Tinkoff-Saxo's Tour de France water bottle vest
Sportful make the Tinkoff-Saxo's domestique's job easier with its vest capable of carrying multiple water bottles to team-mates
One of the most talked-about new pieces of equipment at the 2014 Tour de France hasn't been a super-light carbon-fibre frameset or an 11-speed electronic groupset, but a humble vest.
Anything that makes a rider's life easier is bound to go down well, and Sportful's 'bottle vest' is a simple yet effective solution to an age-old problem.
It consists of a mesh vest with pockets on the back designed to carry full water bottles, rather than a loyal domestique stuffing bottles in their back pockets and up their jersey.
Used exclusively by Tinkoff-Saxo during the Tour, the vest can be loaded with bottles by a helper in the team car and then slipped over the shoulders of the willing domestique. Once the water carrier has ridden up to the peloton, team-mates can grab their bottles themselves.
“It’s a really nice idea – and no one has thought about it before," said Tinkoff-Saxo's Daniele Bennati. "The bottle vest is much faster. When I go to the team car, the sport director or mechanic has prepared it for me, I put it on and off I go. When I reach my teammates, they can just take the bottles straight of my back."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.
-
We rode and reviewed the Ouray, Parlee Cycles' first new bike model since facing bankruptcy
The storied American brand continues with a Portugal-made carbon steed that goes zoom but doesn’t fit like a race bike
By Tyler Boucher Published
-
Forget distance covered, these are the key stats to note in your Strava Year in Sport
We asked a coach how to best analyse our end of year Strava data
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Tour de Yorkshire to be replaced with new look cycling event in 2024
Tour de Yorkshire not due to return to north of England, although initial plans announced for new cycling event in area
By Tom Thewlis Last updated
-
'Cycling needs someone like Oleg Tinkov with a bit of personality. He will be missed'
Adam Blythe says cycling will miss Oleg Tinkov who is pulling his sponsorship from the sport
By Jack Elton-Walters Published
-
Tinkoff unveil yet another new kit for their final ever race
Harking back to their Tinkoff Credit Systems days, the Russian team unveil their billionth new kit in their history for the Abu Dhabi Tour
By Stuart Clarke Published
-
Alberto Contador admits his Vuelta a España chances are almost over
Sitting almost three minutes down on race leader Nairo Quintana, Tinkoff's Alberto Contador admits he's a long way from winning the race
By Gregor Brown Published
-
Alberto Contador fighting to stay in Vuelta a España contention
Alberto Contador admits he can't afford to lose any more time if he's to have a chance of winning a fourth Vuelta a España title
By Gregor Brown Published
-
Alberto Contador: 'My heart rate was at 200'
Alberto Contador says he couldn't follow the pace of the leading riders on the steep summit finish to stage three of the Vuelta a España
By Gregor Brown Published
-
'Adam Blythe has shown when he’s on a good day he can out sprint the fastest'
Adam Blythe leads Tinkoff in the Cyclassics Hamburg on Sunday looking for his win in the British champion stripes
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
Peter Sagan 'proud and ready' for Olympic mountain bike race
Road race world champion Peter Sagan returns to his off-road roots, contesting the cross-country mountain bike event in Rio 2016
By Nigel Wynn Published