This article was first published in Rouleur Issue 142 and was produced in collaboration with ASSOS
Il faut cultiver notre jardin, concluded Voltaire at the end of Candide, and although wearers of ASSOS’s new MILLE/UMA GT collection will not have endured fantastical 18th-century horrors and hardships like the hero of the French philosopher’s famous novella, they will nevertheless benefit from the almost horticultural care and attention that has gone into nurturing, tending and refining this range over the years.
The ASSOS endurance range has not only evolved. It has also been fortified with fabric and features from the Equipe – for men – and Dyora womens' ranges: the new bib shorts and jerseys are designed to bring more comfort, increased breathability, an even better fit and a cleaner silhouette.
The aesthetic has also flowered. ASSOS was the first to bring Lycra shorts to cycling – in black, of course, which was its signature. Now, alongside the classic blackSeries, a spectrum of contemporary colour options includes Burgundy Red, Moss Green and Wild Brown. Jersey colours include Blossom Pink, Golden Yellow, Almond Milk, Edge Green and Wisteria Violet.
ASSOS calls MILLE/UMA GT the “backbone” of its collection. It is the most accessibly priced and aimed at regular, daily riders rather than racers and for that reason, says senior manager of development, Luca Zanasca, “Every update has to meaningfully improve the ride experience. We focused on refining the essentials: increased breathability, and subtle construction improvements that deliver noticeable gains in comfort, stability, and fit – ride after ride.”
While the S11 generation is still the latest, the new-for-2026 jersey and shorts build on the legacy with fabric updates, trickled-down Racing Series technology, a cleaner, more contemporary silhouette, and an updated, larger AS-SOS ‘A’ logo that’s also inherited from RS.
The MILLE/UMA GT Jersey S11 EVO is engineered to keep riders cool, dry, and comfortable for daily riding. The main body is made from the proven ultralight AirCell fabric like the previous version: this is a circular knit with an open hexagon structure that is designed to deliver exceptional airflow and elasticity. However, the sleeves are updated with a new textile called Eclipse. This is, says ASSOS, an “impossibly light warp-knit material with an ultrasoft feel and UPF 50+ protection. Borrowed from the Equipe/Dyora ranges, the raw-cut sleeve construction creates a low-profile finish that improves aerodynamics while eliminating pressure points.”
The jersey is cut to ASSOS’s regularFit sizing, which is body contoured with reduced seams for comfort on long rides without the second-skin closeness of racingFit. At the rear are their Triple Ramp Pockets, which use flexible panels that create lids to help stabilise cargo when fully loaded.
Meanwhile, the new MILLE/ UMA GT Bib Shorts S11 feature a lighter, more durable construction and a longer leg length. A new QUARTZ textile delivers breathable compression, according to ASSOS, and is designed to be a perfect choice for long days in the saddle. Eighty per cent of the fabric content is made from pre-consumer recycled polyamide.
Stability and support come via ASSOS’s rollBar bib strap technology, again adapted from the Equipe/Dyora series, whereby the straps are attached low at the rear of the shorts in order to lock the insert in place as the rider moves through sprints, climbs, and corners. At the leg openings, the PILtec Plug-In grippers provide a secure hold in wet or dry conditions with an invisible, low-profile finish.
At the core of the shorts is the GT S11 Insert, a plush 12mm endurance platform with Shock-Absorb Damping Mono foam, a three-layered perforated construction for increased breathability, plus the goldenGate 2.0 technology that allows the insert to move freely with the body, reducing friction throughout the pedal stroke.
The new GT S11 shorts are lighter and more durable with deeper colours that remain opaque under stretch.
The MILLE/UMA GT range continues to define what everyday cycling apparel should feel like: refined, reliable, and uncompromising in comfort. Designed for riders who demand performance without distraction, it is endurance equipment at its most evolved. Crucially, it’s an evolution resulting from careful cultivation rather than radical change, designed to flourish over long days and many seasons.
