A cyclist in the middle of the Canadian wilderness, in the dead of winter. I wonder how cold it is? I wonder what he was wearing? Well, that cyclist, Omar Di Felice, we asked for these very things. The ultracyclist from Lazio is an expert in extreme climates. His adventures are now famous: North America, Mongolia, Scandinavia, the Alps... With his help, we tried to understand how to dress when it's very cold, because apparently it's not just about covering up.
Feeling cold at first
"Actually," says Di Felice, "it's more complex than you might imagine. But first we need to define the concept of cold, because training in our area is one thing, and embarking on an extreme adventure is another." Technology provides us with garments that weren't available before, and it's no coincidence that today's pros no longer have to sit out for two months like in the past.
The main rule is to dress in layers and to do so based on the weather and what you have to do. If it's zero degrees and I have to do a long slow run, I'll dress one way; if I have to do high-intensity work uphill, I'll dress another. In this case the goal is to avoid sweating in preparation for the descent. For this reason, when you go out, you have to expect to feel a little cold at the start. That first half hour of cold, until our metabolism gets back to normal, helps us not to sweat too much later. It's essential. Many people start out with too much clothing, based on the temperature difference between inside and outside. This way, they'll always end up overdressed."
The mental approach matters
Even on the most extreme adventures, at temperatures of 15-20°C below zero, my technique is to feel the cold at the start. It's a real punch in the face. But the trick is to regulate your effort to warm up as quickly as possible. My work zone is a high Z2 – low Z3, This allows me to hold it for a long time and avoid over-revving where I build up lactic acid, because then I'd have to slow down and that would mean I'd cool down. It might happen that I go a little faster right at the start to warm up a bit quicker, but after 10-15 minutes I get into the swing of things.
«But these are extreme cases. In our area, there's no need to worry about catching a cold; there's no risk of frostbite. At most, I won't have that feeling of well-being when riding my bike. My hands and feet will hurt a little, but there are no real risks.
«The mental approach also counts – Di Felice continues – It's raining: should I go out or not? Today's clothing technology allows us to spend 4 hours underwater without any problems, so it's up to us to decide whether to get on the bike or not. It's not a technical reason, but a mental one. I like the cold, but it's not that I don't feel it, it's just that I'm not reticent mentally. In certain situations, I know it'll be a struggle from the moment I hit the pedals, but that's not a problem."
Protected ends
So how does Omar Di Felice dress when it's cold? Remember, he's already well-seasoned at around 0°C (32°F) and goes out as if it were spring, or almost!
"First, I cover my extremities: hands, feet, and the tip of my nose. They're the cold receptors that send signals to the rest of my body. For this I use a merino wool undersocks for the feet. More or less the same thing goes for gloves: a winter pair and, in case of very low temperatures, an underglove, also in merino wool.
«My clothing is Uyn, a brand that, especially in underwear, is high-performance given its experience in skiing. So I'm developing this jacket and tights with them. It is important that there is not too much air between the underwear and the jacket, because this tends to cool down and cool the body. There used to be these baggy jackets that were super heavy and you were still freezing in them.
«As for accessories, I use winter shoes, the Shimano MW7. In this regard, I don't understand why people change their clothes and not their shoes in the winter. They have a different structure and padding. They last practically forever, given that they're only used for a short period of the year. Furthermore, Thanks to these I don't have to wear shoe covers, not even at -15°C. Then there is the lack of scaldacollo, which I raise and lower as needed and also body the tip of the nose. On the head band o bonnet balaclavaBe careful, helmet liners, whether headbands or caps, should be removed when climbing, to avoid getting them wet with sweat. They should be put back in your pocket, or better yet, in your purse. These days, these are convenient, minimal, and are perfect for training.
Finally, a little gem: «I also use creams based on shea butter, but only if the cold is really intense. to preserve the skin. And some normal cream like Nivea after a day in the cold."
