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news
Tinkoff-Saxo parks tanks on peloton's lawn with camo-print kit
Tinkoff-Saxo have unveiled a striking kit that their riders are wearing at a training camp on Gran Canaria ahead of the launch in Moscow later this month of the jerseys riders such as Peter Sagan and Alberto Contador will be wearing during the 2015 season.
The team posted a number of pictures of the training kit made by Sportful to its Twitter account, shown in the gallery above.
While there is no news yet of whether the racing kit will have a similar design, with MTN-Qhubeka unveiling a kit last week that takes inspiration from those sported by football teams including Notts County – the world’s oldest professional club – the peloton could see an interesting mix of fashions next year.
Given that Saxo-Tinkoff is owned by Russian entrepreneur Oleg Tinkov, the camouflage design may well raise eyebrows at a time when memories of the Cold War are being revived.
Russia’s military aircraft have reportedly encroached on Western Europe airspace in recent weeks, and several of its warships are currently engaged in manoeuvres in the English Channel.
Could the design be interpreted, then, as a bit of sabre-rattling to disrupt the opposition ahead of the 2015 season starting at next month’s Tour Down Under?
Perhaps that’s stretching things, but it’s certainly eye catching.
Camo-print jerseys don’t tend to get the best reception, whatever the sport.
South African rugby union side the Blue Bulls made a list of the worst five team kits ever with its 2014 away outfit, while the goalkeeper’s jersey sported by Everton’s Tim Howard in 2011/12 was described by The Guardian as “hideous.”
Meanwhile, the Army Rowing Club’s camouflage blazer never ceases to stand out among the stripes at the Henley Royal Regatta.
Perhaps the most notorious ‘camouflage’ kit in sport wasn’t based on what the military terms “disruptive pattern material,” however – Manchester United’s grey away kit from 1995/96 achieved notoriety when Sir Alex Ferguson ordered his players to change out of it at half time when they were losing 3-0 to Southampton.
It was claimed that the kit, specifically designed to boost sales among fans by looking good with jeans – the jury is still out on that, by the way – made it impossible for the team’s players to see each other.
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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17 comments
Oh, those are cycling fans? I thought they were f*ckwits.
It wouldn't be a factor in any situation. As you can clearly see from the photos, the riders are visible even against foliage. Unless you are commenting on something which you actually can't see?
Otherwise:
1) TS have fans?
2) Cycling fans want to wear replica kit?
What is this, football or something?
Some do. Hadn't you noticed, or been in a bike shop ever? 0 points for observation.
' very likely SMIDY down country lanes'
The team race on *CLOSED ROADS*. And have outriders on most training rides. I'm sure they'll be fine.
Yes, this would only be a factor if fans could buy replica kit to wear while they out riding amongst everyday traffic, including inattentive drivers who will look for any excuse to blame others for their inability to look...
At least it will stand out in a sea of black.
I quite like it myself *ducks*
And why not? I wouldn't go for it myself, very likely SMIDY down country lanes. Meanwhile I already have the england 7s away rugby shirt in the link. The one with the multicoloured triangles. I think it looks quite tribal and striking, it is hardly as bad as most football away shirts from the 80s.
I can think of a few (well, maybe only me) cycling Notts County fans whose Christmas list just got bigger...
I think it's better than some of the camo kits out there and I'm sure they'll be back to blue for there racing kit.
I notice that Sagan's still wearing his Cannondale gear in the top picture due to contractual obligations.
I guess that's the crazy world of pro cycling for you where the contracts run over the calender year, but riders start training with their new squads after the World Champs.
'Good luck not getting swiped by a car on a country road while wearing camouflage kit!'
I wondered how long that would take
Good luck not getting swiped by a car on a country road while wearing camouflage kit!
I think it looks quality but it's a shame it's Saxo-Tinkoff. MTN-Quebeka's looks good as well, but I preferred last season.
There has been a few years of pretty sodding dull kits, I've begun to wonder if it has been deliberate by the teams in order to not stand out in the peloton, to assist with breakaways and setting up lead out trains.
Traditionally the Russian teams had their winter training camps in Crimea...
Though more recently they have used Abkhazia, since after the war there a lot of the population fled and the roads were nice and empty.
Perhaps the camo print makes sense now.
So they're going to sell replica training and racing kits? Just like foo'baw clubs, taking advantage of fans. Luckily cycling fans are more intelligent.. right?
Russian flag and camou. That's the Ukraine training camps off the schedule then.
And yes: yuck!
Looks like SRAM and Zipp are out.
Oh yeah, the kit looks horrible. Good thing it's only for training (at least let's hope that's the case).
It's like the Europecar kit has run in the wash…