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Garmin-Sharp unveils its new kit ahead of the Tour de France

Redesign follows Japanese consumer electronics firm coming on board as co-sponsor

Slipstream Sports has unveiled the new kit that Garmin-Sharp will wear during the Tour de France and beyond following the recent recruitment of the Japanese consumer electronics firm as co-title sponsor.

The kit was designed by London-based Scheybeler+company, which is run by Rapha co-founder Luke Scheybeler and is now acting as the team's design consultants, working alongside Slipstream Sports' long-time designer, Joe Yule.

It represents a departure from the previous version, with blue now dominating the front and sleeves - previously there was much more of a balance between blue and white - the argyle looking a bit more subtle than previously and of course the inclusion of the red panel on the chest and band on the sleeve.

Steve Smith, Castelli brand manager, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Sharp to the team's family. Team Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda is the most tech-savvy team in the peloton and the addition of this new sponsor, prominently displayed on the new kit, is special for all of us involved.

"Additionally, this team is rider-centric, and Castelli has done its part once again to make sure the riders have the most comfortable and technically-advanced clothing for all racing and training, and especially for the Tour de France. In addition to the new colors, the riders will be wearing the updated light weight hot weather shorts and jerseys that the Giro d'Italia crew  tested and improved. We're counting on similar success with the clothing in the heat of France in July."
 
The kit will be available from the end of July at Castelli dealers and can also be pre-ordered through the team's online shop.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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6 comments

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Simon_MacMichael | 11 years ago
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Missed your comment at the time Sean, but even though the website www.shopargyle.com turns out to have nothing to do with the team, that is in fact the site they gave in the press release  7

Now changed to the team's online shop link for anyone who happens across this article in future,

Cheers.

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seanieh66 | 11 years ago
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"The kit will be available from the end of July at Castelli dealers and can also be pre-ordered through the Shop Argyle website."

Really?

Try this instead: http://www.slipstreamsports.com/

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Simon_MacMichael | 11 years ago
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Very interesting question, notfastenough. Worth pointing out that there has been a big shift in emphasis at Rapha-Condor-Sharp this season, lots of very young riders, fewer older ones (although that won't necessarily have been obvious watching the Tour Series).

There are of course examples of sponsors who do give backing to top tier teams and continental ones (often a development squad for the WorldTour team), though Slipstream has its own development squad.

The amount of backing involved in Garmin-Sharp will of course be significantly higher from Rapha-Condor-Sharp, and I suppose there is also an issue in terms of where the money comes from in the marketing budget, ie does one come from the global or European budget, and the other from the UK budget?

It does seem that Sharp is committed to supporting cycling, which is clearly a good thing, and in the case of these two teasm I don't think the sponsorship is incompatible; besides, you also have IG Markets, for example, sponsoring teams at both levels (though the investment may differ to Sharp's, no way of telling).

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AJWatson | 11 years ago
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Looks pretty nice.

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notfastenough | 11 years ago
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If Sharp are now sponsoring a protour team, does that mean their partnership with Rapha Condor Sharp will be coming to an end?

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seanieh66 replied to notfastenough | 11 years ago
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notfastenough wrote:

If Sharp are now sponsoring a protour team, does that mean their partnership with Rapha Condor Sharp will be coming to an end?

Why should it? It isn't like the two teams share the same racing calendar  3 ToB notwithstanding  3

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