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First pictures released of Rapha Team Sky jersey (+ video)

Wiggo and co model British ProTeam's new kit...

The first pictures have been released of the Rapha kit that Team Sky will be wearing this season, as the North London-based clothing firm takes over from Adidas as official kit supplier for the next four years.

The most obvious change is that the blue stripe, formerly across the chest, now becomes an armband, a signature detail of Rapha kit from its very first jerseys eight years ago.

It's impossible to tell of course whether that white panel on the back, with its signature "thin blue line" is still there. That white panel wasn't just there for aesthetic purposes though - it was chosen in to deflect heat, rather than absorb it as black does.

The union flag design on the cuff of Bradley Wiggins' right sleeve is similar to one that previously appeared on Rapha's Great Britain country jersey - in WIggins' case, it marks him out as a former national champion.

Also pictured are the Norwegian and British national champions' jerseys modelled by their respective holders, Edvald Boasson Hagen and Ian Stannard.

Team Sky and Rapha have also released a short video this morning. More details of the kit and the off-the-bike rangs that goes with it will emerge in the coming days - the kit will go on sale to the public this Friday 4th January through the Rapha website and selected outlets.

Sky's Team Principal Dave Brailsford commented: “Team Sky’s successes over the last three years have been achieved because of a strong and steady vision to find improvement at every level to help our riders win. I see Rapha joining us as another step in that direction. They share our ambition and vision for cycling.”

In an open letter published on the Rapha website this morning, the company's founder and chief executive Simon Mottram said:

I have always been captivated by the sport of road racing; the riders, the races, the landmarks and the stories have fascinated and inspired me in equal measure. From the day Rapha launched in July 2004, we have sought to bring the beauty, suffering and glory of this wonderful sport to more people and to honour it with the finest cycling products and services.

Today, I am proud to mark the start of Rapha’s official partnership with Team Sky, the world's number-one professional racing team. This partnership, bringing us closer to the races, riders and drama at the highest level of our sport, is an incredible opportunity.

I have known Team Sky’s principal, Dave Brailsford, since he first began to establish the team he presides over today. His progressive philosophy and drive within the sport resonated with me then and continues to serve as an inspiration. For Dave and his team to have chosen Rapha as their clothing partner is the best possible endorsement of the quality and performance of our products.

The success and enjoyment we’ve had working with the Rapha Condor and Rapha-FOCUS teams in recent years has set us up for this next step. We remain committed to continuing those relationships, just as we look forward to forging more through this exciting new partnership.

The richness of insights and experience that will come from working with the complete team of riders, directors and staff at Team Sky will help us develop our products to new levels and help create an even greater connection with fans of the sport. Just as we have always done for our customers, we look forward to continuing to improve performance and style, both on and off the bike, for the riders of Team Sky.

It’s going to be an amazing ride.

 

 

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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37 comments

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Joselito | 11 years ago
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Yeah, much preferred the old one that Michael York used to wear.
http://www.snowcrest.net/fox/loganpics/movie/a6more/dshq_gym.jpg

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cllr hodgen | 11 years ago
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Dull, bland, boring and no doubt a whopping price tag for that little word 'Rapha' being sported on the collar!! What a load of steaming  31 !!

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alg | 11 years ago
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Oh dear - all that fanfare and this is the best they can do. I didnt expect a bling job but that is dull and unimaginative to say the least. Very dissapointing

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cannondalekid | 11 years ago
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I like it. Refreshingly simple.

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Simmo72 | 11 years ago
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First impressions not good, maybe it will grow own me.

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jonesy13 | 11 years ago
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think the Boasson Hagen kit looks the best.

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Cervelo12 | 11 years ago
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I say well done to Team sky for turning down a heap of cash from Adidas and other international companies and choosing a British band. I also say well done to Rapha also for getting such a contract, i'm sure it will help put British design further on the minds of international cyclists.

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Nick T | 11 years ago
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You can buy the plain black pro team kit without the logos if that's what you're after.

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obutterwick | 11 years ago
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It'll be similar in fabric and construction to the Rapha Condor Sharp (now JLT) jersey, I'd have thought. Happy with mine but hard to justify the price tag. The Rapha classics jersey in Sportwool gets my vote, ahead of the commercially-driven, sponsor-covered ones.

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James Warrener | 11 years ago
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Brilliant kit. Love it more when you can see the whole jersey as in that other pic floating around the net which shows the back.

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mike_ibcyclist | 11 years ago
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I agree that EBH's kit looks good. I never really liked the blue on black kit. The heat factor must be significant. That technical material looks interesting.

