Selle Italia finished off 2023 with the great news that Gran Fondo magazine's readers have voted Selle Italia as their favourite saddle brand of the year. The recognition from the magazine’s readership is a serious stamp of approval from in-the-know cyclists.
The cycling industry is an incredibly exciting and competitive one that is constantly pushing the limits of innovation and quality. To be recognised by discerning cyclists who are very well informed about the options on the market is a fantastic achievement. Having made our first saddle over 120 years ago, it’s hugely rewarding to see our saddles are still some of the very best on the market.
“This award is great news for the whole team here at Selle Italia. It goes to show that our dedication to making the best saddles possible is paying off. It’s fantastic motivation to keep improving and making sure that we win even more of these awards. Thank you to everyone who voted for us.”
Key to Selle Italia being a leading saddle manufacturer are our SLR, Flite, and Novus saddles which are defined by their neutral, flat, and wave shape. These saddles range from models that are accessible to all riders to premium options that are finished with lightweight carbon materials and stunning designs. Some of our much loved saddles were reimagined in 2023 when we embraced 3D printing and released a range of 3D-printed saddles.
Design and Innovation Triumphs in 2023
As well as Gran Fondo’s readers voting Selle Italia as the best saddle brand, we were also a Best Off-Road Equipment winner at the Design & Innovation Awards with our Model X and Model X Comfort Plus saddles. The judges loved the sustainable approach to creating these saddles as we only use parts that are supplied by companies within a 15km radius of our headquarters. Both are made with Greentech technology that reduces waste, makes them easier to recycle, and are made without the use of solvents.
Elite Riders winning with Selle Italia
As well as gaining recognition from people in the cycling world, it’s also incredibly important that we help some of the best cyclists on the planet achieve their goals. One of those athletes, who had a year to remember, is Mathieu Van Der Poel. MVDP won the Milano-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix before winning both the UCI World Championships in Road and Cyclo-cross. Check out his signature MVDP saddle.
In the Grand Tours, Selle Italia saddles were ridden to a total of 13 stage wins with one Giro d’Italia win, five wins at the Vuelta a España, and an impressive seven stage wins at the Tour de France.
In the world of off-road cycling, the dominant Puck Pieterse rode Selle Italia saddles to the overall title in both the XCO and XCC World Cup, as well as podium finishes in the XCO and XCC events at the UCI World Championships. Samuel Gaze finished first in the XCC UCI World Championships and second in the XCO UCI World Championships. To round off a great year off-road, Gaia Tormena won the XCE UCI World Championships and Florian Vermeersch finished second in the Gavel UCI World Championships.
Looking back on such a successful year, we’re extremely proud of our team that has achieved so much and we can’t wait to show you what we’ve got in store for 2024.
Visit our online store to experience our saddles for yourself and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook so that you don’t miss out on any news.
