A rainy race in Italy leads to major exposure for Showers Pass

Showers Pass jacket on Alexander Kristoff,
the eventual winner of Milan Sanremo.
(Photo by TDWSport.com)

Showers Pass rain jackets are so commonly seen in Portland’s bikeways, they’re the closest thing you can get to an official uniform. But seeing them used in the elite professional ranks isn’t common at all. Or at least it wasn’t until yesterday.

The Portland-based company that specializes in wet-weather bicycling apparel, scored a PR coup when jackets emblazoned with their logo and their trademark goldenrod color appeared on the winning team at Sunday’s Milan-Sanremo race.

The Milan-Sanremo is a major “spring classic” and it’s one of the biggest races on the European professional cycling circuit. Showers Pass is the official supplier to Team Katusha. According to company marketing director Stephanie Leikas-Homolya, they sent the team several of their Elite Pro rain jackets a few weeks ago. Like much of the company’s rain jacket business, it’s somewhat at the whim of the weather. “This is the first race where the weather warranted the jackets,” Leikas-Homolya shared with us this morning.

When conditions turned foul and wet in Sanremo on Sunday Team Katusha reached for their Showers Pass jackets. That alone wouldn’t have guaranteed the sponsorship exposure. It just so happened that the day’s fastest rider — Alexander Kristoff — wore his while riding in the peloton. Kristoff was then photographed by an official even photographer whose images appeared in the race gallery on VeloNews.com, a very popular American-based website.

The photo caption on VeloNews.com read, “Alexander Kristoff was wearing everything in the closet.”

And Showers Pass isn’t missing the opportunity to amplify this PR moment. They’ve plastered their home page with photos of Kristoff in action and a message of congrats to Team Katusha. A press release is also likely from the company later this morning.

While Katusha and Kristoff had a great race at Sanremo, congrats is also due to Showers Pass. Nice work! We hope to see more of your gear in the pro peloton in the future.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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Klothes
Klothes
9 years ago

PDX owns the pro peleton!!!

Rob
Rob
9 years ago

I’m not quite sure about that color combo… and someone straighten that guy’s helmet! (at least he’s got a decent sprint…)

davemess
davemess
9 years ago
Reply to  Rob

aero helmets just normally look like they’re on wrong.

Dave
Dave
9 years ago

I watched this streaming yesterday AM; didn’t think that looked like Katusha kit!

Forum Law Group LLC - Bicycle Law
9 years ago

I just wish SP made their awesome top end models in hi-viz yellow. The days of racers avoiding hi-viz (because it doesn’t look racer-ish?) are over.

Todd Boulanger
Todd Boulanger
9 years ago

I always reach for the hi-vis black kit…with the low contrast silver retro-reflective details…even though I have the yellowy one too…nicer for walking around once ‘you have reached your destination’. It is nice that SP still makes jackets with the hood as option…makes riding with a helmet or a beret so much the easier.

Travis Fulton
Travis Fulton
9 years ago

Anybody still rockin’ their (now vintage) Burley jacket?

bendite
bendite
9 years ago
Reply to  Travis Fulton

I still have the yellow Burley jacket with the pants and the booties made at CAT in Eugene. Now that I’m up in Bend it doesn’t get nearly the use and a rainy commute is more of a sentimental trip.

barney
barney
9 years ago
Reply to  Travis Fulton

Yup! Still good after all these years!

joeb
joeb
9 years ago
Reply to  Travis Fulton

My Burley does leak so it is now a windbreaker. But I think it got me through all but about 5 days this winter.

Beth
9 years ago
Reply to  Travis Fulton

I have the Blue Ultra-Rider (which came before the Rock Point, which sP altered just enough to and copyright infringement and sell as their “Touring” model after Burley’s raingear division went south). It has lost some of its waterproofness and I wouldn’t depend on it in a downpour, but in a milder rain and with annual treatments of Nikwax, it’s fine. And it fits and looks better on me to boot.

John Liu
John Liu
9 years ago

Wear my Burley daily, with a “new” one in reserve.

Spiffy
9 years ago

I was pretty stoked when the zipper gave out on my Shower’s Pass jacket… I’m much happier with my Endura…

Dave
Dave
9 years ago

When my wife’s SP jacket had the zipper die, they gave her a new one without question–she’s still very happy with it.

Spiffy
I was pretty stoked when the zipper gave out on my Shower’s Pass jacket… I’m much happier with my Endura…
Recommended 2

davemess
aero helmets just normally look like they’re on wrong.
Recommended 0

John Defeo
John Defeo
9 years ago

I have owned a couple showers pass jackets and they are he best pieces in my closet.

Ian
Ian
9 years ago

Haha, Really? A PR Coup? How about that for the last two years more than 50 Pro riders bought their own Castelli Gabba’s and wore them in MSR and most other Spring Classics.

Klothes
Klothes
9 years ago
Reply to  Ian

PDX still owns the pro peleton!!!

Drmoreau
9 years ago
Reply to  Ian

Yes, Castelli is an Italian brand and Showers Pass is American. SP is just getting started with distribution in Europe – it would currently be difficult for a pro to walk into a shop in Belgium and buy SP. Give it three or four years and that may change. The SP Elite Pro jacket uses mil-spec fabric that is amazingly breathable while completely waterproof. Its also very expensive – you get what you pay for.

Tommer
9 years ago

This totally made my day!