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Thanks to new state-of-the art seamless knitting technology and a moisture-wicking blend of polypropylene, nylon, and lycra, the IRIDE SEAMLESS LONG-SLEEVE BASE LAYER is our softest and most comfortable base layer to date. Polypropylene is a popular choice for performance base layers as the fabric’s fibers quickly transport moisture away from your skin. Once the moisture has reached this point, the Iride’s nylon layer takes over, transferring the moisture outward to the surface of the garment to evaporate there, keeping you warm and dry. An extra little feature, a soft thumbs loop holds the sleeves in place, insulating the skin between your jacket and glove. Cool! Made from 100% merino wool, the QUINDICI SOFT SOCKS are the ideal choice for long winter rides in cold and windy conditions. With its softness, merino wool keeps your feet warm and comfortable while letting moisture evaporate. This breathability is especially important for cyclists, as winter months often mean cramming socks into shoes and shoes into booties. Without a means by which moisture can escape, your feet become colder faster, wool socks are an important cold-weather companion. The nice 15cm cuff also offer outstanding angle coverage.

Shot by photographer Jered Gruber for the Castelli Summer 2012 catalog. If the poster looks familiar it’s because the organisers of the Giro d’Italia have unveiled the poster for next year’s race with the same majestic picture.

The picture commemorates two cyclists who will forever be linked with the race. Those riders are four-time winner, Fausto Coppi, and Wouter Weylandt, who died following a crash on a descent on Stage 3 of this year’s race.

The Giro recall the legendary Fausto Coppi each year through designating the highest point of each year’s race as the ‘Cima Coppi’ summit.

This year it fell to the Passo di Giau near Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites, where the stunning picture was taken with Peter Stetina (Garmin-Cervélo) in the picture.

When Johan Van Summeren and Fabian Cancellara staged their famous pursuit match in the final kilometers of Paris-Roubaix on a hot, dusty, dry April day in Hell, the Belgian had something special on his side against the Swiss powerhouse – a critical piece of kit that might have been the difference between sweet cobble kissing victory and a late catch by the dominant force on the pave this spring – the Castelli Sanremo Speedsuit.

It’s a heady claim, but Castelli’s ingeniously designed short/jersey combo slash skinsuit is claimed to save a rider significant time: 10-15 watts at 40 km/h. With a rapidly emptying rear tire, following a huge effort in the break, Van Summeren was certainly not hindered by his choice of clothing on the day.

Comfort in cold weather can be difficult to dial-in. The Viva Thermo Headband is the perfect answer to chilly autumn rides. The stretchy and lightly fleeced Thermoflex fabric on the inside will trap warm air against your head, protecting the sensitive skin on your ears from the cold.

Garmin-Cervelo’s favorite glove for cool conditions. The Super Nano Glove is lightweight and flexible with Pittards leather palm for better grip and shifting. The back of the glove employ windproof fabric to keep the hands warm. The elastic wrist closure keeps air out while making it easy to stretch for pulling the gloves on or off.

Fall is coming, and it’s time to begin planning your off season training. Transitioning from a summer cycling routine to a less intense winter program will not only maintain a good foundation or base for the ramp up that will come with your early spring rides, but also minimize the risk of catching a cold. Always, make sure to awear proper clothing to protect yourself against the elements, learn from other riders, then you’ll always be one step closer to achieve your next goal.

Have patience is easy to say, but not always easy follow. My 22 years of cycling, including 12 years of racing taught me many lessons. Here are some of the little things which helped me to achieve my personal goals.

HAVE PATIENCE
Every January and February for years, my cycling mates won the sprints on training rides, or could stay up front leading the pack for a longer time even in higher wind resistance while I just hung on. When May came, I left most of them in the dust and took all the hill-sprints.

REMEMBER TO RECOVER
It’s great to want to improve and push your limits. But many riders work too hard without allowing the body time to recover. Building aerobic power takes years of consistent training. To become a better cyclist, you must manage your energy levels.