The men and women of Cervélo TestTeam will be riding in a new kit this summer, starting with the upcoming Tour de France 2009 and the Giro d’Italia for Women.
The revised jersey and shorts, made by Castelli, are the same as the original version only with a colour reversal between the iconic black and white team colouring – with white becoming the main colour on the new kit.
“We made the design change because racing during the hot summer temperatures that are normal in Europe is hard on the riders,” said Thomas Campana, Cervélo TestTeam Managing Director. “The lighter colour will provide some relief from the heat. All modifications to team kit design must be approved by the UCI and we appreciate their prompt attention in this matter.”
“Racing in hot weather is physically demanding, that’s a given,” added Steve Smith at Castelli Products. “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. UCI agreed that the rider’s health is paramount, and so we instituted the change.”
The colour is not the only change for the jersey, as Smith noted, “The team is also debuting an updated Aero Race Jersey pattern that features new construction and fabrics around the arm and shoulder making it even more aerodynamic. With over 3 years of development and wind tunnel testing, this jersey saves 10 watts compared to standard race jerseys.”
Meanwhile, Cervélo is celebrating the TestTeam’s Tour de France appearance with two limited edition bike models, the S3 and the R3SL. The S3 is the same frame the team will ride in this year’s Tour. Using an hourglass shaped headtube, the frame weighs in at less than 1000g.
