Eagle-eyed Tour de France viewers will have spotted that Peter Sagan (Cannondale) and his teammates have animals associated with the Fi’zi:k Spine Concept programme emblazoned across their shorts.
The Italian component makers have supplied the pro squad with special edition black-and-white saddles – the Aliante (Bull), Antares (Chameleon) and Arione (Snake). In Fi’zi:k terminology, the Bull is for less flexible riders, the Snake for very flexible riders, and the Chameleon somewhere in between.
Despite Fi’zi:k sponsoring 10 teams at this year’s race, Cannondale are the only squad to have received the monochrome designs. The brand needed to produce 60 saddles to see the squad through the 2013 Tour de France, BikeRadar learned.
Super flexible? Try the Fi’zi:k Arione (Snake)
Earlier this year, Fi’zi:k released the Arione Versus on braided rails as the newest addition to their range. Just one rider on the Cannondale squad is using that saddle, with its pressure-reliving channel – Alessandro De Marchi.