The new Trek Factory Racing team launched at the Velodrome de Roubaix today, revealing the full team roster and a black and pinstripe kit for the 2014 season.
The new kit, modelled here by Fabian Cancellara, features a predominantly black design with vertical pinstripes - cos they're more flattering, right? - , and one white shoulder. It’s subdued certainly, but has a clean appearance, helped by the lack of logo clutter, and dare we say it, an almost classy look. It’ll be interesting to see how it looks in the peloton alongside the similarly black kit of Team Sky.
“One of the youngest teams in the professional peloton, Trek Factory Racing's kit reflects the promise of cycling's future while paying homage to the sport's culture. The asymmetric pinstripe pattern will be carried throughout the team's performance and casual wear,” reads the press blurb.
Trek of course took over the RadioShack-Leopard WorldTour licence at the end of last year, and is the team's name sponsor. They’ve retained the services of Fabian Cancellara (for the next three years), the fans' favourite Jens Voigt, plus Andy and Frank Schleck. The Wisconsin-based bicycle manufacturer joins rivals BMC and Cannondale in becoming name sponsor of its own top-flight professional team.
The location for the launch, Velodrome de Roubaix, has significance. It’s where Fabian Cancellara has sealed three victories in the brutal 265km race, last year aboard the Trek Domane. The team will be pinning their hopes on a strong performance from the Swiss rider this year. Can he do the Tour of Flanders/Paris-Roubaix double again?
Trek also hosted 1,200 fans, Trek retailers, and fan club members at the launch. Our invite must have got lost in the post… An even luckier 250 members of the fan club joined Fabian Cancellara on a 78km ride of some of the Tour of Flanders. How do you join this club?
"Today is a huge day in the history of Trek and this team," said Trek VP Joe Vadeboncoeur. "We love racing and can't wait for the season to start. This is a big step for Trek and big step for cycling. We have built an international team that will work hard to make the fans part of the team."
That includes a roster composed of the well known, and mature, racers like Jens and Fabian, and is supported by some young talent, that the team will be hoping to nurture throughout the season. This investment in young riders builds on the US company's support of the under-23 development Bontrager Pro Cycling Team as a feeder team to the WorldTour.
Trek also revealed the new look for the Madone, Domane and Speed Concept, the three bikes at the disposal of the team. We’ll have a closer look at the bikes in a future article.
Eugenio Alafaci
Julián Arredondo
Fumiyuki Beppu
Matthew Busche
Fabian Cancellara
Stijn Devolder
Laurent Didier
Fabio Felline
Danilo Hondo
Markel Irizar
Bob Jungels
Robert Kiserlovski
Giacomo Nizzolo
Yaroslav “Popo” Popovich
Gregory Rast
Hayden Roulston
Andy Schleck
Fränk Schleck
Jesse Sargent
Fabio Silvestre
Jasper Stuyven
Boy Van Poppel
Danny Van Poppel
Kristof Vanderwalle
Jens Voigt
Calvin Watson
Riccardo “Ricky” Zoidl
Haimar Zubeldia
Luca Guercilena
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25 comments
When Sky did black it was cool. But that was then...
And now Giant-Shimano come out with a black & white kit. FFS!!!!!
I actually like the Neri Sottoli kit (Vini Fantini) - at least they're going all-out colourful. The WT is going to be a sea of blackness this year with Sky, Trek, Belkin, OPQS in dark & dull kits.
Like Sky, the hot weather kit is see through
Black the new camouflage for cyclists
How come the kit was launched at the Velodrome de Roubaix, I thought Specialized were the only company (cycling related or otherwise) who were allowed there??
I thought the Kiserlovski national champ treatment was good with just the accents on the sleeve and collar. Until I saw Jungels Luxembourg RR champ jersey which is the full-on national colours. Strange they'd do it two ways.
Hopefully they will stop nicking the Bianchi colours now then.
I think it looks great! It even matches one of the bikes I entered in the trek colouring-in competition, so who knows, its in the bag I reckon! The bikes mine!
lampre merida's team kit/colours might hurt my eyes, but imo at least they are trying (to blind the peleton perhaps?), rather than some uninspired safe look trek is going for.
Like the idea, but it is a tad dull.
Swimming against the tide but I like it.
Look at the size of those arms! And they're only required to stop your nose banging on the bars.
Manages to be both boring and ugly at the same time so at least it's not just instantly forgettable...
There was a picture of Robert Kiserlovski's kit on Twitter. He's the Croatian national RR champ. All they've done for his kit is colour in the white arm with a red chequered pattern.
If you were a RR champ and all you got was a coloured arm you'd be a bit miffed.
Jeez. The fashionistas are in tonight. Not the worst kit I've seen, but I have to agree, not very inspired.
Awful: boring monochrome rubbish, and the bikes are similarly uninspiring. I liked the Luxembourg hommage the last couple of years, and especially the refreshing light blue Treks at last year's Tour. The marketing-speak BS justification makes me wince. It was OK I suppose when Sky chose black but were unique, but why does everyone have to follow suite? Are the others all so in awe of the new kid at school that they want to be in the same gang and copy everything they do? It's the 'black is stealthy and agressive' thing all over again: boys, it's bike racing, not undercover SAS ops!
Thems is vertical pinstripes...!
"The asymmetric pinstripe pattern will be carried throughout the team's performance and casual wear,”
The same eye on merchandising over distinctiveness led to Manchester United's notorious indigo shirt, which was launched because it went well with denim!
Wake me up when black is no longer the new black.
You are confusing the blue grey England away shirt from Euro 96 (denim/Gareth Southgate miss etc.) with the Sharp Viewcam speckled Grey away shirt of Manchester United which they had to swap at half time against Crystal palace (I think) because they went 3-0 down and said they couldn't see each other against the crowd. Or something like that.
Southampton
Against Southampton.
I was there!
Looks a little like....Sky, Omega, and what seems like half of the peloton
Oh no another uninspired black kit. I was difficult to make a kit more boring than LeopardTrek but they have managed it. Sky kit is literally more racy than this in many ways.
Yeah, but the paint job on the bikes is anything but!. At least their bikes will look good!