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Pitstone Peddler | 11 years ago
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Hopefully it will look better in pink and yellow. Its not a great photo really.

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othello | 11 years ago
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I reckon the Sky kit will basically be the Rapha Pro range, with the 'Sky blue' detail colour on it. Certainly looks like the Pro shorts in the publicity shots that came out today, with a blue tab on them.

To those saying it looks boring, what really did you expect the Rapha designers to do? The Sky team colours are black with the pale blue as a highlight? The kit has to be pro level too -- couldn't see them doing a Sky version of their rcent Lombardy jersey with the shoulder buttons  4

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andyp | 11 years ago
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'cant imagine that many people paying for a team jersey'

FTFY

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Michael5 | 11 years ago
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Of course, the front is black - dark colours absorb photons - providing a 'pull' effect. Its highly likely the back will be white, which reflects photons, delivering a 'push' effect.

This is the so-called 'Photon-Drive Jersey' as first suggested back in the 1980's by one of my Mal de Tete club-mates.

This configuration of colours is reputed to knock as much as 0.02 seconds off every mile in a time-trial... (Whilst other colours work, black and white have the greatest effect)

Everyone should go out and buy something similar. (along with some rounder wheels)

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Jasonnz1 replied to Michael5 | 11 years ago
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 4

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TheHatter | 11 years ago
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it makes Wiggins look fat.

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mingmong replied to TheHatter | 11 years ago
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TheHatter wrote:

it makes Wiggins look fat.

Going to buy myself some black paint and save myself a fortune!

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Stumps replied to TheHatter | 11 years ago
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TheHatter wrote:

it makes Wiggins look fat.

OOOH you bitch  24  24

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Sam1 | 11 years ago
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re the back of the jersey: there's a pic knocking around of either Rigo Uran or Sergio Henao at the start line of a race in Columbia, wearing the new kit, and there's definitely the blue stripe on the back. Unlike the official pics that have been released today, you can see the shorts too and the whole kit looks good

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ALIHISGREAT replied to Sam1 | 11 years ago
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Sam1 wrote:

re the back of the jersey: there's a pic knocking around of either Rigo Uran or Sergio Henao at the start line of a race in Columbia, wearing the new kit, and there's definitely the blue stripe on the back. Unlike the official pics that have been released today, you can see the shorts too and the whole kit looks good

.. and you're not providing a link?

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Sam1 replied to ALIHISGREAT | 11 years ago
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-

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Sam1 replied to ALIHISGREAT | 11 years ago
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ALIHISGREAT wrote:
Sam1 wrote:

re the back of the jersey: there's a pic knocking around of either Rigo Uran or Sergio Henao at the start line of a race in Columbia, wearing the new kit, and there's definitely the blue stripe on the back. Unlike the official pics that have been released today, you can see the shorts too and the whole kit looks good

.. and you're not providing a link?

couldnt do a cut and paste job, and now I cant find the bleeding place where I saw it

Fail, sorry  2

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gixernick | 11 years ago
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Very disappointing thought they'd have done something more impressive than that.

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CraigS | 11 years ago
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And are they sideburns in that photo? Must either be photoshop or an old picture!

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Sam1 replied to CraigS | 11 years ago
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I think the shots were done during their London team camp a good few weeks ago - before Wiggo went at his sidies with a razor!

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CraigS | 11 years ago
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Preferred the old one, suspect the Rapha one will be pricier too.

It really bugs me that the British champion jersey is the Dutch flag. The armband on Wiggins's jersey looks much better and makes much more sense than the stripes.

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mikroos replied to CraigS | 11 years ago
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I have to say I like the new kit but I was actually expecting Rapha to push a design with more flair in it. Maybe they'll do something special for the Giro?

BTW, EBH's jersey looks fabulous.

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SKH replied to CraigS | 11 years ago
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The British Champion's Jersey design is restricted by it's tradition and what was possible back when they were first created. i.e. You couldn't print a design of choice when these jerseys were invented, so they were all made out of simple horizontal strips of coloured wool stitched together horizontally around the chest or in tricolour shoulder, chest and waste band segments (Belgium for example) because that's all you could do back in the early days of jersey design. Even today, countries with vertical stripes to their flag like France and Italy still respect this tradition by using their colours horizontally just like GB.

Personally the Union Flag on Wiggin's arm is a disaster for respecting this tradition. I'm surprised he went for this as he would know more than anyone why it shouldn't be a Union Flag around his arm!

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Campag_10 | 11 years ago
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A bit of an anticlimax after the anticipation. I'm prepared to postpone judgement until the full range and prices are announced on Friday.

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