March 2017 | 87
Now , I love to ride and I love to dance , so when I received an unexpected invitation from Italian cycle clothing manufacturer rh + to ' Pasta Party and DJ with Alberto Contador ’ at the top of the Passo di Gavia in the beautiful Italian region of Lombardy , naturally I jumped at the chance . I knew that the 32 year old Spanish Grand Tour winner was renowned for his sense of fun and the chance to get down to his grooves sounded like too good an opportunity to miss .
rh + may currently be a new name to you but that ' s all about to change . In only 10 years they have stormed the Italian market equaling the mighty Castelli in market share . Having spent that time perfecting their product range they feel ready to spread their wings and enter the competitive UK and US markets . rh + have recently teamed up with fleece manufacturer Polartec to create some of the most technically innovative riding kit around and now they want to tell the world about it .
In addition to the new AirX-Change clothing range , rh + and Polartec were launching their collaboration with , and sponsorship of , Team Fundacion Contador , an organisation formed to spread awareness of the health benefits of cycling and to give promising young riders a chance to ride on the World Tour circuit . The launch of this collaboration and the RXDUE event ( an ascent of the iconic Passo di Gavia with Alberto Contador ) took place recently in the beautiful city of Milan , mecca for the world ’ s fashionistas and birth place of iconic Italian bike builders Bianchi .
Seeing the enormous scrum of journalists and film crews squeezed into the room reminded me just how popular Contador is in Italy and Spain . He is a huge sporting celebrity and draws an adoring crowd wherever he goes . When faced with the glare of the media circus Contador comes across as quiet sort of guy , reserved even but when you get him alone
On Lombardy
Lombardy is famous for the Tour of Lombardy ( Il Lombardia ) or ‘ The Race of the Falling Leaves ’ which takes place in early October each year , 4 October for 2015 . Run over 260km the race usually incorporates the Madonna del Ghisallo a defining climb at the top of which is the Chapel of the Madonna which includes a cycling museum and is a shrine for cycle tourists . As one visitor put it – ‘ Only the Italians could link cycling and religion !’
he is warm and full of fun , putting everybody at ease with his infectious smile . 2016 will be his last season as a pro rider and he will retire as one of the most successful riders of all time . The winner of seven Grand Tours ( TdeF 2007 & 2009 : Giro 2008 & 2015 ; Vuelta 2008 , 2012 & 2014 ) Contador is second only to the great Eddy Merckx , Bernard Hinault and Jacques Anquetil in terms of Grand Tours won . He still claims he won two more Grand Tour victories after being stripped of his 2010 TdeF and 2011 Giro wins following a doping scandal . Contador still claims these victories but the record books no longer share the same view .
Here in sunny Milan we are gathered to focus on the future . Contador is joined by Polartec CEO ( and owner of uber cool US bike builder Independent Fabrication ) Gary Smith and rh + President Giovanni Cagnoli to answer questions about their collaboration and role as official sponsor of Team Fundacion Contador . The young team currently consists of mainly Spanish riders with just one Italian and one Belgian exception . I asked Contador whether there would be opportunities for young UK riders to join the team and he confirmed that there would be , in fact the team are actively looking for riders from those countries at the moment . In addition to bringing on young riders and promoting the idea of cycling for health the Foundation has also pledged to invest significant money in developing improved treatment and rehabilitation techniques for stroke victims . This is a subject which is painfully close to Contador ’ s heart as , in 2004 , aged 21 he suffered a life-threatening stroke which required major surgery . He was lucky to emerge with no lasting after effects but quickly set about doing all he could to raise stroke awareness .