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Castelli | InsiderNews
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History 6

Castelli – A History of Innovation and historical firsts.

By Soren Jensen · On January 7, 2012

The story of Castelli stretches back more than 134 years to a small tailoring shop in Milan founded by Vittore Gianni. The Company took a definitive turn toward cycling in 1935, when one Armando Castelli became a part of Gianni’s staff.

2Four years later, Castelli purchased the company from Gianni, and the story kicks into gear. Armando supplied the cycling hero’s of Coppi, Bartali, Bobet, Van Looy, and Anquetil, and along the way expanded that effort into supplying a handful of professional teams.

It wouldn’t be until the birth of Armando’s son, Maurizio, that Castelli as we know it today, would soon take shape. The youngster came up in cycling, and it was only logical that he would end up in the business, however, the extent of his passion and desire for innovation would soon cause a parting of ways with his father and the founding of the Castelli brand in 1974. The firsts began to roll out with regularity soon after.

 

F3or three decades, Castelli created apparel that defined modern cycling. Eddy Merckx carried a refined version of a Castelli body suit to the world record in the one-hour. Bernard Hinault wore a Castelli windproof jersey to win the Fleche Wallone classic. Perhaps most importantly, Maurizio pioneered the sublimation dye process, an advance that allowed colors, logos, and his signature aesthetic flair to be added to even the most technical fabric. Cycling – and sponsorships – would never be the same.

disco119 November 1979. Castelli was crowned with the prestigious Corriere dello Sport Discobolo award. The presentation letter says, “Castelli… has, in a truly futuristic way, revolutionized clothing for cyclists.” Maurizio also demonstrated a flamboyant flair for publicity.

At the 1981 Giro, for instance, he outfitted a handful of riders with turquoise Lycra shorts – at a time when only black shorts were allowed. The riders came to the start line wearing wool leggings that concealed the banned burst of color. Moments before the start, the riders yanked off the leggings.

A media frenzy followed, including day-long television coverage of the turquoise– and scorpion–clad riders crossing the Italian countryside. Race officials fined Castelli for the stunt. No matter. The publicity was worth every life.

Historic imagesIn 1995, Maurizio’s life was cut short at age 47 when he died of a heart attack riding up the Cipressa hill, the legendary ascent on the Milan-San Remo course. It would be difficult to overstate Maurizio Castelli’s contribution to the sport and business of cycling. Maurizio’s guiding philosophy was to combine technology with innovative style and design.

The focus on innovation at Castelli is not a slogan, it’s a mantra of sorts. The passion and desire of Maurizio Castelli to create enhancing performance clothing is just as evident today as it was in 1974. Each and every day we set out to create tomorrow’s revolutionary futuristic clothing.

Castelli has been at the forefront of essentially every breakthrough in cycling clothing since making the wool shorts obsolete.

INNOVATED CONTINUOUSLY
1977 FIRST AERODYNAMIC LYCRA® SHORT
1981 FIRST COLORED LYCRA® SHORT
1983 FIRST SUBLIMATION PRINTING OF JERSEYS

1984 FIRST FUNCTIONAL THERMAL WINTER CLOTHING (THERMODRESS)
1996 FIRST FULLY AERODYNAMIC SKINSUIT
1998 FIRST MODERN BIB SHORT, INTRODUCING THE Y-CUT SEATPAD (PROGETTO Y)

1998 FIRST WICKING FABRIC TREATMENT (PROSECCO)
2008 FIRST RADIATING INSULATION (RADIATION)
2010 BODY PAINT FUTURISTIC BIBSHORT

Historical firsts

For more information and historic images, click here >>

bartalicastellicoppicoppyeddyfaustofirstshistoricalhistoryinnovationjacketlycramerchxshorts
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Soren Jensen

Soren Jensen

Soren can usually be found riding the backroads and dirt trails testing new gear in the dolomites outside Feltre, Italy. If you can't find him there, check the Castelli Headquarters in Fonzaso.

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6 Comments

  • Tamas Ronyai says: October 9, 2011 at 15:30

    I only wear castelli for cycling

    I would like to know why is scorpion the logo?

    Thanks

    Reply
  • About the Castelli SpeedSuit Mens Time Trial Suit says: February 21, 2013 at 13:11

    […] enhancing performance clothing since 1979 when the company was crowned with the prestigious Corriere dello Sport Discobolo award for introducing aero clothing to cycling. When Castelli in 2007, with Team Saunier Duval, […]

    Reply
  • Velominati › Progressively Retro says: October 29, 2015 at 02:04

    […] to better shade a rider’s eyes, some bright spark at Castelli realized that elastic would do a better job accentuating a rider’s curves than wool ever could and the Lycra bibshort was born, forever […]

    Reply
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  • Harry Williams says: January 2, 2019 at 11:23

    history is always worth to read and it really appreciates the author to publish this piece of content.

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  • Leave a Reply to About the Castelli SpeedSuit Mens Time Trial Suit Cancel reply

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    About Castelli

    Since 1876, Castelli has been the tailor for the cycling champions. Our riders have worn the world champion rainbow stripes, the Tour de France’s yellow, polka-dot and green jerseys and taken home all three of the grand tours, the classics, six days, you name it. Read more.