Orbea Takes Gold
Samuel Sánchez of Euskaltel-Euskadi has just grabbed the first gold medal for the Orbea team. The Asturias-born rider basked in an impressive victory in a sprint finale, crossing the finish line ahead of Davide Rebellin and Fabian Cancellara. With this triumph, the Basque company adds the first Beijing gold medal to its trophy cabinet.
On his Orca, Sánchez climbed to the top of the cycling road race podium in Beijing. After his seventh overall ranking in the Tour de France, he was only ready for a major win, which came today in China with this most impressive performance. Sánchez notched up victory on a bike specially designed for winners.
With 50 metres to go, the group of escapees intensified their efforts and Sánchez proved to be the smartest with a decisive attack in a series begun by Andy Schleck from Luxembourg, outsprinting Italy’s Davide Rebellin on the line, with Fabian Cancellara from Switzerland storming home for third. The Euskaltel-Euskadi rider claimed the Spanish National Team’s –and Orbea’s– first medal in Beijing. Of course, it won’t be the only one.
The bike model responsible for Samuel Sánchez’s glory is Orbea Orca. An epitome of modernity and innovation, this bicycle won the Eurobike Award –like an Oscar to bike design– in 2006. Orca is Orbea’s letter of introduction for the 21st century, a feat of ingenuity using state-of-the-art technology. It’s different from all others because of its quality, but also because it’s a living project, an ever-evolving object making a big difference between Orbea and its competitors. For a leading company in bicycle innovation needs to indefatigably seek improvement.
To create Orca 2009, Orbea exploited the potential of carbon structures while keeping the firm’s distinguishing marks: wide range of functions and features, durability, monocoque technology and, of course, lifetime guarantee. What’s more, Orbea is in contact with the pro cycling teams it sponsors, like Euskaltel-Euskadi, who’re our best test bench. This leads to great results, like Samuel Sánchez’s victory in Beijing today.
Orbea has managed to manufacture a lighter yet more resistant product using carbon fibre and advanced alloys. The Orca 2009 frame’s curvilinear design is one of the most innovative achievements in bike engineering. The frame’s oversize aerodynamic seat stays are integrated into the main triangle. As a result, the Orca 2009 frame weighs only 875 grams for a size 54. Adding the fork and the accessories, the weight is 1,290 grams.
The different frame sizes available (48, 51, 54, 57, and 60) have been developed and are manufactured individually, rather than to lengthening or shortening a standard size to fit all others. The underlying technology –developed and registered by Orbea– is called Size Specific Nerve. It involves a nerve passing through the whole bicycle structure and unifying it.
Keep an eye out for the 2009 range