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Gear & Gadgets :: De Rosa - The Acqua & Sapone Connection

5 February 2006

De Rosa - The Acqua & Sapone Connection

De Rosa with Acqua & Sapone thanks to Ferretti, photo: BiciRace.com

De Rosa is a well respected name in the cycling industry and the reason is the family connection to the professional cycling world. When arriving at the De Rosa factory in Cusano Milanino one of our missions was to find out more about De Rosa's team for 2006: Acqua & Sapone. Cristiano De Rosa, one of the three sons of De Rosa founder Ugo, was delighted to walk us through the factory and explain to BiciRace.com the new team developments.

The Acqua & Sapone Connection

It is that same family friendliness that won over many professionals, riders from Eddy Merckx and Moreno Argentin to Romans Vainsteins and Stefano Garzelli. For 2006 De Rosa was very close to supplying the bikes to Giancarlo Ferretti's new squadra, SonyEricsson, but then the sponsor failed to materialize. Instead, both Ferretti and De Rosa have found a new home, the two greats will work with Acqua & Sapone for the new season.

Then the frame was rode to victory in front of thousands of tifosi, and now it is available for sale to the world.

Rack De Rosa Machines for Team, photo: BiciRace.com

At the De Rosa factory (mid-January) preparations of the road and time trail frames were well underway for the water and soap squadra. The Italian team will be using the King Xlight and the very slick Protos. The Protos, new for 2006, is made from unidirectional carbon fiber ("Carbonio Unidirezionale HM") and has evolved from the Prototype 1 frame that Stefano Garzelli rode in the 2004 Giro d'Italia. Then the frame was rode to victory in front of thousands of tifosi (to Presolana, stage 19), and now it is available for sale to the world. Cristiano reminded us that the frame can also be custom sized if a customer desires.

Protos with Dura-Ace, photo: BiciRace.com

There were stacks of Acqua & Sapone frames all around the Italian factory, bellissima! Some of them already had their Shimano Dura-Ace gruppo and were ready to be shipped to the riders. The Acqua & Sapone frames will be all "nude", or without any paint, which serves to save weight and to display the wonderful carbon craftsmanship.

The Hour Man: Ondrej Sosenka

To Sosenka, From De Rosa, photo: BiciRace.com

One frame caught our eye on the rack of team models, it was enormous and had the name "Ondrej Sosenka" printed on a temporary label. This was in fact the road frame for the famous Czech and champion of the Hour Record. Sosenka is a giant at two meters tall and 82Kg but De Rosa will be using standard issue monobloc tubing for his King Xlight. Cristiano explained that the frame is already strong enough, and only small modifications had to be made because of Sosenka's height. There is an extension of the seat tube above the top tube, which allows for less seat post under the tall Czech.

The Czech wants to beat his old record of 49.700K and cross the 50K barrier.

The Big Rig of Sosenka, photo: BiciRace.com

De Rosa will also provide Sosenka his track frame when he has another go at the hour record later this year. The Czech wants to beat his old record of 49.700K (obtained on a Moser frame) and cross the 50K barrier. Cristiano explained that the company will start to work on the track frame in late March. The frame will be in all carbon, which he believes will provide the stiffness and lightness that will be needed by Sosenka.

Crono Machine

Crono prepared for Acqua Sapone, photo: BiciRace.com

De Rosa was also preparing the Acqua & Sapone time trial frames. The boys were very busy with the finishing touches on the crono frames, such as drilling holes in the for the cable routing. The team will use a model similar to the Kron for their 2006 season. The Kron is a special order and limited production model that can be bought by the public. Expect to see this TT frame, and the road frames, used to their limits by the Acqua & Sapone in 2006.

Grazie alla famiglia De Rosa!
If you need to find a De Rosa retailer in the United Stages then contact AlbaBici, or go online to Chicagoland Bicycle.

More Photos:
Drilling Holes in Crono Machine, photo: BiciRace.com

Read:
De Rosa - Hydroforming Aluminum, 28 January
De Rosa - Inside the Heart, 15 January
Ondrej Sosenka and Acqua & Sapone Update, 19 December
Acqua & Sapone Race with De Rosa, 6 December
Acqua & Sapone Builds with Fassa Bortolo Help, 3 November
Ondrej Sosenka Breaks Boardman's Hour Record, 20 July