Lizzie Holden and Drops CC push ahead into uncertain future

When Drops Cycling built a pro-team in 2016, it was with a specific goal in mind: to contribute to the growth of women’s cycling while giving predominantly British riders a place to develop.

Things got off to a good start. They become a fast-growing female squad and after several strong race results, they went from 42nd to 7th in the world rankings. Things looked promising. Sponsors were interested. They thought they’d be able to pay riders a living wage.

Then late in 2018, almost predictably, things changed. Drops got dropped by their title sponsor, Trek. A precarious off-season followed. Management and riders took to crowdfunding to keep the team going.

Lizzie Holden - a 21-year-old rider from the UK and a third-year-pro with Drops - says that despite team ambition, they had to make sacrifices. Drops failed to get invites to several early season races; rather than fold the tent, the team took the decision to keep racing despite not being able to pay riders a dime.

“No one wanted to be in the position of having to reach out on Twitter for fundraising but that’s where we found ourselves,” she explains over the phone. Even with a modest operating budget of between 50 and 100,000 pounds, Holden says “it came down to riding with no salary or not riding at all.”

Support from Cannondale and the approximately 25,000 pounds raised through private donations helped them team push on into 2019. Some race results have followed: Holden finished 3rd at the GB National Road Race championships. Elinor Barker, another Drops rider, formerly with Wiggle High-5, finished 10th at the same event

Still, Holden says, the team sits on a precarious ledge. While sponsorship and the desire to pay real wages is sincere, financing woes have made team progress challenging. No one wants to run the team another year if it means riders can’t collect a proper salary.

“Many of the World Tour races like Ride London are offering real prize money, the same prize money as men, but the interest just isn’t there yet. Things need more time to build.”

Where does stability come from in women’s racing when even in the men’s peloton, teams struggle to survive?

“Under-investment, under-development, and inconsistent focus on women’s professional cycling and youth development programmes, as well as a staid approach to team and athlete management with a lack of emphasis on engagement,” are some of the main issues facing women’s racing, as outlined in The Rapha Roadmap. But there are many others.

The rise of women’s tennis shows that equal pay and gender equality is achieved by a combination of things: among them, action by race organizers, riders, and governing bodies. The reward of investment in opportunities for women and equal prize money is a healthier sport with a deeper talent pool.

As Drops has learned, raising money to properly capitalize a pro-team is challenging, even when men’s and women’s teams share sponsors. Industry efforts like Rapha’s to establish foundations are encouraging and a step forward, but not nearly enough.

To race competitively, and to run complete European race programs, teams have to cover travel, trainer, coaching, equipment, wrenching and director costs and more.

That kind of many doesn’t yet exist in the women’s peloton with any kind of consistency. Drops is still focused on upcoming races while Holden believes women’s cycling is going well, particularly in the UK. However even after racing professionally for the last three years, she’s not sure how to add greater stability so women’s teams can thrive.

“I guess it starts with having the budget to get the best out of the riders - to raise the quality of the riders, that’s the starting point where interest will follow.”

From there, she says, it’s really anyone’s guess.

The least-attended GranFondo in Central Europe is also one of its best

Things you won’t find at the Gran Fondo San Gottardo:

1. Banners

2. Finisher medals

3. Rider expos

4. Sponsor tents

5. Basic signage

Things you will find at the Gran Fondo San Gottardo:

1. Cobbled climbs

2. Three passes over 2000m

3. Descents as long as 25kms

4. Some of the best-paved, best-cambered roads anywhere in Europe

5. Handmade ravioli. This is Ticino, lets not forget.

Why ride it

The ride starts and finishes in Ambri - a tiny town outside of Airolo in Southern Switzerland (Airolo is also a tiny town, in case you were wondering). At this year’s 9th edition, 800 or so riders get ride details in Italian, German and French. The partenza has the unmistakable atmosphere of a bloated club ride. There’s little seriousness to it. Just a lot of anticipation.

The route itself can only be characterized as a monster. Maybe not L’Etape du Tour big, but still plenty to drain the legs of desire for more.

It starts with the Tremola (2,106 m), which is the old Gottard pass. If you’ve ever dreamed of climbing cobbles, this is probably the world’s definitive ascent. The last five-plus kms are just that, with only the occasional gutter to cheat your way up. The cobbles continue until you get up over the pass and connect with car traffic. So good.

The Tremola. Probably the world’s best cobbled climb.

