To ride well in winter you need technical clothing suitable for the temperatures, because as Daniel Oss also says "winter is the most annoying season for cycling". After hearing Sonny Colbrelli, we asked the Trentino about it Bora Hansgrohe how to dress to face the cold.
Great evolution
The technical qualities of cycling clothing have undergone notable evolution, both for summer and especially winter outfits.
«I have been a professional for many years – begins Daniel Oss – but I have realised that In recent years there has been a great development in terms of materialsI have to say that Sportful It provides us with lots of products to protect us from the cold and I don't mind cycling even in temperatures close to zero degrees."
With low temperatures
Daniel Oss has just returned from his first training camp with the team in Peschiera del Garda, where temperatures were not very high.
«Even if it's a little less cold on Garda, during the training camp the temperatures were quite low, just above zero – Oss tells us – and to train I put on long-sleeved winter underwear with a fairly high neck. Long sweatpants which also covered my torso and belly well."
The upper part of the body is the one that needs the most protection, and it is also the one where choices can be most varied based on the temperatures.
«If there are more than five degrees I put on a summer racing shirt – continue to explain to us – if instead it's below five degrees so I opt for a short sweatshirt which is provided to us and which I find very useful on many occasions. Above I put the Fiandre Pro jacket which has a layer of fleece on the sleeves and chest."
Dress in layers
The important thing is to dress in layers because on the bike there are times when you sweat a lot and other times when the intensity of the effort is minimal.
«I dress in layers because when I'm going uphill and I open my jacket, the air doesn't reach my stomach and chest directly, but I always have a layer that protects me."
And what if it rains? "I don't go out in the rain," he tells us laughing, "but if there are days that are a bit uncertain or foggy, then I bring a little cape, but generally with the Flanders I am also well protected from humidity. However It's always better to have one more layer than one less., it's better to suffer a little from the heat than from the cold."
Hands and feet
We discovered that even though he is a mountain man, Daniel Oss prefers to cover up a little more and doesn't miss anything.
«I also cover my neck well, in fact I always wear a neck warmer. A fleece one if it's winter, a thinner one if it's spring or autumn. When it's cold I wear a aerodynamic helmet that is more closed and less air passes through and underneath I have a hat to cover my earsIf I get hot I take it off and put it in my pocket."
And then there are the hands and feet, places sensitive to the cold: «As for my feet, I don't have any major problems., I wear Fiandre shoe covers with a classic cotton sock. Instead I suffer more when it comes to my hands, in fact I use the heaviest Sportful gloves."
And in the race?
We are used to seeing Oss fighting in the Northern classics Where the weather can be harsh. How should you dress for a race in the cold?
«One of the secrets is change clothes often – Daniel tells us – for example, I suffer from hand pain and I put it in my bag in the flagship two or three spare pairs of glovesI always start with my ears covered and a neck warmer, then when the race gets going I take them off."
Days to remember
A day that has remained in the mind of the Trentino rider is the Strade Bianche of 2018, the one won by Tiesj Benoot: «That day I had the fleece shorts with long leggings, so if conditions changed I could take them off. Above I had Sportful's short-sleeved winter underwear and Classic Jersey, which is perfect for those days because it has a light fleece lining, perfect for running in those conditions. I even had a spare in my team bag. I was so tired that I don't remember whether I took off my leg warmers that day or not!
In general, Daniel Oss recommends dressing in layers and always carrying a few extra items in your pocket or under your main shirt. And in case of very cold weather: "There was a Ghent Wevelgem won by History that there were minus two degrees at the start. That day I used some heating patches They work for a few hours. I put them on my shoulders, hands, and feet, and I felt fine."
