The Cervélo team leader is preparing intensely despite the harsh wintery conditions in Ávila.
For Carlos Sastre the cold is no reason for staying at home. Nor the rain. Nor the snow. “We are used to going out training in these temperatures, although the winter this year is particularly harsh. But all the same, the hams will cure well in these temperatures and I hope that they will also be good for my legs”, said the Cervélo TestTeam leader.
“I am going out on four-hour rides and some days I’m doing six hours with temperatures that at times reach below zero. I also have increasingly less fat to protect me from the cold. Luckily, the clothes we use protect us quite well and keep the body heat inside”, he added.
One of the favorite pieces is the highly breathable and anatomic Windstopper jacket. The Windstopper® Corsa fabric protect’s the rider with 100% wind protection, effective protection against rain, and breathability that is up to 10 times higher than competing windproof fabrics. Other cool features are the high collar and extra long sleeves, plus the YKK Vislon® zipper which makes it easy to open and close the jacket with a gloved hand.
Brett Lancaster : Back from a cold and very windy ride, the sun was out and 5 degrees. New Castelli windstopper winter jacket was awesome!
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Kirsten Wild snatches overall victory at the Ladies Tour of Qatar, and provides Cervélo TestTeam with their first victory in 2010.
Cervélo TestTeam sprinter Kirsten Wild won the last stage of the Tour of Qatar today, snatching overall victory from Giorgia Bronzini (Italy) by four seconds to take a second consecutive win in the short stage race in the Persian Gulf.
“It was a pretty exciting day today,” said Kirsten Wild. “We started with 4 seconds behind leader Bronzini and I was able to close that gap by 1 second in the intermediate sprints. Then I knew that it all depended on the last sprint. My teammates did an incredible good job in the final. They brought me into the perfect position and I was able to win the sprint.”
“This was a great team effort and a perfect start for the 2010 season. I came through the winter well and with this team we are really confident about the season ahead. Tomorrow we travel to Portugal to prepare ourselves for the classics season that begin on February 28 with the Omloop het Nieuwsblad.”
More information: Cervélo TestTeam Photo: © TDWsport.com
Both the men and women of Cervélo TestTeam officially begin racing this week. The men’s team will start with the French five-day stage race Étoile de Bessèges. The women’s team will start the season with the Ladies Tour of Qatar, now in its second edition.
Men’s Team
The Étoile de Bessèges, held annually in southern France, around Bessèges, will represent the official start of the Cervélo TestTeam season. Please note that Thor Hushovd, who was to start his season with this race, is ill and will not be competing as planned.
“We are looking forward to starting in Bessèges, as it will be the first race for our team in 2010,” said Sports Director Alex Sans Vega. “It will give us the opportunity to check our fitness and strength against the other teams, as some of them have already started their season in the Tour Down Under or G.P. Marseillaise. The Étoile de Bessèges is a good race for our riders. It will help them in their preparations, but we will also try to get some results-all our riders will have the freedom to show themselves at their best at the start of the season.”
The team is also returning to the Middle East after last year’s success with the stage win of Roger Hammond (GBR) and with six riders placed in the top 10. Heinrich Haussler (GER) (second overall last year) and Hammond (third overall last year) will lead the team again. Sports Director Jens Zemke has good memories of the race from last year. “It will be very difficult to repeat the excellent result of our first showdown one year ago,” he said. “We have two new riders in our Qatar squad, Theo Bos (NED) and Davide Appollonio (ITA); the others are all Qatar experienced. We also want to test our new components and bikes. This race is another big step forward. Our main goal is to prepare our team for a successful spring campaign.”
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Test winner in the category of wind and rain protection gloves (German RoadBike magazine).
The Chiro Windstopper X-Fast outer softshell make this glove warm in windy and cold conditions, and is water resistant as well. The Magic Velcro wrist closure does its job perfectly keeping the heat in and cold out. A soft micro-fibre nose wipe makes wiping dirt or spray a pleasure, and the thin material gives good shifter control.
The synthetic sueded No-Slip palm gives just enough pad without being bulky, and with amzing grip and lightness that makes this glove perfect for early spring races or long endurance rides. Recommended temperature range 5-12C°, weight 73 g (pair).
The Castelli Chiro Windstopper glove is available in black, white and red, size S-XXL. Take me to product page: Click here >>
