Cyclists competing in the Tour de France can achieve speeds upwards of 60 mph. Skids and crashes at these speeds can cause severe abrasions to cyclists, even preventing them from completing the race.
DSM worked in partnership with Team Sunweb and Craft Sportswear to develop a jersey that offers cyclists protection from abrasions at speeds up to 60 mph and reduces the severity of open wounds at even higher speeds.
Beyond offering protection, cycling jerseys also need to allow for moisture transport to the surface at a lightweight that doesn’t slow the cyclist down and keeps the rider comfortable. When combined with a protective baselayer, the jersey developed by DSM, Team Sunweb and Craft Sportswear using DSM’s bio-based Dyneema high-performance fibers, offers all these benefits while protecting the cyclists at these top speeds.
Team Sunweb has experience with the protective and lightweight characteristics of Dyneema – they have been wearing protective cycling shorts designed with Dyneema since 2019.
“Being 15 times stronger than steel on a weight for weight basis, Dyneema fiber offers an excellent solution to increasing the abrasion resistance of a fabric, reducing the severity of road rash in case of a crash, without compromising the rider weight or comfort,” Piet Rooijakkers, head of R&D for Team Sunweb, explained. “What’s more, the new jersey can form part of a modular protection solution, where riders can easily take off or put on layers according to race and weather conditions. In this way, the new jersey will support our riders significantly in the Tour de France and beyond.”
Wilfrid Gambade, president of DSM Protective Materials, said, “The new cycling jersey with Dyneema will make a real difference to cyclists facing the dangers of professional competition and help ensure the health of both people and the environment. The jersey is physical proof of the great achievements collaboration with expert partners can deliver. Moving forward, we will work with Craft and Team Sunweb to integrate bio-based Dyneema fibers into protective cycling jerseys – contributing even further to a safe and healthy world!”
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