Endura has announced that renowned German sprinter and former professional athlete Marcel Kittel will join the company as a brand ambassador. Kittel will bring a wealth of riding and race-winning insights and feedback that Endura can utilize in developing the Pro SL, FS260-Pro, and now banned by the UCI, the D2Z series.

Kittel retired from professional racing in August 2019, citing overwhelming pressure and constant travel as having diminished his quality of life; in late 2019, Endura ended a successful partnership with Movistar, citing UCI-mandated technology restrictions as the reason, announced his departure from the World Tour.

Kittel may not be willing to be involved in future competitions, but he was not ready to leave the sport altogether.

"It's a good coincidence, and I think it's fate," Kittel said. For me now, competing for myself is not relevant anymore. I just want to focus on enjoying cycling."

This meeting of minds brought the two together with the goal of creating clothing and equipment that could exceed the restrictions enforced by regulatory bodies. Kittel says he is excited about the potential for advancement in wear that this partnership will bring.

"I feel like cycling is sometimes conservative and doesn't realize how important progress is to developing the sport, and that progress comes from training, science, nutrition, and equipment. That progress comes from training, science, nutrition, and equipment." Technology is so important, and all riders should appreciate this opportunity to test and develop new things to make them better, faster, and safer.

Endura has become a leading manufacturer of cycling gear with functionality and rider performance as core values. Born in Scotland, Endura has always been committed to making performance clothing for hardcore roadies and all-weather mountain bike riders.

Endura describes its design philosophy as "Renegade Progress," an approach practiced by co-founder Jim McFarlane to serve all riders, not just top-level competitors.

"Where should power lie? It should be in what cyclists want to do, not in an authoritarian world power that tells all cyclists what to do," Macfarlane said. 'We should be a reflection of that, not a dictator. I don't want to say we, the industry or the governing body. We should be demand-driven. We ultimately need to be enablers for people to have a good time, and we need to provide the best for that, rather than having to conform to pre-set limits in order to have fun."

The announcement came as Endura held a press event on the Argyll coast of western Scotland to launch an updated version of its successful Pro SL bib shorts.

The new bib shorts feature updated padding from the 700 series and a new multi-panel construction with redesigned straps. Cycling News was lucky enough to get our hands on a pair, and will report back once we've run a few more saddles.