Riders in suits: the strange fashions of the Tour de France route presentation

Chris Froome, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet and others put their smartest clothes on for the Tour de France route presentation
Stuart Clarke

Whenever you see a cyclist wearing anything other than lycra or a team issue tracksuit it always looks a bit odd.

With the rise in social media we get to see behind the scenes of riders’ lives, but rarely do we get to see them dress up smart. A few events in the cycling calendar give riders the chance to don their best rags – although some of them take fashion to the limit.

Peter Sagan rocked up to the Giro d’Italia presentation in jeans and t-shirt before arriving at the UCI Gala in Abu Dhabi in a leather jacket.

The styles seen at the Tour de France route presentation were also pretty varied with most people proving that bike riders don’t look good in suits.

Chris Froome

Froomey pulled out his favourite suit again, despite the jacket being about two sizes too big. His shirt and tie combo, as Felix Lowe points out, is very reminiscent of that of a guest at a wedding.

In a short video played at the route presentation, Froome could be seen wearing browny/green leather jacket which was equally questionable. Luckily he’s pretty decent when in lycra that it doesn’t really matter what he wears off the bike.

Mark Cavendish

Mark Cavendish also opted for the suit and tie combo, but pulled it off much better. His jacket was a snug fit and the tie had a bit of character, even though it’s the kind of tie you’d see on a city slicker.

Romain Bardet

Famous for their fashion, the French were represented by a couple of young riders. One of whom, Romain Bardet, went all out and matched a patterned shirt with a bow-tie in an interesting look.

It’s the kind of ensemble a young lad would wear to a school prom to try and stand out, and young Romain did just that.

Thibaut Pinot

It’s a shame that Thibaut Pinot couldn’t follow his countryman Bardet’s lead, opting for the open collar – and it was absolutely wide open.

The two-tone collar was so big it spilled over the collar of his jacket and looked a little scruffy. ‘The bigger the better’ seems to be Pinot’s sartorial motto, with his oversized belt and buckle topping off the outfit.

Daniel Teklehaimanot

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I think Daniel Teklehaimanot used his time in Paris to go out on a date, given what he turned up wearing. A blue jacket with a fuscia shirt? He definitely looks better in the Tour’s polka dot jersey…

Tony Martin

Tony Martin rocked a classic look – grey suit, white shirt and perfectly preened hair. A role model for off-the-bike cycling fashion followers. We’d expect nothing less from a former policeman.

Greg Van Avermaet and Marcel Sieberg

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Greg Van Avermaet and Marcel Sieberg get lumped together because they both missed the cloakroom near the entrance and accidentally wore their scarves into the auditorium.

I think Greg’s might be a fashion statement, but Sieberg’s looks as if it was designed to keep him warm, although at 6ft 6ins I guess he’s a bit cold up there.