EF Education First-EasyPost and EF Education-TIBCO-SVB unveil 2022 Rapha kits
British kit manufacturers will produce similar pink kits for the men's and women's WorldTour squads
Rapha have unveiled the new kits for the two EF Education First sponsored teams in the men's and women's WorldTours, EF Education First-EasyPost and EF Education-TIBCO-SVB.
Both are pink based, with slight colour variations, with the Women's WorldTour team featuring a little more pink, based on first viewing.
It will be the first time that EF Education-TIBCO-SVB wear Rapha kit, and it means that the British brand continues to have a foot in the Women's WorldTour after stepping away from outfitting Canyon-SRAM.
EF Education joined Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank as a co-title sponsor for 2022, the longest-running North American women's pro team.
The men's team has changed its name from EF Education-Nippo to EF Education-EasyPost for this season.
It has competed in a kit featuring pink since 2018, when EF came on board, but this season features more dark blue in blotches across the jersey, and it is combined with navy shorts.
A press release from Rapha reads: "The new design, executed through creative coding and image/pattern manipulation, is a modern interpretation of the Argyle pattern that has been a staple part of EF’s visual language for years."
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In previous incarnations of the team formerly known as Cannondale and Garmin Sharp, the "Ride Argyle" motto was more prominent.
The press release continues: "Together, Rapha and EF will continue to bring new perspectives to the sport of cycling. As well as wearing the kit in the WorldTour, riders from both teams will again take part in a number of events elsewhere in the cycle racing calendar, including Life Time Grand Prix.
"These will be shot by Rapha’s in-house media team for a new series of films celebrating cycling’s characters and stories."
The alternative perspectives have included activities like Lachlan Morton riding his 'Alt Tour' last year, where he cycled the route of the Tour de France solo.
EF and Rapha have combined to make funky kits in the past, such as last year's 'Euphoria' kit worn specially at the Giro d'Italia, and the special Palace-designed kit they wore the year before.
The team might have to switch both their men's and women's kits for the respective Giri this year, as the leader's jersey for both races is pink.
Signings for the men's team this season include James Shaw and Mark Padun, and on the women's side Lizzy Banks has joined.
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