Sastre, CSC-Saxo Bank deliver Tour de France win for new Bell Volt

Spain's Carlos Sastre in a celebratory mood as the race charges toward Paris. Photo: Tim De Waele/tdwsport.com

PARIS, France - Bell Rider Carlos Sastre of Team CSC-Saxo Bank powered to the 2008 Tour de France title with a perfect combination of race-long teamwork, as well as a gritty solo effort in Saturday’s individual time trial. As he stood atop the final podium on the Champs Élysées in Paris Sunday—his young children at his feet—a smile of satisfaction crossed the 33-year-old Spaniard’s face, the culmination of years of hard work that saw him hover near the top of the standings at prior grand tours, but never at the top. Until now.

Sastre’s win is the first Tour de France title for Bell and the first for the new Bell Volt helmet which debuted at the race on the riders from the CSC-Saxo Bank and Credit Agricole teams.

Team CSC ushers race-winner Carlos Sastre through the French countryside. Photo: Tim De Waele/tdwsport.com

Finishing with the yellow jersey in Paris was the fitting result to Sastre’s Tour that saw his CSC-Saxo Bank execute a perfect strategy with young phenoms Andy and Frank Schleck controlling the pace in the high mountains while super domestiques Jens Voigt, Fabian Cancellara, Stuart O’Grady, Nicki Sorensen, Kurt-Asle Arvesen and Volodimir Gustov all sacrificed opportunities at individual glory to control the race on behalf of their leader—though Arvesen did manage to grab a bit of glitz with a cheeky win on stage 12. Andy Schleck also won the white jersey for the tour’s best young rider while elder brother Frank wore the race leader’s jersey for two days in the mountains before ceding it to Sastre, whose solo victory up l’Alpe d’Huez proved to be decisive. The team also captured the best team title with a commanding gap of more than 15 minutes over second place Team AG2R.

Credit Agricole managed some impressive results as well with two hard-fought stage wins. Norwegian sensation Thor Hushovd took the honors in a bunch sprint on stage two, while Australian Simon Gerrans dispatched his breakaway partner to take the win on stage 15.

Tour de France Champion
Yellow Jersey - Carlos Sastre - CSC-Saxo Bank

Photo: Tim De Waele/tdwsport.com

#1 Overall Team
Team CSC-Saxo Bank

Best Young Rider
White Jersey - Andy Schleck - CSC-Saxo Bank

Yellow Jersey Wearer
Stages 17-21 - Carlos Sastre - CSC-Saxo Bank

Yellow Jersey Wearer
Stages 15-16 - Frank Schleck - CSC-Saxo Bank

Stage Wins
Thor Husovd - Credit Agricole - Stage 2
Kurt-Asle Arvesen - CSC-Saxo Bank - Stage 12
Simon Gerrans - Credit Agricole - Stage 15
Carlos Sastre - CSC- Saxo Bank - Stage 17

AVAILABILITY NOTE:
The new Bell Volt will be available at a Bell dealer near you in October of 2008.

CSC and Crédit Agricole debut new Bell Volt at Tour de France

When the riders from Team CSC-Saxo Bank and Crédit Agricole make the Grand Départ of the 95th Tour de France Saturday, they will be the first to race in the all-new Bell Volt helmet. And with a rolling stage profile that will likely see a high pace and numerous attacks, those riders will experience first hand the amazing ventilation and comfort of Bell’s new high-end offering—something that will only become more welcome as the three-week Grand Tour wears on.

Combining massive ventilation, svelte weight, and high-tech comfort features, the Volt is a worthy companion to the riders who will usher in its debut. Overall threats Carlos Sastre and brothers Fränk and Andy Schleck of the CSC squad will put the Volt to the test in the sport’s ultimate proving ground—the high mountains—as they vie for the Tour’s final podium. Stage hunters like Crédit Agricole’s Thor Hushovd, Christophe Le Mevel and Dimitri Fofonov along with CSC’s likely animators—Fabian Cancellara, Jens Voigt and Stuart O’Grady—promise an exciting Tour from end to end.

