Aqua Blue Sport have named additional equipment partners for the 2018 season with the Irish team using Selle San Marco saddles, Quarq power meters and Speedplay pedals next year.
The announcement follows previous confirmation of the groundbreaking 3T Strada 1xAero as the squad’s team bike for its second season, equipped with the SRAM Force 1 groupset.
Team owner Rick Delaney said he was proud to champion innovation in professional cycling through partnership with exciting and like-minded brands.
He said: “As the first Irish Pro Continental cycling team ours is a relentless pursuit: to be the best we can be. Through partnerships that bring cutting edge technology into the heart of professional bike racing we state our claim as a progressive force in cycling.
“As we look back on our debut season and prepare to embark on the next chapter we are delighted to welcome such prestigious brands as 3T, SRAM, Quarq, Sella San Marco and Speedplay as our allies. Together we believe we are paving the way in technological innovation in professional cycling and feel confident these partnerships will help propel the team to a successful 2018.”
3T Strada
As previously announced, Aqua Blue Sport will ride the trailblazing 3T Strada in 2018, the world’s first aero road bike optimized for wider tyres, disc brakes and a single chainring drivetrain. Designed by Gerard Vroomen, the 3T Strada is a milestone in road bike design fuelled by a passion to move cycling forward.
SRAM
SRAM will equip the team with its Force 1 1x drivetrain featuring a single front chainring, hydraulic disc brakes and a host of cassette/chainring combinations to offer riders a wide range of gearing options.
Selle San Marco
A new partner for next season is iconic Italian saddle maker Selle San Marco. Aqua Blue Sport riders will have their choice of the brand’s Aspide, Mantra and Shortfit models in various iterations, with SSM’s innovative DiMA Selector tool being employed to determine the optimum fit for each rider.
Selle San Marco Marketing Manager Paolo Frison said this partnership was just the beginning of a fruitful relationship. He said: “We are developing new products and trying to find the best solution for every single rider but this is just the beginning. I believe we are aligned because we are very fresh and keen on innovation. It’s a great challenge to take on together and a good synergy to push our brand and strategies.”
Quarq
Aqua Blue Sport will use the US company Quarq’s next-generation power meter platform, DZero, to accurately monitor their training and racing metrics.
Géraldine Bergeron, European Road Marketing Manager for Quarq’s parent company SRAM, said the partnership was an exciting one to be involved with. She said: “Quarq is pleased to partner with the Irish Pro Continental team, Aqua Blue Sport, a forward-thinking team that proved to be very competitive in their first year in the peloton. With new talented riders and new partners SRAM and 3T joining the team, Quarq is excited to help Aqua Blue Sport grow and reach their long-term goals.”
Speedplay
The team has also announced its riders will be using the Speedplay Zero high-performance pedal system in 2018, with the US brand’s strong track record of innovation and engineering excellence making it an ideal technical partner for the team.
