Rapha announces new partnership with Canyon-SRAM women's team

Rapha, the clothing brand best known for its Team Sky kits and high end riding apparel, has announced it will now support the newly formed Canyon-SRAM Racing.

The team will race in the UCI Women's WorldTour wearing kit supplied by the British brand, who will also supply the riders and staff with off-the-bike clothing in the form of its 'city collection'.

It was announced recently announced that Rapha would end its partnership with Team Sky after the 2016 season, and had already drawn its involvment with British domestic squad Rapha-Condor to a close at the end of 2014.

The new women's team will be led by home talent Hannah Barnes and Australian Tiffany Cromwell, along with seven other riders.

Canyon-SRAM is due to line-up in all Women's WorldTour races and says its aims are the Amgen Tour of California and Philadelphia Cycling Classic in the USA, the Aviva Women’s Tour, and La Course.

Riders will also focus on qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The riders will be using Canyon Ultimate CF SLX race bikes and Speedmax time trial bikes. They will be fitted to these, and measured for kit, and the team's first training camp which takes place on Majorca in Decemeber.

The 2016 competitive season will kick off in Australia with the national championships and the Santos Women's Tour.

"Partnering with this team underlines our commitment to racing at the highest level, and women's cycling which is a key focus for Rapha,” says Simon Mottram, Rapha founder and CEO.

Directeur Sportif Beth Duryea said, "we saw Rapha as our number one choice."