Rapha launch Pantani jersey

There is a review of the Pantani film in The Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/active/recreational-cycling/10827554/Marc...

pantanifilm.com has cinema listings.

I don't normally comment on these things. But this is utterly disgusting to me. Whether it's approved by the family or not, this is cashing in on someone elses death.

Never buying anything Rapha again. The quality lately has been questionable anyway...

While I agree that Lance was probably the worst of a bad bunch I still have a problem with the Pantani love in. Having read "The Death of Marko Pantani" I didn't come away thinking he was a particularly nice bloke. But then this is a trait shared by the majority of top athletes and one off the reasons they get where they do.

'I simply don't get how Lance is vilified when Europeans who did the same '

They didn't do the same. Pantani doped. I can't remember him doing any of the other sh1t that Armstrong pulled.

Ahhh but if they made a Tom Simpson one...

ps I think one reason this looks a bit crap is that it doesn't seem to fit their model... Ironically given the fat shaming on here, he either needs to be bigger or it needs to be smaller.

I don't mean to knock Rapha, but this garment looks some sort of support vest that might be worn by a pensioner, that's been dunked in the boil wash so many times that almost all the colour has faded. And that liberal scattering of logos look decidedly like hospital tags and washing instructions when viewed from a distance

Will Rapha being doing a jersey to commemorate all the riders who tried to become pro cyclists but failed because they refused to dope?
Doping was, and is not, a victimless crime.
This is just cynical opportunism exploiting the misguided reverence for a cheat and parting fools from their money.
A fools paradise.

So how many years till we get the Lance jersey in his signature bs brown? I like Rapha but this was not a smart move.

Wasn't trying to bitch, I'm genuinely curious to hear why someone might buy this. Any suggestions?

Besides, It's road cycling, if you can't be faster than someone up hill at least you can smirk at their fashion faux pas. This is the new golf after all.

''A nice day in june I spot one on the left as I climb box hill, the cafe is packed so no suspicion is raised as I sit next to him, the jersey is a nice shade of blood pink, 60% hue with extra material added to make armband lines in case we didn't know it was Rapha. The owner was lucky to get one of the few XXL ones left to tribute the "Angel of the mountains". I then casually ask him about it, trying to look at his face and not the "very lightweight polyester" (read transparent) front of his jersey. I'll try my best not to spit out my tea if he uses the word "suffering".

I'll try my best not to spit out my tea as I picture a bunch of people in some posh cafe in Surrey bitching about each other's jerseys

I could be wrong but the reason Pantani isn't villified like lance is that he wasn't a control freak who bullied anyone who dared show any challenge to him doping. Did Pantani make anyone like Bassens quit? Or sue anyone for writing things he didn't like about him?

Doping is wrong but bullying and doping is a whole different league. The effects of bullying are far more reaching than 'simply' cheating.

While i'm on the soapbox, people on here need to lighten up. So many judgemental daft comments on so many artickes. This is why so many people are against cyclists in the first place. Just let people live

is it me or are Rapha losing the plot a little since their association with Sky ?

To me this jersey provides no genuine association with Pantani or his achievements and just feels like opportunism, trading on the mythology built around Il Pirata.

That criticism is aimed solely at Rapha. If other people, XXL or any other size, like it and buy it I have no problem with that. I don't think it's for me to judge whether they are right or wrong, 'genuine' fans, misguided Mamils or fashion victims.

I don't think pink really goes with my hair colour anyway but if I wanted to wear pink I'd prefer to get one of the Giro jerseys from Prendas (there are blue, red and white too)... or take part in a sponsored ride for a Breast Cancer charity

There's no such veneration for Casartelli, Wouter Weylandt and others who died or whose careers were tragically cut short like that of Mauricio Soler.

Nice jersey, but the only bloke who looks cool wearing pink on a bike is the actual leader of the Giro, so I'll not be purchasing.

Pantani - legend. RIP.

Includes free bandana you say? Is there also a stick on beard to complete the outfit?

I simply don't get how Lance is vilified when Europeans who did the same but were not as successful when the field was levelled by drug use are lorded? Either it was ok then because drug use was every where or they are all as bad as each other!

IMO it is over the top the way Lance is being treated (though I'm not a USA fan).

Jersey is not very nice, and I don't dislike rapha though Ido think you can get as good or better kit for slightly less hard earned cash. May be a yellow LA jersey would look better

I didn't like the idea when I first heard about it, as I expressed on the forum, but I am ok with that, because it looks SH*T, cheap and tacky.

They could have done something tasteful.

Didn't take long, did it?

So a jersey made by none other than Rapha to commemorate a confirmed doper, surely they're trolling us?

I've taken a few minutes but cannot think of any reason somebody could buy this other than irony, but I shouldn't have to wait long to find out. I can picture the scene: A nice day in june I spot one on the left as I climb box hill, the cafe is packed so no suspicion is raised as I sit next to him, the jersey is a nice shade of blood pink, 60% hue with extra material added to make armband lines in case we didn't know it was Rapha. The owner was lucky to get one of the few XXL ones left to tribute the "Angel of the mountains". I then casually ask him about it, trying to look at his face and not the "very lightweight polyester" (read transparent) front of his jersey.

I'll try my best not to spit out my tea if he uses the word "suffering".

Rubbing my hands in anticipation, can't wait.