Innovation Museum: David de la Cruz • Q36.5

On the occasion of our annual team fitting camp at the end of October we took the opportunity to sit down with one of the most experienced and meticulously well-prepared riders in our team, the current Spanish Time Trial champion David De La Cruz for a special, apparel-focused, edition of Innovation Museum. During our conversation he taught us a few layering tricks for winter, his favourite Q36.5 items and the best piece of advice given to him by a fellow rider at the beginning of his career.

What is your first memory of making an upgrade to your equipment as an elite athlete? Could you immediately “feel the difference”

I would say that my first upgrade were a good pair of winter gloves. After struggling a lot during a winter training I decided to buy a good pair and it definitely was a good investment! I truly believe that what makes the difference between brands is how good their products are against the cold weather, it’s there that you really can differentiate between good and exceptional. I would always recommend to invest the most on winter training items.

Could you explain your attitude to choosing equipment for winter training and cold weather racing? Do you have a specific philosophy or a specific (even unusual) set of criteria that you like your equipment to fulfill?

I would say that with cold weather training or races I always try to apply the 3-layer rule that I learned when I was doing mountain tours before I started cycling: first always a good base layer, then a good long sleeve jersey that works as insulation layer and the last layer a good wind stopper. But today, now that I use Q36.5, I am also able to use just 2-layers with the same excellent result, specifically: the Base Layer 4 together with the Gregarius Winter Jacket. With these two items I’m more than ready to train in any cold weather.

Are there any technologies/innovations that you feel you were the pioneer of in the peloton?

I remember in one of the teams I was racing for a few years ago, we were the first to use “rain bib shorts”. In previous teams we had always focused on having a good rain jacket, rain gloves, shoe covers… but never on bib shorts specifically made for rainy weather. Definitely this upgrade was great and gave us a little advantage against other teams in cold and rainy races.

What are the three key characteristics you look for in your apparel?

I always look for the quality of the fabrics, that’s easy to recognize just having it in your hands, but if I have to say 3 specific performance characteristics I will go for Insulation, breathability and the fit.

Do other parts of your training and racing regime follow the same philosophy (for example nutrition)?

Yes, for sure! I truly believe in the saying “do it well or don’t do it at all”. So, I always aim for the best whether it’s my training, nutrition, bike equipment… When I have the feeling that I’m doing my best in chasing excellence across all areas, that is when I have the highest confidence to face my goals.

How did you first hear about Q36.5?  

I think the first time I heard of the brand was around 2017 or 2018. I passed by a cycling shop near my home, and I found a base layer from a brand known as Q36.5. Even if it wasn’t my official clothing supplier, I decided to give it a try and I bought one of them. I remember that I fell in love immediately with the quality of the product and how it felt during my ride.

Then a few years later I joined the Q36.5 Pro cycling team, and one of the first items I was supplied with by the team was one of the same base layers I had bought 6 years ago. It was a very positive feeling to notice that the product was completely identical to 6 years ago, a real pioneering piece of equipment! In my opinion this speaks very well about the innovative spirit of the brand.

What Q36.5 equipment did you use this season for training and racing? Could you please talk us through a few of your favourite items? We are particularly interested in the unexpected favourites, the little details or items that one falls in love with.

It’s a difficult question to answer, but there are two items that I really love: the TT skin suit and all the base layers.

I really appreciate the breathability of the base layers and the seamless construction that makes them a really comfortable product, especially because it is the garment that is constantly in contact with the skin and therefore the one that needs the highest quality fabric.

Then the TT body suit I especially love it for its comfort. Obviously the first consideration for time trials, when every second counts, is aerodynamics as the body is the biggest surface in contact with the wind, therefore a material that offers low wind resistance is extremely necessary. But also, you have to be comfortable at the same time: the TT position is really aggressive and you need to wear clothing that gives you the freedom to move your legs even when your hip angle is really close. The Q36.5 allows me to be fast and comfortable at the same time.

What was the Q36.5 prototype that you tested this season that you liked the most?

The “classics” bib shorts [Dottore Hybrid Bib Shorts]. I found them perfect for cold races. The dual layer construction that keeps you warm and protected from wind or rain makes it the perfect item for the races where we face difficult weather conditions.

What is your favourite item from Q36.5 for winter training?

Definitely the “Adventure vest”, I found it perfect because it’s a really light vest but with really warm fabric on the front part, were it matters, and at the same time really foldable that makes it really easy for storage in the pocket.

Do you have a technological “mentor”? Somebody with an extra special equipment knowledge who tutors you to be smarter about what equipment you use, clothing you wear, food you eat? What is the most important lesson you received from this mentor?

It’s a difficult question because I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by incredible cyclists during my entire career from whom I learnt a lot. But at the beginning of my career, I got a lot of support from Joaquim ‘Purito’ Rodriguez. He was really crazy about always wearing the best cycling clothing. I learnt from him the importance of attention to details. As he always told me 100 is the sum of one plus one plus one! Since then, I have always tried to look for those marginal gains.

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