By Jack Evans

Published: Monday, 10 January 2022 at 12:00 am

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New Italian cycling shoes brand UDOG has released a lace-up road cycling shoe called Tensione.

The Tensione design is available in two colour options and is priced at £130 / €150 / $200.

UDOG’s founder, Alberto Fonte, is an industry veteran with more than 15 years’ experience working for brands such as Fizik, Kask and Pinarello.

UDOG, which apparently is an abbreviated form of ‘underdog’, has adopted a direct-to-consumer business model in the mould of Canyon, rather than opting to distribute its products through retailers.

Fonte says this allows the brand to offer the Tensione at a competitive price, despite the shoe being lightweight (a claimed 490g per pair in a size 42) and incorporating features such as a carbon-nylon composite outsole.

Best fit forward

The Veneto-based manufacturer says patented technology helps the Tensione provide a perfect fit.

The Tensione’s ‘Tension Wrap System’ is said to swaddle the foot from toe to ankle for comfort and support, according to UDOG.

Plastic straps secure each side of the shoe, and the brand says the Tensione’s laces give 18 points of contact between the foot and the upper.

UDOG

Fonte says the Tensione uses a “flatter” lace than conventional options, making it less prone to loosening off or shifting when pedalling hard and during long rides.

UDOG says its fastening system eliminates the need for buckles and straps. This allows a “3D technical mesh” to be chosen for the shoe’s upper, in an attempt to make the shoe light, comfy and breathable.

UDOG

While UDOG appears the archetypal Italian shoe brand, the company doesn’t seem to have gone the way of several of its compatriot competitors.

Italian shoes can be narrow, but UDOG says the Tensione offers a generous toe box, which should mean the shoe can accommodate a wider range of foot shapes.

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