Sportful in the pro peloton: a history
Sportful was born out of Italian tailoring and developed through a passion for sport and adventure.
When Giordano Cremonese couldn’t find a ski suit that met his standards to compete in at the 70km Marcialonga Granfondo, he made his own at his family’s clothing factory. Having captured the attention of other competitors, Giordano decided to share his ideas.
1972 / Sportful begins
Giordano Cremonese realises there is a gap in the performance sports market that he is perfectly poised to fill. He takes over his parents’ manifattura and dedicates their knitting machines and experienced staff, as well as his own sporting expertise, to developing cutting edge Nordic ski gear. Within a year, his apparel floods the big events.
1985 / We branch out into cycling gear
For years, cyclists have been wearing woollen jerseys and shorts to race in. Giordano realises that the demands of pro cycling are similar to those of Nordic skiing. Using revolutionary fabrics and manufacturing techniques, we start creating aero and breathable kit for competitive cyclists.
1988 / We sponsor Alfa Lum and prove our worth
Alfa Lum soon recognises our apparel’s ability to enable their athletes to perform at their best. In 1988, Maurizio Fondriest wins the Road World Championships, showcasing our products on a global stage.
1994 / We begin a relationship with Mapei
Together, Sportful and Mapei will dominate the Classics and UCI rankings for years. With a roster of legendary riders, the Mapei team will go on to win some of the sport’s most iconic races: Paris Roubaix with Museeuw, the Time Trial World Championships with Olano, the UCI Road World Championships with Museeuw, Olano, Freire and Camenzind, plus a host of Classics with Bartoli and Ballerini.
2002 / We start work with the Italian National Team
The eight years we spend with the Italian National Team are a golden period. Paolo Bettini takes gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics Road Race, while wins in the men’s Road Race World Championships come from Cipollini, Bettini (twice in 2006-7) and Ballan. During this period, Bastianelli and Guderzo also deliver wins in the women’s event.
2010 / We partner Team Saxo Bank
The successes continue with Team Saxo Bank. Our first year sees Andy Schleck win the Tour de France and Fabian Cancellara become four-time World Time Trial Champion. In later years, Alberto Contador wins the Vuelta a Espaňa twice, then Giro d’Italia, while Peter Sagan wins the Points Classification at the Tour de France twice and the European Road Cycling Championships.
2017 / A special relationship with Peter Sagan
Sportful and Bora–hansgrohe enjoy a successful relationship, with Peter Sagan spearheading the team’s successes. Victories at the World Championships and the Spring Classics, alongside two more green jersey wins at the Tour de France, cement Sagan as one of the sport’s greats.
