Shutt Velo Rapide to supply kit to Orbea-FGS team

British cycling clothing firm Shutt Velo Rapide has revealed that it will be racing kit supplier to the new Orbea-For Goodness Shakes team, whose launch we reported on earlier this month and which, uniquely for a British team will be putting both men’s and women’s squads on the road during 2010.

Both squads will be supplied with Shutt Velo Rapide merino Sportwool jerseys, as well as gilets, and a new range of bib shorts, while riders, including Olympic Individual Pursuit champion Rebecca Romero, will help the Ilkley-based company test and develop its ranges.

Romero, of course, famously posed on her bike wearing nothing but her birthday suit for an ad during the run-up to the Beijing Olympics, and while it's unlikely that pictures of her in Shutt Velo Rapide gear will gain the same level of, er, exposure, having athletes of that calibre wearing its kit and helping it develop new products is certainly a coup for the company, which was founded only last year.

Simon Warren, managing director of Shutt Velo Rapide, said: “This sponsorship of the Orbea-For Goodness Shakes! cycling team falls in line with our own company principles of teamwork and dedication, and provides us with the unique opportunity to test our clothing in race conditions.”

He continued, “With race tested designs, we can improve the quality of the clothing the team uses, as well as provide our customers with the best in British-made cycling clothing.”

James Whatling, team manager at the new outfit, was similarly enthusiastic about the deal. “When the opportunity arose to work with Shutt Velo Rapide, we didn't hesitate for a minute to bring them on board as one of our team sponsors,” he said.

Whatling continued: “This is a fantastic chance for Orbea-For Goodness Shakes! to work with a company that shares the same ethos and vision as the team, and we're all looking forward to working alongside Shutt Velo Rapide to develop future products.”

“It's a privilege for the team to be asked to work on the research and development of Shutt VR clothing,” he added. “This is a perfect partnership for a new team and it gives the riders a real sense of ownership to have their feedback utilised in the production of Shutt VR's new clothing ranges.”

Founded last year by Warren and Alex Raistrick while they were on a bike ride in the Yorkshire Dales, Shutt Velo Rapide uses materials sourced from manufacturers in Britain and aim to produce “well designed, high quality cycling garments in Sportwool that do not cost a fortune.”

We’re hoping to get some items in to give them the road.cc treatment to see if they stand up to those claims, so look out for a review here soon.