Updated April 27 with additional information from Gore.
Tour de Romandie has become famous for its terrible weather in recent years and the 2017 edition of the race is no different. Following the rainy prologue, stage one began in a grey, cold and rainy Aigle in Switzerland. All but the hardiest of riders wore wet weather jackets and Team Sky was equipped with a not-yet-released waterproof from Castelli.
The grey jacket is an evolution of the Castelli Idro, and despite the prominent feature being a hyper-lightweight Gore-Tex outer layer, this team jacket has several new design features from the current version.
Gore told BikeRadar that Castelli is one of several brands testing a new fabric called, somewhat plainly, Gore-Tex Fabric with Stretch Technology.
The new Gore-Tex Fabric with Stretch features on the side panels, elbow and shoulder. The remainder of the jacket is constructed from Gore-Tex ShakeDry waterproof fabric, the same that is used on 7mesh's 93g Oro jacket and Gore's own One 1985 shell.
Whilst the existing version of the Idro only features a rear zip to access the jersey pockets beneath, this jacket has two large cargo pockets.
Despite a full-length waterproof zipper, extra material from cargo pockets and Gore-Tex Stretch side panel inserts, the jacket remains lightweight enough to be comfortably packed into a jersey pocket and weighs a claimed 123 grams for a size large.
The jacket also features fully taped seams, a silicone elastic waistband and reflectivity.
Although it may be a while yet, we look forward to getting our hands on the new jacket from Castelli and giving you a full review as soon as we can.