Rudy Project Signs Lotto-Soudal, Presents Formidable Cycling World Tour Line-Up
Rudy Project North America, exclusive distributors of Italian-made endurance sports gear, asserted its dominance in the road cycling world this week by announcing a new sponsorship between Rudy Project and the Lotto Soudal cycling team for the 2018 season. As official eyewear partner, Rudy Project will provide all the Lotto Soudal teams (Pro Men, Pro Women and Under 23) with cutting-edge, innovative eyewear and prescription solutions, all proudly made in Italy.
“We’re proud to back Lotto Soudal this year, and it’s looking to be a phenomenal Pro Tour season for Rudy Project. This year we are supporting three UCI World Tour teams and thanks to Lotto Soudal and TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank, we’ll have two teams in the UCI Women World Tour this year,” says Cristiano Barbazza, President and CEO of Rudy Project. “Rudy Project and Lotto-Soudal are brands which embody the cycling heritage and share a strong passion for racing at the highest level. They have an incredible lineup with many young and talented riders and the coming race season looks very promising.”
Lotto-Soudal has already kicked off the season with a stage victory for André Greipel – the famed German sprinter is one of the most prolific winners in the cycling world, with over 140 wins to his name. 2018 marks Greipel’s first Tour Down Under since 2014, and as he returned to the World Tour race where he holds the record for most stage wins. Greipel was full of glowing praise for the team’s new eyewear sponsor who he is very familiar with: “Until 2012 I always wore Rudy Project glasses. I know their products well and I am very happy with this new partnership. Things have always been smooth with Rudy Project, they really listen to the feedback from the riders.”
Andre dominated a bunch sprint to win the first stage of the world tour season in hisTralyx sunglasses, Rudy Project’s revolutionary shield-style performance eyewear. The Tralyx features interchangeable lenses, a unique Power-Flow venting system, and fully adjustable temple arms and temple tips for a fog free fit, every time. Rudy Project also just introduced the Tralyx SLIM, a narrower profile sunglass perfectly suited for female athletes and riders with smaller faces. A third available size, the Tralyx XL, is the sunglass of choice for another of Rudy Project’s World Tour teams, Trek-Segafredo. Trek-Segafredo had a standout year last year, with stage wins at both the Tour de France and the Vuelta Espana .
Rudy Project’s award-winning helmet line will also appear in the World Tour – the distinctive gold RaceMaster and Boost 01 were much talked about on the circuit last year, and will again be the choice of Team Bahrain Merida, led by Vincenzo “The Shark” Nibali. The Sicilian is looking for another GC win, this year at the Tour de France (Nibali is one of the few legendary riders to have won all three Grand Tours).
“He’s a rider who has finished on the podium 10 times in the last years,” said Bahrain-Merida manager Brent Copeland. “He’s an incredibly consistent rider and I think that his chances of winning the Tour de France are good. We’ll support him and his training staff with everything they need to get to the Tour in the best possible shape.” Team Bahrain strengthened the squad this year with new signings like Domenico Pozzovivo, one of the field’s most consistent climbers, Gorka Izagirre from Spain, and neo-pro Mark Padun, one of the best Under 23 talents from the 2017 season.
Off the bike, during podium ceremonies and events, Rudy Project’s World Tour teams will wear the Spinhawk Loud lifestyle sunglass series, a line exclusively designed for Rudy Project ambassadors. Riders with visual correction needs will be equipped with the latest in high-tech Rudy Project prescription solutions, including Optical Inserts for the Tralyx models, and Optical Docks for the Rydon and Fotonyk, specially designed to take high-correction prescriptions for athletes.
Paul De Geyter, general manager for Lotto Soudal said, “We are very pleased to be working with Rudy Project. They have many years of experience designing equipment at the highest level of cycling. That creates confidence. Eyewear is a very important part of a rider’s outfit and they need to be of top quality. That’s definitely the case with Rudy Project.”