After a long descent, it’s up the Furka (2,429 m), a pass made famous in 007’s Goldfinger. A friend with whom we traveled to the ride called it one of the best he’d ever done. I’d say he’s probably right. It’s a mix of hard, steep switchbacks on the bottom followed by long, exposed alpine climbing on narrow roads at the top. Not overly difficult at 6.4 percent average, but medium-long at 16.5 km in length. On a sunny day, plenty reward waits at the pass. In the valley you can see the lines of the Grimsel. And three switchbacks into the descent is the Hotel Belvedere - the subject of so much Instagram glory.

Obscured by camper vans and still looking awesome.

The final and most difficult climb of the day is the Nufenen (2,478 m). At 8.5 percent and 13.3 kms, it’s not the difficulty that makes it challenging but more so that you’ve already climbed 2000+ms as you start to ascend it. There’s a short reprieve half way up before the roads stretch into relentless switchbacks that seemingly never end. Suffering awaits all who make their way to the top.

Where the people at?

Covering 111kms and 3200ms - plenty to leave you shattered - I asked myself this question repeatedly during the day. The cobbled sections of the Tremola Pass make it one of the most unique in Switzerland, if not the Alps, and the Furka is such is a legend with unrivaled climbing and descending on either side.

The lack of infrastructure is perhaps the only thing holding the GF SG back from getting bigger, but its lack of organization and size is perhaps its most redeeming quality.

It has roads to boast, after all, and has little need for the glitter that you find at many similar events.

Start and finish in Ambri - way back is the San Gottardo pass.

Cross-over game strong: Café du Cycliste launches first-ever sunglasses

Today Café du Cycliste launches its first-ever sunglasses - a pretty slick-looking collab with independent eyewear specialists, Article One, an eyewear company based in Flint, Michigan.

Co-styled in France and handcrafted in Italy with a purposeful blend of function and style, the sunglasses are made of a lightweight polymer and feature adjustable silicone nose pads and grippers on the insides of the arms. They pick up on the cross-over trend in cycling - popularized by Oakley’s Sutro frames and others - offering a one-pair-fits-all solution for all things bike life.

Available in three colours - amber, grey, and black - with blue stripe details on the ear silicone pads.

"As brands, we share the same values: producing and pursuing the highest quality of products manufactured in Europe with a distinct style and which are fit for purpose in a variety of uses. The result more than lives up to our expectations,” explains Remi Clermont, Café du Cycliste's Co-founder and Creative Director.

Italian-made, polarized lenses block 100% of UVA/UVB rays and prevent glare. Further anti-reflecting treatment on the interior of the glass are designed to give clear vision to the vanishing point on the road ahead.

I’ll be curious to see how the glasses fair on climbs when temps get steamy. Few “lifestyle” sunglasses stay put in said circumstances.

Divel - a small, 70-year-old frame and lens manufacturer based in Italy is making the glasses. Comes with a single lens. Available today at www.cafeducycliste.com

Bikes, sure. But why no UCI seal-of-approval stickers on road helmets?

While cycling media has turned their attention to the Tour, I’m looking at a pile of helmet boxes at Hairpins HQ.

There are 6 or 7 in a corner in my flat. They started turning up since Omloop and haven’t stopped since. One promised to “change cycling forever.” One has Koroyd inside (whatever that is). Another WaveCel, and another still MIPS with Angi.

Some are just straight-up high-density foam, straps and a little engineering. How banal.

So, what do they have in common? For starters, they’re all handsome. POC’s Omne Air SPIN is still one of the more distinct, best looking helmets in my opinion. It uses something called SPIN for its rotational impact tech and has to be one of the best new designs for 2019.

I’ve been riding in the Prevail II from Specialized and the XXX from Bontrager a lot, partly because I like the way they look, they’ve put considerable energy into concussion research, but also because their Larges are true larges. They cater to my particular head issues. Chapeau on that one.

Like all of POC’s designs, a vision for helmets originated in impact safety.

In truth, I I find the pile confusing. The helmets all do the same thing, sure. Yet non have that UCI stamp that occupies real-estate on my road bike that tells me its race-approved. Why not? Could having one help standardize industry-led work to limit rotational impacts that are common in cycling? Could it make the process of buying a new helmet less confusing for cyclists?

This is the nut of helmet reviews, I guess. You can comment all day about a helmet’s aesthetics and fit. You’ll never crash on your morning crit just to ink a few words on its safety, however.

It takes faith in industry to believe all this tech is actually sound. Part of me thinks regulators have a bigger part to play here. I tried to get some comment from the UCI about this. Why no sticker? Why no standardization? The science is there, but there is no standard for oblique head impacts, just some tests (Virginia Tech) that offer insights. Shouldn’t they be more involved?

Several emails later, I was pointed to Article 1.3.031 of UCI Regulations. They address helmets and are based on international safety standards (such as the EN 1078) which are developed for Europe by the European Committee for Standardization. A start. “Currently, the UCI regulations do not set any regulations regarding rotational impacts and concussion” - a serious issue they said, and one which they are keeping an eye on.

