Rapha has launched its new Pro Team Ghost range. According to the cycling apparel brand this is… ‘a radical new capsule of Pro Team designs made for extreme heat. Weightless construction and advanced thermoregulation that cools body, engine and mind.’
The new range consists of Pro Team Ghost Jersey, Bib Shorts and the Ghost Suit.
Pro Team is Rapha’s most progressive racing and training wear, built and tested in collaboration with world-class athletes and material specialists. The Ghost Suit is currently being used in France by riders of EF Education-EasyPost.
As EF Education-EasyPost Sports Director Tom Southam describes, the peak of the racing season at the Tour is a real pressure cooker: “July in France, it’s hot as hell. And the racing is even more intense.
Southam continued, “There’s less space for riders to cool down – both physically and mentally. If you’re packed tightly in a bunch all day, it’s an added stressor. Everything around is just radiating heat. The side of the road is packed with hot people, the tarmac’s baking. There’s cars everywhere, there’s helicopters. It’s intense.”
Rapha notes that, as average temperatures rise year on year, teams fight to ensure riders are hydrated and kept as cool as possible. Many athletes use ice vests before stage starts, and ice is often distributed by team cars to regulate body temperature, if even for a moment’s relief from the heat.
Harry Osborn, Rapha Design Director, said “In today’s racing environment, riders face intense physical and mental challenges. Maintaining an optimal core body temperature is a critical factor in performance.
“Recognising this, we’ve developed Ghost – a range engineered with advanced textiles and construction techniques that aid cooling. This innovation offers a genuine competitive edge.”
Rapha’s product team trialled a range of prototype material technologies on athletes in the climate chamber. Performing FTP (functional threshold power) tests within a 48°C heat index, using an existing Rapha jersey as the benchmark, the materials team settled on a fabric that not only increased heat loss and airflow, but also felt lighter to the wearer.
Anne Weir, Rapha’s Senior Materials Developer, said “Ghost’s material technology has better breathability and air permeability from the outset, because of the way it’s woven.
“The open weave structure and advanced elastomer yarn maintains air flow, even when wet. The fabric also stretches with less force, enabling it to move with the body very naturally.”
It was then up to Rapha’s in-house design team to create an ultralight pattern. By reducing the number of panels both comfort and fabric integrity was increased. The skinsuit upper jersey section is built from one piece of fabric. Additionally, where there are seams or darts, they are reverse stitched – meaning they’re on the outside of the garment, reducing irritation.
Sam Towner, Head of Rapha Atelier said “The way that we’ve created the second skin feeling is to have an even distribution throughout. We’ve equalised the whole thing to sit the same everywhere. Again this makes it feel lighter, more intuitive. In fact, you don’t really feel it’s on.”
Key features include:
- Airflow – Lightest, thinnest woven fabric Rapha has used for advanced breathability, even when wet
- Second skin comfort – Material technology with 360° stretch for absolute movement and direct-to-skin contact for evaporative cooling
- Construction – Fewer panels and stitchlines for weightless feel, structure and equalised compression
- Heat optimised – Leading material technology provides advanced airflow and evaporation, even when wet
- Weightless feel – Ultra light and thin fabric with unrestricted compression and movement
