How it is used by professional riders Bora Hansgrohe the jacket Fiandre Pro Jacket designed to tackle the worst weather conditions like cold, wind and rain?
This item of clothing produced by Sportful, in two configurations and different…weights (light and heavy, long sleeve and short sleeve) It is made with a latest generation fabric: Polartec Neoshell, with minimal heat-taped seams. The result achieved by using this innovative product is maximum protection combined with breathability and elasticity.
To delve deeper into this topic we decided to hear from a rider from the Bora-Hansgrohe team, namely Cesare Benedetti, expert rider from Trentino, who boasts a stage victory at the Giro d'Italia and is currently competing in France, at the Paris-Nice.
How is the race going?
Not bad, we are chasing victory with AckermannYesterday he finished third. The stage was a bit monotonous, with no breakaway. We went slowly for the first hundred kilometers.
It's cold, by the way, so we imagine you'll need to wrap up warm...
Yes, luckily we are well stocked with materials.
Which thermal jacket are you using?
We use Sportful's Flanders since he is our sponsor. I don't wear it only when it rainsDuring the winter I use it for training rather than wearing several layers of clothing. When the weather is cold, I prefer it.
If the weather is uncertain, at the start of a race, do you prefer to wear it or do you wait until it rains to put it on?
Most of the time I leave with the gabba, even if it doesn't rain, when it's cold it's equally useful. Here in France for example we are using it even though it hasn't rained.Today, halfway through the race, I collected them from my teammates and brought them back to the team car.
Benedetti used a term that has been in use among riders for years. In fact, the Gabba is an item of clothing produced by Castelli starting from 2010 and then exported for conceptions also in the production of Sportful which, as Castelli, refers to the Valcismon Manufacturing from Fonzaso.
It's essential to have it in your cold pack…
I have three in my cool bag: one long-sleeved, one short-sleeved and a slightly lighter one also with short sleeves.
Do you have several types? Does this guarantee complete coverage?
Yes, in the end we have two short-sleeved ones that we can easily alternate depending on the weather conditions, plus for when it's very cold we have a long-sleeved one.
What's the difference between the two short-sleeved ones?
One is simply more padded than the other. It's convenient to use because it's not limited to just rain, but If I feel cold and at the same time I don't want to sweat excessively, I use the lighter one.
Do you think it has replaced the traditional cape?
It has certainly limited its use because now with the Fiandre you have notable advantages compared to the cape, but it is also true that if it rains heavily you use bothi.
What is the difference between this jacket and a cape?
The Flanders is more adherent, It fits perfectly to the body. The cape sometimes has a parachute effect., this penalizes you on downhill and flat terrain.
So the advantages are mainly aerodynamic?
Exactly, that's a big step forward. Also for sweat because the cape insulates you more, Flanders, on the other hand, lends itself better to efforts.
Are the best conditions to use it during the mid-seasons?
Yes, cold and mixed temperatures.
What are your plans for the next races?
I'm on the list for Sanremo, then I should do the tour of the Basque Country. Here I tell you that In that race, Flanders will definitely be needed because it rains often in the North of Spain, the routes are mixed and with the cape you are uncomfortable. I prefer the gabba also because the descents are short and you don't get too coldAfter the Basque Country, the Ardennes Classics are on the program.
How is your current physical condition?
I've gotten better. I missed a few days in January because I was sick, not with Covid, but with a simple flu. This winter I did a lot of alternative sports, because I've been cycling too much the last two years.
What kind of sports did you do?
I did a bit of downhill skiing, but in November I hardly touched the road bike because I preferred mountain biking and trekking.
So you definitely used Flanders…
Of course, I was also able to do three-hour workouts at a high heart rate, which is a bit difficult to do on a bike in the cold.
