Rapha has unveiled its latest bike apparel with the new men’s and women’s Pro Team Crit Jersey and Pro Team Gravel Jersey. The crit-racing jersey is designed for minimum drag and zero distractions; while the gravel apparel offers rapid cooling and plentiful pocket space, all at race pace.
Pro Team Crit Jersey
Rapha notes that, more than any other form of racing, criteriums or crits are made for crowds and team racing. In the case of the new Pro Team Crit Jersey, Rapha’s development process was taken with one team in mind: L39ION of Los Angeles, for whom Rapha is a sponsor and designer.
“We had the Aero Jersey,” says Harry Osborne, the new Crit Jersey designer. “But we wanted to elevate it one step further and really target the high intensity of crit racing where muscle support, moisture management and aerodynamics are all really important.
“It was all about creating the fastest possible jersey for this very specific type of racing.”
With an RRP of £200 / €240 / US$275, the new crit-focused jersey is available from June 9th. It is made for speed with aerodynamic fabrics placed strategically on the upper body to improve airflow and reduce drag. All seams are bonded and routed away from key aero zones; and the seamless rear pocket construction sits flush against the body to minimise turbulence.
Pro Team Gravel Jersey
In the US particularly, Rapha notes that road racing has been in decline, replaced by the emergence of endurance gravel racing.
‘And with the shift away from the old centre-ground has come to a shift in elite-level racewear.’
Rapha designer Harry Osborn said “When we created the Pro Team Powerweave Bib Shorts we realised that woven fabrics work extremely well.
“They allow us to take a lighter textile but still create a compressive ‘race’ fit. There was an obvious opportunity to apply what we’d learned to our jerseys, and specifically address some of the issues faced by our gravel athletes.”
The new Pro Team Gravel Jersey was created to deliver self-sufficiency and extra ventilation, all at race pace. “Athletes wanted to be able to store everything – nutrition, tools, even tubeless repair kits – in a jersey that is aerodynamic but can be unzipped for added ventilation when racing on the hottest days.”
Across the shoulders, the new gravel jersey features an aerodynamic panel construction similar to that of the Crit Jersey. But to the front of the jersey, the priority is breathability. Lightweight, air-permeable fabrics here and under the arm promote cooling airflow for efficient temperature regulation in the heat.
As well as aiding pocket stability, the lightweight woven fabric used on the gravel jersey’s back panel offers a high degree of UV protection.
The new gravel-focused jersey is available from June 21st, with an RRP of £200 / €240 / US$275.
