By Christian Johnson

The Tour of California this year will not only offer the challenges of the road but it will entice our fashion sense as we see each team kit roll by our eyes. Eighteen teams will line up February 18 through 25 on the start line showing off their team colors. For each team has their own unique blend of artistry that goes into the team apparel. When looking at a team outfit usually the title sponsor comes to mind along with a variety of other sponsors that are easily found on each kit. At the end of the each day a lot of people will remember the best rider or the best crash, whatever the drama, but who remembers the best team kit? You might say what does it matter, but to some it shows what the sponsor is trying to represent as a financial backer and an additional team player.

First thing that comes to mind is what’s the most popular team kit one might see in their daily peloton, or you might call them group rides. They are the outfits that are worn because either the team has individuals that a rider wants to emulate or the clothing is exceptional looking. That does not make the clothing most fashion conscience but most worn for other reasons, leave it at that. Definitely this is going to change where you ride, but the most worn kits I have seen are Discovery, CSC and Gerolsteiner. I cannot say anything to bad about the CSC and Gerolsteiner kits, but the Discovery Team clothing look a little to much like a car or van wrap with that image of Earth dawning the front of the jersey. They just don’t look fast, not to say that they are not, don’t get me wrong. I just tend to lean toward a kit design that makes you think, “Dam, they look fast.” Not, “Dam, I am going go watch the Discovery Channel.” I think there should be a balance of a race look and how a sponsor incorporates their advertising. But as far as some of the stronger stage race teams at the Tour of California this year I think that CSC and Gerolsteiner have a look that stands out from the rest.

The next tier of pro team jerseys that I have seen on the road would be Credit Agricole, T-Mobile and Robobank. All three of these clothing designs seem to have not been changed in more years than most, the sponsorship has not changed. I have only seen a few Credit Agricole jerseys over the years and the jerseys do not look too bad, it is a good design over all. I have only seen one Robbobank jersey or kit, for I think only Dutch people are allowed to wear them, whatever, I just don’t know a lot of big Robbobank fans is all. Then there is the outstanding look of the magenta T-Mobile kit, what can you say about it, that nobody wants to be caught wearing it. The coolest T-Mobile jersey always belongs to someone that has won their national championship and they get to wear their countries colors, but that is cool for any team kit I think. Point is, has anybody mentioned to T-Mobile that they are wearing magenta and the fans are tired of it. And actually, no, I have never seen anybody where the kit where I ride, although I am sure there are places that love them.

The final roster of the big pro teams on the start list at the Tour of
California is Liquigas, Quick Step and Predictor. Liquigas definitely come out on top as being one of the slickest looking jerseys, it is Italian fashion inspired, where other teams do not have the luxury of a fashion capital fueling more avant-garde designs into cycling besides some of the French teams. I may be wrong but they are just cool looking. On the other hand Quick Step team kits are nice and clean looking, but a little boring. Once Mapie left the sponsorship drive and left Quick Step to take up the wheel, so did their favorite looking designs. And then there is Predictor, sorry Robbie, you are going to be the butt of a few commentator jokes before you hit the line this year. The new Perdictor kits did not turn out as bad as we thought, but the look is still reflective of a title sponsor who’s main product are home pregnancy tests, how manly.

Then we get down to some of the continental domestic teams: Health Net, Navigators Insurance, Priority Health Cycling, BMC Racing Team and the USA National Team (baring they are a international team they still suffer from the next few lines). There is not much I am going to say about these team kit designs other than they could do better. I am not crazy about any of them; they all look like they were designed with the least fashion sense and flare to stand out a little. I thought one of the reasons that the title sponsors invested in these teams were for a little bit of advertising, just a little. The designs of these teams don’t really sell me on anything other than looking for another jersey to spend $80 dollars on.

Finally there are a few domestic teams who keep up with the times or who have a title sponsor that puts a little more effort in their design. Those teams are Jelly Belly, Toyota-United Pro, Colavita and Team Slip Stream. Toyota-United jerseys are not actually my favorite, but they do look pretty dam good. They actually look like a national team jersey to me, wish it were USA’s. Then there are the Jelly Belly kits, they have the look and feel of a title sponsors presence to represent and market what they believe in, an over all winner of a team kit. I would also have to lump Colavita into this category, the title sponsor developed a kit that looks and feels like it is not only backing a cash flow for the team but as well as selling their product. The final team kit on our Tour of California start list comes to us as Team Slip Steam. They are showing off a more retro look that seems to be becoming poplar in the under world of cycling. It is not like the multiple Multeni jerseys you might see out bar hoping, just clean designs that are kind of classy.

Over all it is a very nice mix or the elite pro teams and our rising domestic teams to compete for the glory of riding in that clean and fresh Californian mountain air. I hope we continue to see such good turn outs in future races in the Tour of California, it is great for USA cycling being a small blip on the world wide racing map.

Fashion is not the most important thing that racing bicycles is about, but it helps us remember those who we cheered for in every race. A good team kit is part of the personality of the team; it says something about where the team comes from in many cases, not all. There are good riders in pretty awful team clothing. I can’t say that I have a favorite; I think there are a handful of team clothing designs that stand out from the start list, then a few good ideas and then the rest. Tight lycra suits that are worn for riding bikes are its own under world of fashion for some.