You might be a macchiato kind of person, or prefer the rich, intense hit of a ristretto. The cappuccino might be king – only in the morning, please – or there might be nothing like the warming promise and alluring aroma of a generous mug of americano. But however you choose to consume the bean, we can all agree that coffee is awesome. It’s also a big part of cycling culture. Fausto Coppi liked it so much that he stopped while in the lead of the 1946 Milano-Sanremo to grab a quick espresso at the Caffè Pasticceria Piccardo in Imperia, some 40 kilometers from the finish line. The legendary Italian heard on a fan’s radio that his lead was almost 10 minutes, and so he decided he had time for a quick hit of java before arriving solo and victorious in Sanremo to take the sixth of his nine one-day monument titles by a quarter of an hour.
Coppi’s old rival and friend, the French rider Raphaël Géminiani, was fond of saying that whenever the Italian won, you didn’t need a Swiss watch to measure the gap to second place because the local Church bell tower could do the job just fine. Most of us would struggle to put that kind of time into our riding partners, but just like il Campionissimo, our best efforts are almost always fueled or rewarded with a delicious cup (or two) of Joe.
Everyone at inGamba had been admiring the work of Rocket Espresso for some time, so we knew sooner or later we’d need to get one of their machines for ourselves. Their small team of craftsmen in Milan, Italy hand-build some of the best espresso machines that money can buy, and thanks to their commitment to quality, Rocket have become synonymous with the finest kit for coffee aficionados in the last few years. They also have a growing number of fans in the pro peloton.
When @GregVanAvermaet asked for machines 4 his Rio teammates we were happy to oblige. After all, with a 🚀in ur kitchen u will be faster#fact pic.twitter.com/f8mSTlYJDS — Rocket Espresso (@rocketespresso) October 16, 2016
When you help @romainbardet podium @LeTour he’s pleased. So pleased he orders espresso machines for his teammates @AG2RLAMONDIALEc 🔵⚪️🔴 pic.twitter.com/tOafHfqorr
— Rocket Espresso (@rocketespresso) October 1, 2016
The build-quality is second to none, from the commercial-grade rotary pump that ensures quiet but powerful pours, to the stainless steel boilers and the overall attention to detail that can only come from something made lovingly by skilled hands. And serious coffee geeks will love the pressure gauges and the option to use a plumbed-in water source if they don’t fancy filling the machine’s built-in reservoir. It’s exactly the kind 0f high-performance, top-of-the-line equipment that fits right in at our Service Course in Tuscany and we look forward to many happy years and miles beginning and ending huddled around the newest member of the inGamba team. Bottoms up!
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Rocket Espresso is the brainchild of New Zealander Andrew Meo and Italian Daniele Berenbruch, who were brought together by a shared love of coffee and a desire to conquer the cafe world by making the coolest machines possible. You can find out more about their story and their awesome range of products over at rocket-espresso.com.
