Oakley Custom Eyewear in Tour de France

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif., July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Oakley, Inc. today announced updates regarding the 2010 Tour de France and the custom renditions of premium performance sunglasses that riders will depend on as they strive for the yellow jersey. With the Oakley Custom Program, tour fans can create Oakley sunglasses that match those worn by their favorite tour competitors.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100701/LA29440)

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100701/LA29440)

"We answered the demands of the world's best riders with unbeatable optical technology, then we let them sit in the designer's chair so each one could add his own personal touch," said Oakley CEO Colin Baden. "Oakley Radar® and Jawbone are coveted designs among today's world-class cyclists, and these sunglasses exemplify our dedication to providing the best possible performance and protection."

Baden continued, "With the Oakley Custom Program, riders can tailor performance to the environment by selecting lenses that will match light conditions they will face during the tour. They can choose hues for frame components and salute their team colors or express their own unique style, and they can even add engraving to the lenses. Everyone has this freedom because the program is open to the general public, and fans can honor their favorite riders by creating design similar to those worn in competition," Baden concluded.

Lance Armstrong will be riding to capture a historic 8th win, and he will be wearing LIVESTRONG® renditions of Oakley Radar and Jawbone sunglasses with several lens sets ready for quick change-out. Lance depends on our G30™ lens to boost his visual contrast and depth perception. In changing weather, he wears our new Clear-Black Iridium® Photochromic lens with technology that automatically adjusts lens darkness in response to light conditions. Its neutral transmission allows for truer color perception.

Defending world champion and Olympic champion of the time trial, Fabian Cancellara will rely on Radar, and his custom edition matches up to his Saxo Bank team colors with a +Red® Iridium lens in the company's Path® lens shape. The 2008 Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre also insists on the performance and protection of Radar, and he envisioned a special edition to match his team colors with Polished White for the frame, Polished Black for the icons, and Black for the stem sleeves.

Mark Cavendish is one of the fastest men on two wheels, and all that speed demands the world's best optics. His sunglass is the BMX Chrome Jawbone, and he customized it with Team Bright Green jaws. He will be adapting to light conditions by having Jade Iridium and Fire Iridium lenses on hand. Placing second in last year's tour, Andy Schleck will strive for the top of the podium by putting his trust in Oakley Jawbone. He chose Team Navy Blue for the frame, Polished White for the jaw, and White for the stem sleeves. Andy knows Oakley HDPolarized lenses block glare with the best optics available, so he will be wearing Ice Iridium Polarized lenses when blinding glare reflects off cars and roads.

Additional tour competitors have taken advantage of the Oakley Custom Program to create their own eyewear styles with unique color combinations and lenses that will optimize performance for light conditions they will encounter. These athletes include:

• George Hincapie: Jawbone with Matte White frame, Team Blue jaw, Anodized Red thru-bolts, and Team Red icons. (Lenses: HDPolarized +Red Iridium, plus Fire Iridium.)
• Bradley Wiggins: Jawbone with Polished Black frame, Blue jaw, Polished White thru-bolts, Polished White icons, and Black stem sleeves. (Lenses: HDPolarized Ice Iridium, plus Black Iridium.)
• Thor Hushovd: Limited Edition BMX Chrome Radar with Green stem sleeves. (Lens: Jade Iridium in Path lens shape.)
• Cadel Evans: Radar with Polished White frame, Red stem sleeves, and Red icons. (Lens: Fire Iridium in Path lens shape.)
• Michael "Mick" Rogers: Radar with Team Yellow frame, Bright Green stem sleeves, and Bright Green icons. (Lens: Jade Iridium in Path lens shape.)

Oakley Radar and Jawbone sunglasses allow athletes to optimize performance by matching lens color to the environment. Radar features a single-lens shield while Jawbone is a dual-lens design. In addition to interchangeable lenses, these sunglasses feature the clarity of High Definition Optics® plus Oakley Hydrophobic/Oleophobic technology that maintains a smudge-resistant barrier and repels water to prevent streaks and sheens from obstructing vision. The frames are engineered with interchangeable nosepiece sizes for a customizable fit. Like the stem sleeves, each nosepiece is made of Unobtainium® to increase grip with perspiration. Both sunglass designs provide uncompromising impact protection, and all lenses block 100% of all UV while offering lens curvature that maximizes side protection.

New images of Oakley racers will be available daily, and members of the media may acquire these pictures through the Oakley Public Relations contact listed in the header of this release.

Visit Oakley.com to learn more about the company's sport performance products, and visit Oakley Custom to create the designs worn by the company's Tour de France athletes. For an exclusive look at the Oakley riders and daily updates during the tour, visit BehindTheTour.com.

(Please note that custom eyewear designs worn by tour cyclists are subject to change daily, depending on conditions faced during the race.)

About Oakley, Inc.

Established in 1975 and headquartered in Southern California, Oakley is one of the leading sports brands in the world. The holder of more than 600 patents, Oakley is continually seeking problems, solving them with inventions and wrapping those inventions in art. This philosophy has made Oakley one of the most iconic and inimitable brands on the market, with innovations that world-class athletes around the globe depend on to compete at the highest level possible. Oakley is famed for its insuperable lens technologies such as High Definition Optics® (HDO®) which is incorporated into all Oakley sun and prescription eyewear, and goggles. Oakley has extended its leadership position as the world's leading sports eyewear brand into apparel, footwear and accessories collections. Laser focused on the consumer, Oakley has both men's and women's product lines that target Sports Performance, Active and Lifestyle consumers. Oakley is a subsidiary of Luxottica Group (NYSE: LUX; MTA: LUX). Additional information is available at www.oakley.com.

SOURCE Oakley, Inc.