back as its debut in the Tour Down Under last year.

There’s also a new “nearly seamless” Body Paint TT Speedsuit which is said to “cut through the wind better than almost any other suit ever created,” while in mountain stages, Garmin-Cervélo’s riders will sport “an unbelievably lightweight jersey that virtually absorb no moisture so the weight savings multiply in the most extreme conditions.”
 

Garmin-Cervélo
Tour de France
Tour de France 2011
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

Add new comment

15 comments

Avatar
Tony Farrelly | 12 years ago
0 likes

Can't see the ugliness of the S5 myself… ugly til it starts winning I'd say - like the Arione saddle.

As for the skinsuit, surely the skinsuit might stay light if it absorbs no moisture but the all up weight of rider and skinsuit is going to be the same. Indeed surely letting the suit absorb sweat and then help it evaporate fast would reduce the total weight of rider and suit. Whereas locking the moisture in simply keeps the weight static and makes the rider more uncofortable… best case scenario it all runs down his legs and collects in his shoes 1

As for the return to Argyle they should have put some of that yukky orange in it… then it wouldn't have looked similar to ours. The Garmin tech lorry looks like a giant road.cc sticker, but saying Garmin Cervelo on it obviously.

Avatar
handlebarcam replied to Tony Farrelly | 12 years ago
0 likes
tony_farrelly wrote:

[L]ocking the moisture in simply keeps the weight static and makes the rider more uncofortable… best case scenario it all runs down his legs and collects in his shoes

I think you've hit on the reason for that second crash on the run in to the Stage 1 finish, the one that stopped Bradley and young Andrew Schleck. Someone must have prodded a Garmin rider, burst his non-absorbant, boil-in-the-bag kit, and caused a torrential flood to run back down the slope.

Avatar
WolfieSmith | 12 years ago
0 likes

Are you all deranged? My appeals to a sense of good taste have obviously fallen on deaf ears. If you all want to puff around the countryside like 21st century Bertie Woosters then go ahead. Wait until you get the sportive photos back and realise that even a skinny pro couldn't really carry off Argle patterned lycra!

Avatar
Simon_MacMichael | 12 years ago
0 likes

Kev, as we say in the article it's going on sale "early nex.." [checks calendar] early this month 16

Avatar
Karbon Kev | 12 years ago
0 likes

Very nice, very distinct and clean. Lovely, hopefully will be made public during or after the tour ...

Avatar
Cooks | 12 years ago
0 likes

I like it. So much so that I've already been on ebay looking for a cheap chinese knock off version.

Avatar
farrell replied to Cooks | 12 years ago
0 likes
Cooks wrote:

I like it. So much so that I've already been on ebay looking for a cheap chinese knock off version.

I'm thinking the same, was hoping to pick up the full knock off version with bib shorts for £30!

Avatar
WolfieSmith | 12 years ago
0 likes

Not sure about this return to argyle again. Might wear socks like it for a laugh... I have an old Alfa Lum shirt in red and white hoops (stripes are vertical) and it looks mighty fine. It would be great to see a few more tasteful patterns make a return. Sorry to criticise argyle - especially to Road.CC but to misquote the old song - "They've got it plaid - and that aint good.." : )

Avatar
Simon E | 12 years ago
0 likes

"an unbelievably lightweight jersey that virtually absorb no moisture"

If it sounds too good to be true....

I also think that phrase is wrong on two counts - it should say "that absorbs virtually" but in my experience rress peleases aren't often written by intelligent, well-educated people with a good grasp of the language they are writing in.

Avatar
farrell replied to Simon E | 12 years ago
0 likes

No, I think they are correct in their useage of "virtually absorbs", I'm sure in some test on a computer it absorbed no moisture. The reality is probably something different.

Avatar
KirinChris replied to Simon E | 12 years ago
0 likes

Syntax notwithstanding surely it is not A Good Thing to absorb virtually or virtually absorb NO moisture.

I thought the whole point was that the materials draw the moisture away from the skin (which seems to me to count as absorbing) and then allow it to evaporate.

Plastic cling film would absorb virtually no moisture but I'm not sure I would like a jersey made out of it.

Mind you, given the choice between being wrapped in plastic and wearing that Garmin jersey I'd say... pass the cling film.

Good match for the S5 though - I sense the design theme running through both. Pig ugly.

Avatar
rcs500 | 12 years ago
0 likes

Please tell me the shorts will still be black...

Avatar
dave atkinson | 12 years ago
0 likes

new fantasy icon: check!

Avatar
handlebarcam | 12 years ago
0 likes
Quote:

n mountain stages, Garmin-Cervélo’s riders will sport "an unbelievably lightweight jersey that virtually absorb no moisture so the weight savings multiply in the most extreme conditions."

That's all very well, until a small child cries out, "But they aren't wearing anything at all!"

Avatar
farrell | 12 years ago
0 likes

Its up there with the AG2R kit, but there are some ludicrously ugly kits in this years tour. Liquigas and Astana, I'm looking at you.

Latest Comments