Weird, wonderful and woeful: Rating each 2022 Tour de France limited-edition kit

The Tour de France 2022 starts tomorrow (Friday), and seven teams have released new, special kits to be worn at the event.

Two will actually stay in the peloton for the remainder of the 2022 season, due to name changes and sponsor announcements, while the majority of the other kits all have specific reasons for a Tour-edition kit. 

Among the teams are EF Education-EasyPost, Lotto Soudal, Trek-Segafredo, Bora-Hansgrohe, Israel-Premier Tech, Jumbo-Visma and Alpecin-Deceuninck, and the kits  range from masterpieces to horror shows.

We've invoked our inner fashionista to critique them all. 

EF Education-EasyPost - 4/5

I can already hear the shouts of disdain with this rating of the EF Education-EasyPost kit, but, quite frankly, this is a really interesting design. 

OK, it might not be perfect, but then again, what is? It might just be me, but I'm really looking forward to seeing those dragons/dinosaurs/monsters roaming around the peloton over the next three weeks.

Skateboard brand Palace's has really stamped its authority on the team's kit for the Tour. 

The American squad have gone the full hog changing everything on their kit - down to the frames of their bike and the socks - to match the design. 

The custom Crocs and full casual wardrobe of bright pink combat jackets and neoon hoodies all gain my seal of approval. 

The kit is also celebrating the return of the Tour de France Femmes on July 24 - ensuring so there is meaning behind the alternative kit for this year's French Grand Tour.

Lotto Soudal - 3/5

Granted, Lotto-Soudal will continue to wear this kit for the rest of this season, so therefore doesn't necessarily make this kit change a special Tour jersey per se. However, it's a kit change nonetheless, and therefore requires a rating. 

The change in design is largely to incorporate new sponsor Dstny (a business communications company), which has primarily been achieved through the introduction of a light blue element on the sleeve and all of the helmet. Other than that, and the red and white design largely remains in tact.

It's a clean and successful colour scheme that has stood the test of time and there's no reason the blue splash should change that.

Israel-Premier Tech - 4/5

This special design from Israel-Premier Tech is a marked improvement on their regular kit. 

Very easy on the eye, there is a lovely shade of blue used to make this a lot better looking. The addition of subtle colours on the lower half of the jersey also really elevates the overall look. 

The differing sleeve colours are also a really nice touch, but the most compelling aspect of the whole kit has to be the right sleeve. Niche, I know, but the splash of pinks, yellows and blues works really well together. 

Jumbo-Visma - 0/5

Seriously, what is that? Jumbo-Visma have the nerve to call it 'The Masterpiece'.

I can think of a few other choice words.

Apparently, "a palette of colours, patterns, and combinations was extracted from iconic paintings" to help make this jersey. But, honestly,  is there actually anything iconic discernible from this design? 

It looks more like a bunch of colour chucked onto a shirt by a two-year-old. 

At first glance I thought this kit was some sort of desolate woodland - so to hear the team cite paintings from Rembrandt and Van Gogh as inspiring this kit came as quite a surprise. 

Quite simply, I'm praying for either Primož Roglič or Jonas Vingegaard to spend as much time in the yellow jersey as possible. Hopefully, Wout Van Aert can also don the green jersey for the entirety of the Tour, just to save my eyes from this.

Alpecin-Deceuninck - 1/5

A change in title sponsor ahead of the Tour means a change in kit design, too. Just like with Lotto-Soudal, this jersey change will stay for the rest of the season. However, unlike Lotto-Soudal, Alpecin-Deceuninck have actually tried to change the design of the new kit. 

But, in my opinion, it's not a great shade of blue incorporated into the design. 

While the old navy kit lacked creativity, it still looked smart and clean. Something your nan might approve of.

This, on the other hand, utilises a fade from a royal blue back into the navy. While it's an attempt to switch things up, there just doesn't feel like there's anything that interesting about the new kit, and it certainly doesn't make you sit up and take notice. 

Trek-Segafredo - 2/5

Much like Trek's previous effort this is a pretty standard, ordinary, run-of-the-mill kit design. There is nothing that thrilling about the change in colour, white to navy isn't exactly an outlandish decision, and I'm not expecting it to stand out within the peloton.

Combining the red colour of the men's team and the azure blue of the women's team for the mixing palette on the chest band is a nice touch, and represents a worthwhile message. However, the change of design isn't that inspired, and when taking the jersey on face value, it's relatively boring. 

Bora-Hansgrohe - 5/5

You know how I said earlier that nothing is perfect? Well, I wholeheartedly retract that statement - this Bora-Hansgrohe kit specially made for the 2022 Tour de France is a thing of beauty. 

Saving the best for last, the white and green works perfectly together, and the little blocks of red are a finish touch Rembrandt would be proud of (are you taking notes Jumbo-Visma?) It is faultless, and the differing colours of the sleeves really ensure the quality is maintained throughout. 

In our review of all of the WorldTour team kits for the 2022 season, Bora-Hansgrohe also received a 5/5 review. But they've topped that (if the ratings went higher than 5) with a much better colour palette.