during my visit to their Portland headquarters
back in November.
Portland-based cycling apparel company Castelli has just announced they’ll be the official clothing supplier to the ProTour’s Saunier Duval-Prodir team. This road cycling squad is one of the best in the world and includes superstars David Millar, Gilberto Simoni, and Iban Mayo.
Designed, distributed and sold from their U.S. headquarters just a few blocks from PGE Park in Southwest Portland, Castelli clothing is known for its stylish Italian heritage and technically advanced fabrics.
The company claims their Split Second jersey — “with dimpled sections to aid air flow, aerodynamic fit, and aero-slippery fabrics” — have the “potential to be almost a minute faster over a 40km distance,” over a conventional jersey (more on that claim here).
I visited Castelli a few months ago and saw their stuff first-hand. It really is amazing. One of their jerseys weighs just 70 grams (about 2.5 oz) and repels water. Crazy.
This is the second local product with world-class cycling ties. Northwest Portland-based Chris King Precision Components supplied the headsets for many of Lance Armstrong’s Tour de France-winning efforts.