Gear

The clothing of the Classics: weatherproof kit from Castelli, Sportful, Endura, Santini, Vermarc, Moa and Rapha

The Castelli Gabba is the standard for weatherproof jerseys, but else is out there?

Sportful Fiandre No-Rain Jacket (Tinkoff-Saxo)

If you're going to ride through autumn and winter then you better get used to the idea of getting wet
There's something very peaceful about riding in the rain
The Endura Equipe Classics Jacket is new for 2015
The Santini Reef Rain Jersey was developed with the Lotto.NL-Jumbo squad
The Vermarc Zero Aqua PRR Jersey is available in short and long-sleeve versions
The Fredonia is Vermarc's take on the weatherproof jersey
Ok, it's not a jersey, but the Rapha ProTeam Softshell Base Layer was designed for racing in cold, wet conditions

Sportful Fiandre No-Rain Jacket (Tinkoff-Saxo)

Sportful is the sister company of Castelli and has its own range of weatherproof clothing. In fact, the expanded Fiandre line-up of clothing is named after Flanders (Fiandre is Italian for Flanders) and is designed with the changeable weather of Belgium.

The Fiandre Light WS Jacket was tested by the Tinkoff-Saxo team throughout the 2014 season, including on the infamous snow-hit stage of the Giro d’Italia, and by Alberto Contador in training and racing. Cast your mind back to the rain-soaked fifth stage of the Tour de France, ridden over the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, and a number of Tinkoff-Saxo riders donned the jacket on that occassion, too.

It’s cost WorldTour credentials then, but what’s the tech? The jacket is made from a Gore Windstopper LightStretch fabric which is windproof and water resistant. We’ve been using the jacket, which has a snug fit, throughout the winter and it ticks both boxes, providing impressive protection from blustery conditions and showers. The YKK Vislon zipper is waterproof and the three rear pockets have small drainage holes.

The jacket, available in black, blue or high-vis yellow, costs £165 and the Fiandre range extends to the Fiandre Light Wind Jersey (reviewed here), which uses a combination of Gore Windstopper fabric and Sportful’s proprietary thermal NoRain material, and the super-light Fiandre Light Top, as well as bib tights and bib shorts.