“The Tour always delivers excitement and drama,” said Bell Vice President Tom Larter. “CSC and Crédit Agricole are always at the sharp end of the race come Tour time and we’re thrilled to have them debut the Volt.”

The word “sharp” could also be used to describe the company’s new helmet. Eleven frontal vents corral massive amounts of air with the help of the Volt’s custom-sculpted Composite Fiber Intakes (CFI) which direct flow to the helmet’s internal StreamJet Ventilation channels. Rearward exhaust ports and the moisture-wicking X-Static padding work in tandem to help keep the rider cool and dry. The Volt is made even more comfortable by Bell’s new Twin Axis Gear (TAG) fit system that allows riders to both dial in the exact fit as well as adjust the mechanism’s horizontal position on the back of the head.

Designed to be used on- or off-road, the Volt features Bell’s removable Variable Position Visor (VPV) and is well suited to the rigors of a race like the Tour as it is on the singletrack of World Cup XC racing. Pictured: Crédit Agricole and CSC Limited Edition Bell Volt Helmets. Both come standard with removable visor and visor plugs for on- off-road use.

2009 Bell Volt Product Data Sheet

Bell strikes with electromotive force this summer debuting the all-new Volt, an amazing combination of massive ventilation, svelte weight, and high-tech comfort. Eleven frontal vents corral massive amounts of air with the help of the Volt’s custom-sculpted Composite Fiber Intakes™ (CFI) which direct flow to the helmet’s internal StreamJet Ventilation™ channels. Rearward exhaust ports and the moisture-wicking X-Static™ padding work in tandem to help keep the rider cool and dry. The Volt is made even more comfortable by Bell’s next-generation Twin Axis Gear™ (TAG) fit system that allows riders to both dial in the exact fit, as well as adjust the mechanism’s horizontal position on the back of the head. Designed to be used on- or off-road, the Volt features Bell’s removable Variable Position Visor™ (VPV) and will debut simultaneously at the 2008 Tour de France and on the World Cup XC mountain bike circuit.

SIZES: Small: 51-55 cm • 20”-21.75”, Medium: 55-59 cm • 21.75”-23.25”, Large: 59-63 cm • 23.25”-24.75”

COLORS: Black/Carbon; Silver/White; Red/White; Blue/White; Team CSC Limited Edition; Team Credit Agricole Limited Edition

WEIGHT: 280 grams – 9.9 oz (estimated)

CERTIFICATION: CPSC; CE EN 1078

MSRP: $175.00 USD (US PRICING ONLY)

VENTS: 22 (11 front, 11 back)

TECHNOLOGIES:
- Fusion™ In-Mold Microshell bonds EPS foam to shell for durability
- CFI™ composite construction directs airflow and reinforces helmet
- TAG™ Fit System allows riders to both dial in the exact fit in two directions
- VPV™ Visor is adjustable and removable for on- or off-road use
- Thermodynamic X-Static™ Padding is quick-drying and anti-microbial
- Internal Reinforcement cage fortifies helmet like rebar in concrete
- StreamJet Ventilation™ internal airflow channels for maximum ventilation
- Cam-lock™ Levers for easy strap adjustments
- Registered Graphics for stunning visual appeal
- Visor Plugs are provided for a clean look when visor is removed

2009 Bell Volt Colorways

All Volt helmets include a visor and visor plugs for on- or off-road use. Green/White Credit Agricole Team Limited Edition

Strap: Silver; Visor: Green

White/Black Team CSC Limited Edition
Strap: Red w/Black Stitch; Visor: Black/White

Red/White

Strap: Black; Visor: Red

Silver/White
Strap: Silver; Visor: Silver

Matte Sepia/Copper
Strap: Sepia; Visor: Matte Sepia

Teal/Magenta
Strap: Silver; Visor: Silver

Blue/White
Strap: Blue; Visor: White

Matte Gunmetal/Titanium
Strap: Titanium; Visor: Gunmetal

Black/Carbon
Strap: Black; Visor: Black

All Volt helmets include a visor and visor plugs for on- or off-road use.