Simon Fisher from Specialized had an interesting perspective. Reality is that the UCI already has many rules, he says. For helmets, they simply defer to the major testing bodies like ASTM and SNELL for individual country safety standards because they vary so much.

“Helmets are currently tested for impact standards, but not rotational,” he says. “Most in industry feel that rotational standards will come in the future, but for now it is run by groups like MIPS, Virginia Tech and helmet companies who set up the right fixtures to test for helmet rotational mitigation.”

Maybe there’s no merit to this idea. Maybe the UCI, like Fisher says, has enough on its plate, lording over road, track and MTB racing in so many ways. Perhaps this is a totally nonsensical bit of drivel. But It’s been on my mind for weeks, so I thought I’d put it out there. .

Here’s a link to Virginia Tech’s road helmet ratings. I’m happy to see the two helmets I’m wearing the most these days make the top 12 in terms of safety.

No UCI stickers on either of them, but some peace-of-mind there, I guess.

Stealthy in black.

Best of 2019:

1. The design is unmistakable. But the tech is very impressive too. Specialized Prevail II w ANGi: the ‘Angular and G-Force Indicator’ is actually a sensor that detects impact or a rotational event that could indicate a crash has happened. The sensor is attached to the helmet and paired to your phone. Now you have a crash detection beacon attached to your helmet. Voila. Next level fit, particularly for larger heads like mine. Features MIPS.

2. The XXX with Wavecel from Bontrager made a lot of noise when it came out, but in our opinion, entirely worth it. Great fit, safety and design. And if nothing else, furthered a conversation that will have to evolve in years to come.
   

PEdAL ED's Heiko leans heavily on city cycling culture for inspiration

“Japanese fashion is no longer a simple copy, but a nuanced, culturally-rich tradition of its own.”

W. David Marx’s 2016 book, Ametora, explores the history and rebirth of American-influenced menswear perfected in Japan; a heritage aesthetic that went on to dramatically shape the country’s culture.

Started in Tokyo in 2007, PEdAL ED is perhaps the first Japanese cycling brand to reflect this deep obsession with style, drawing heavily from the classic cuts and colours preferred in Tokyo’s clothing. Kit, too.

I’m not sure why I’ve obsessed over their kit for years; perhaps from time spent travelling in Tokyo. PEdAL ED has always held an appeal (despite now being handmade in Italy, where chunk of cycling industry apparel is made).

From the brand’s 2019 collection, the Heiko Jersey demonstrates founder Hideto Suzuki’s preoccupation with city cycling culture - Tokyo’s in specific - where riders largely defer to simple, functional kit.

Made from Sensitive® fabric, it’s a relaxed fit jersey with three large rear cargo pockets, a side-zip for keys and reflective logos on the front and the back. The colour-blocked bottom-third of the jersey blends in well with black bibs. When on, the effect is a long, lean silhouette for the rider.

PEdAL ED will compete with others vying for share of cycling’s high end kit market.

Our test Heiko in stone is one of those kits you get and reach for repeatedly. On hot humid climbs in central Switzerland, it sits comfortably against the skin and breathes really well, especially when unzipped. Aesthetically speaking, it is a thing of beauty, eliciting many an inquiring comment from others.

The elastic at the jersey base where it meets the bibs is full of subtle details and holds the jersey in place; there is also a subtle cuff on the sleeve that does the same.

Minor knit: the fabric does hold a bit of scent and stink after washing, but it is not unique in this regard. Many kit makers struggle with the limitations of synthetic fabrics. It is otherwise a mirror image of it’s environment: a beautiful jersey that lives up to the weight of expectation. It performs across a range of temperatures and is as stylish as many of the Japanese street wear brands now exported worldwide.

Similarly the Natsu bib short made from lightweight Lycra and outfitted with a two-tone Cytech chamois is a great all-round training short. Specifically appealing: the high-cut mesh waist.

While the company claims it supports posture and muscle compression, the netting from which it’s made just feels good on the bike and has a great way of keeping everything sucked in tight where it’s supposed to be.

Again, in heat when climbing with the jersey open, the mesh feels great and adds a lot of comfort to the ride. Legs grips also are soft and subtly designed. Lovely little details throughout.

Built for training rides, the Natsu’s fit great and are a perfect compliment to the PEdAL ED range.

It’ll be interesting to see where Suzuki takes the brand. They’ve recently offered a line of kit focused specifically on bikepacking while continuing to focus on road. Time will tell. Hope to get more in for test soon.

More at https://pedaled.com/