Bianchi to celebrate Fausto Coppi at Tour de France with Vacansoleil-DCM's special Oltre frame
As happened at the Giro d'Italia, enriched by De Gendt's impressive win on Stelvio top, Bianchi will provide the whole World Tour team Vacansoleil-DCM with a Oltre special edition bike on the occasion of 99th Tour de France (June 30th-July 22nd).
In addition to yellow inserts along the tubes, the Bianchi Oltre frame for Vacansoleil-DCM will show on the headtube area (both sides) a special logo designed by Bianchi to celebrate Fausto Coppi's fantastic double victory at Giro d'Italia and Tour de France in 1952 - 60 years ago. The logo, which follows the same format used during this year's Giro, shows a yellow Bianchi jersey overlapping the pink one, combined with the number "60".
Highest model of Road range, Oltre is one of the best racing machine Bianchi has ever made. His carbon monocoque aero frame is a creature of Bianchi brand's avant-garde technology, design and history. Oltre is a super high performance and extreme racing bike, feather-light in the mountains, tight on the turns and stiff in the sprints. X-Tex carbon technology and frame's aerodynamic shape give it an incredibly efficient power transmission and stiffness to weight ratio.
Bianchi Oltre's technologies:
- X-TEX: Bianchi's unique process to internally mold X-weaved structural carbon layer; a carbon net is molded into the carbon structure of the head tube; exceptional torsional rigidity proven by Bianchi's professional riders
- Carbon Nano Tech: adding Nano material into the matrix system enhances cohesion between fiber and matrix to make the carbon structure packed and tighed; increased toughness, lifetime and fatigue resistance; reduced empty spaces and micro cracks of the carbon laminate
- Carbon Nano Tube Tech: the ultimate generation of nano-technology. Carbon nano tubes with cylindrical structure are combined with epoxy resin and nano powder to increase the fracture toughness by 49% compared to standard resin, 20% higher than nano-technology; increased material resistance and lifetime of the frame; reduced empty spaces and micro cracks of the carbon laminate
- WMP (Wrinkleless Molding Process): wrinkles in the material affect the property of the whole frame and add more weight; Bianchi avoid wrinkles by pre-tuning the thickness of the laminate of each frame; increased frame and process efficiency; reduced weight
- UTSS (Ultra Thin Seat Stay): thanks to Nano Tube Technology, seat stays tube sections are reduced without weakening power transmission; improved shock absorption and impact resistance; maximum power transmission; weight reduction
At Tour de France, team Vacansoleil-DCM will line-up the following riders: Dutch Kenny van Hummel, Johnny Hoogerland, Wout Poels, Rob Ruigh and Lieuwe Westra, Swedish Gustav Larsson, Italian Marco Marcato, Belgian Kris Boeckmans and Spanish Rafael Valls.
Duarte brings Bianchi to victory at Vuelta a Colombia
Colombia Coldeportes' Fabio Duarte is the 62nd Vuelta a Colombia (June 12th-24th)'s first leader. 26-year-old rider achieved the first victory of 2012 in the opening time trial in Puerto Gaitan, on a Bianchi Pico Crono Carbon bike (D|2 family).
On a 4,6 km very fast course, Duarte preceded defending champion Felix Cardenas (GW-Shimano) by a slender 730 thousands of second margin. Marlon Perez (Colombia-Comcel) completed the podium with a 1 second gap.
Vacansoleil-DCM's Lagutin and Bianchi Oltre dominate GP Gippingen
Vacansoleil-DCM's Uzbekh Sergey Lagutin on Bianchi Oltre outsprinted fellow escapees Vladimir Gusev and Georg Preidler to top Swiss semi-classic GP Kanton Aargau, raced in Gippingen on Thursday, June 7th.
Androni Giocattoli's Riccardo Chiarini and Emanuele Sella, both on Bianchi Oltre, also finished in the day's top-10, placing sixth and seventh respectively in the bunch sprint topped by Michael Albasini, 32 seconds behind Lagutin.
