Castelli Blog

After a relatively mild autumn, colder temperatures and frequent snowfall have come to the Italian Dolomites. The wide variation in weather — from a cold morning breeze with -5°C (23°F) up to 10-14°C (50s°F) around noon — has forced me to swap out my summer wardrobe with winter gear.

What takes up most space are the cycling tights, base layers and accessories. Gone, are the thermal long-sleeve jerseys and the wind membrane jackets. My fluorescent yellow Insolito Radiation jacket has basically replaced two or three separate pieces of my old winter wardrobe.

The Insolito Radiation jacket has basically replaced two or three separate pieces of my old winter wardrobe.

I basically got through the entire winter and spring months wearing only one jacket last year. The total insulation against wind and cold is fantastic.
I wore this jacket on several cold rides, including 3 hours through a 2°C degree (35°F) windstorm that included drifting rain. I was wearing nothing under it except for the lightweight Base Long Castelli base-layer. I almost couldn’t believe how comfortable it was, and how well it kept the wind out. Read the rest of this entry »

It has been a few months since the Castelli24H crite race took place, and also last time we spoke to Cervélo’s Irishman, Philipp Deignan. We thought the Cervélo Team-Camp in Switzerland was a good excuse to catch up again. (part 1.)

Looking back, how has 2009 been?
The racing season is finally over and I’m looking forward to at least four weeks break after one of my most satisfying years in the professional ranks. I certainly feel like I have moved up a level this year and riding the Giro and the Vuelta in the same year was a valuable experience in terms of developing overall as a rider.

“Winning a stage in the Vuelta is the obvious highlight of the season but completing two Grands Tours taught me a lot.”

2009 highlight?
Winning a stage in the Vuelta is the obvious highlight of the season but completing two Grands Tours taught me a lot about the levels that I can go to and how my body can cope and recover well.

Are there areas where you are better than before?
Finishing Tour of Lombardy of almost 250 kilometres so late in the season was a positive for me and I was happy enough with 40th overall. Looking back I know now that I’m able to race over that distance whereas before I couldn’t, and I wasn’t there at the end of a 250 kilometre race. That’s a big step forward.

Any specific training planned, this winter?
Part of my success this year is down to the fact that I took a decent break last year. I felt the benefit almost straight away when I started back training. I felt so much stronger at the start of this season than previous seasons and that also comes from developing each year as a rider. Listening to my body is something I’m perfecting much more and I know that I need a minimum of four weeks off the bike, so I’ll start back training at the end of November or at the latest December 1st.

Follow Deignan online: www.philipdeignan.com

Joe Parkin has been a member of the Castelli family since 1998, when the brand was re-launched in the United States. Joe left home and the USA at age 19 to pursue a career as a professional cyclist in Europe – as career that spanned more than a decade. It was after retiring from the sport, where he often found himself coveting other riders’ clothing that was adorned with the Scorpion logo, that he helped launch and build Castelli in North America.

Joe took a hiatus from the Italian brands in 1995 to pursue another passion – motorsport, and to write his first book A Dog in a Hat, but has since proudly returned to the Scorpion family.

I finished reading the book (unblinking) during the eight hour oversea flight back to Europe. Its almost impossible to put Parkin’s book down before you’ve come to the final page. It for sure occupies a primary spot on every bike racers bookshelf!

Its not only Parkin’s story what makes the book so good, but his perspective. His acceptance and choices, his training, team-mates, and you hope for him, all the while knowing that there is no glorious win, no big-time contract.

I had the oppotunity to meet Joe at the Interbike show in September, where he gave me a copy of his book A Dog in a Hat, which is a memoir of his time as a professional racer in Belgium in the 80s. It gives you a great inside look at the culture of racing at the time. For anyone else’s, it would be tragic, but Parkin reminds the reader what real success is: the acceptance of our friends. That’s the true measure of a man.

A Night With Belgian Beers and Books.
On October 5th, Joe and Castelli US prensented his second and new book Wafels en Wielrennen (Waffles and Bike Racing) at Oregon Manifest Bike Union. The place was packed with people who came to purchase his new book, and to view Castelli’s special heritage jerseys and shorts (including the world’s first pair of aerodynamic Lycra shorts).

Barbara Lancioni with team director Mirco Alvisi and Claudia Gentili.

Team SINTESI-VITTORIA-Cicli COPPARO-CASTELLI

With more than 20 victories of the season, Barbara Lancioni is adding extra power to her GF team with Claudia Gentili.

Lancioni’s has caused quite a stir and notched up some impressive GF race wins this season. But it’s not just the girls riding that has been getting people talking, their striking and colorful Castelli kit has had heads turning. For 2010, the Team will add Vittoria tires and Cicli Copparo to their list of partners.

The team’s new race kit for 2010 is based on the same product models as supplied to the Cervélo TestTeam. There’s nothing spared in terms of comfort and performance. The bibshorts are constructed of a durable and breathable Lycra Power fabric, the Kiss+ seat pad with dual layer, dual density padding, flat lock stitching, anatomic fit and the famous FREE bibs to keep the chest free and cool.

The riders list will include:
Barbara Lancioni, Claudia Gentili, Laura Coltella, Paolo Caberlotto, Alessandro Golinelli Pirani, Stefano Laghi, Aldo Lobello, Doriano Purismi, Matteo Rossi, Andrea Scolastico and Bruno Spisni.

Team partners:
Sintesi Bikes, Castelli, Vittoria, Cicli Copparo, Cinelli, Selle San Marco, Carrera and Enervit nutrition.