Dyneema adds protection for Tour de France
Dutch life sciences company Royal DSM is supplying its high strength Dyneema to add abrasion resistance to cycling jerseys that will be used in the Tour de France.
Partnering Team Sunweb and Craft Sportswear, the jerseys protect the riders if they fall at speeds up to 60km/h, while also reducing the severity of open wounds at even higher speeds, according to the companies.
The new jersey is the latest protective cycling apparel solution, following the launch of the protective bib shorts (2015) and the protective baselayer (2019).Piet Rooijakkers, head of R&D Team Sunweb, said: Being 15 times stronger than steel on a weight for weight basis, Dyneema fibre 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.
“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 DSM Protective Materials, added: “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 fibres into protective cycling jerseys – contributing even further to a safe and healthy world!”
In line with its commitment to protect people and the environment they live in, DSM introduced the first bio-based HMPE fiber in May 2020. Bio-based Dyneema fiber offers the same performance as conventional Dyneema with a carbon footprint that is 90% lower than generic HMPE.
