Just yesterday Marta Cavalli has been given the green light to resume trainingThe fall of the Tour and thatincomprehensible investment Nicole Frain is behind her. The winner of the Flèche Wallonne admits that having looked at those images only once and then not to have done it again to avoid that they would remain in her eyes and the fear would remain. She admits that things went well for her and now she'll have to roll up her sleeves After two weeks of forced break, aiming for a season finale still full of opportunities. Not least the World Championship in Wollongong. Even if Caution is required and you don't want to rush things..
The secret development
So, while waiting for the legs to start moving again as they should, Marta's contribution in this article concerns her role as a saddle tester Prologue. Thanks to her in fact A 100 percent women's saddle is coming to the marketAnd one cannot say, hearing her speak, that the Cremonese took the task lightly.
«It all started at the end of November 2021 – says Marta – when I was introduced to this prototype designed to mirror the female anatomyI was immediately interested. I had been using Prologo saddles since my years at Valcar, I knew all the models or almost all of them."
The path to the creation of the Scratch Eva women's saddle, presented at Eurobike and on sale from 2023, it started like this and went on from feedback to feedback until the final approval.
What is this?
And in any case a short and ergonomic saddle, to have the right responsiveness and forward position, only that it was shaped on a woman's body. So it is wider, it has a wider support base that allows for better pressure relief on less sensitive points. When they gave it to me, it wasn't a ready-made saddle. So I went to Niklas Quetri, who takes care of my positioning and we put it in the best way, starting the observation.
Did you give your impressions and did Prologo make changes?
Exact. I used it and they started to intervene, evaluating the results in terms of comfort. For an athlete who runs long distances in training and racing, It is crucial not to have to stop due to sorenessUp until that point I had been using the Dimension 143 and was happy with it, so I gave it a try.
Differentiated padding
The padding of the Scratch Eva uses different types of foam based on pressure points, applied on an injected base of Nylon and carbon fiberThe central channel is there, but it's covered. The saddle is 245 millimeters long and 140 millimeters wide, with a weight ranging between 190 and 227 grams.
Is it true that the saddle takes the shape of the user's body?
It's very true, so much so that with the same model, I notice the difference between the saddle I use at home and the one on my racing bikeThey're identical, but the one at home suits me better than the other one that I use maybe once a week.
Will we get to the point where we have to carry our shoes and saddle in our backpack?
Initially (laughs, ed.), when it was a prototype, that's what I did. Before leaving home I would remove the steerer tube, take it with me and ask the mechanic to mount it on the race bikeOnce the race was over, I asked him to dismantle it and I went back home with my prototype. Then two more specimens arrived and all this was no longer necessary.
The Dimension 143 has a center cut, the Scratch Eva does not…
At least that's how it seems (smiles, ed.). Many girls are used to having a hole, but if you take the new saddle in your hand, you'll notice that it's all covered, but in the center it still has the hole. So from a mechanical point of view the functionality is the same. On the other hand, thanks to the cover, the surface on which to distribute the weight increasesIt's a good compromise between a split saddle and a closed one. It's innovative, which was objectively missing. The development phase is now over, even if I'm sure that with the new materials that will arrive in the meantime, other versions will follow.
How did the testing phase go? Just gut feelings or also scientific data?
I've gotten a lot of feedback. Together with Niklas we performed some pressure tests, adjusting the inclination and advancement, looking for the best combination of pressure and performanceWe used the Prologue My Own Pressure Map, lining that is placed between the saddle and the athlete to identify pressure pointsMany times, an imperfect position can compress a vein or nerve, causing tingling. Everyone should have their own saddle and not simply choose it because it is beautifulMaybe the work I've done will help broaden the base of practitioners and make them more comfortable.
What if it could help your opponents too?
Oh God, I hadn't thought of that (laughs, ed.).
With health good mood has returned. Since this morning Marta Cavalli is back in training, we will know her competition schedule todayAnd given the heat plaguing the plains, he'll soon be packing his bags to move to a cooler altitude.
