Which WorldTour team has the best kit for 2022? We take a look through the wardrobe

As of Tuesday, all men's WorldTour teams have released their jerseys for this season, which is good news for those among us who like to be prepared ahead of the season, and who get giddily excited over news about kits.

Some teams have departed wildly from previous offerings, with a whole host of name changes going on as well, so it is important to cast an eye over these strps.

While many teams and riders have maintained a relatively consistent aesthetic, it is worth brushing up on the colours they will be wearing this season before it all kicks off. It also gives us a chance to put on our fashion critic hat - a fetching beret, of course - and rate the kits.

You might not agree with all of these ratings, out of five, and of course appearance is a subjective decision. However, since I'm in charge of the narrative here, this is how I feel about the respective strips right now. When further women's WorldTour kits emerge, we will update this list further.

AG2R-Citroën - 4/5

AG2R-Citroën go for the same look as last year, with the sponsor plastered diagonally across the largely white jersey. The French team have a habit of keeping the same kit for a few years at a time; they had the same horizontal blue, white and brown striped kit for three years between 2018 and 2020.

Let's tackle the brown shorts. Yes, they are a bit much, but they are a staple of the AG2R wardrobe, and mark the team out. Are they really that bad? I certainly don't mind them, and it would a shame to see them out of the peloton, they're something a bit different from all the blacks and blues, certainly. 

The introduction of Citroën as a co-sponsor last year saw the light blue of AG2R La Mondiale disappear, and that's no bad thing, with the largely white jersey giving a cleaner look.

Astana-Qazaqstan - 2/5

I think my immediate reaction to this kit is to shrug. It is almost exactly the same as their 2021 kit, so reasonably boring. The big difference is the absence of Canadian sponsor Premier Tech, who have now moved onto the jersey of the team formerly known as Israel Start-Up Nation instead.

There are too many blue tones in the peloton, and the fade into the diamond patterns on this kit does not save it. It could really do with an update, but props to the lack of confusion through using pretty much the same kit again.

Vincenzo Nibali and Miguel Ángel López will return to the Kazakstani team and pull on the familiar colours, which have largely stayed the same since they entered the pro cycling scene over a decade ago.

Bahrain-Victorious - 4/5

Right, this is getting silly now. The third team in a row to keep the same kit as 2021, Bahrain-Victorious will use the same strip that saw them achieve great success across the season.

It is similar, but not exactly the same, as the kit they revealed at the beginning of last year - that one was made Italian brand Nalini before they switched to Alé mid-season. It was in this kit that the team impressed at the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, before Sonny Colbrelli went on his winning streak which concluded at Paris-Roubaix in October.

The block pattern is appealing, and I like the light blue sleeves, which add a little bit of excitement to the kit. It is very smart, just a shame that we do not get to seem something a bit different for the new year.

Bora-Hansgrohe - 5/5

Here we go, something different and radical. Bora-Hansgrohe were bound to see their kit change at least a bit once they swapped outfitters from Sportful to Le Col.

The eye-catching blocks of colour really mark this one out for me, with two different shades of green and a splash of red lower down the jersey. The differing colours of the sleeves look smart, too.

It is a fitting change as Bora-Hansgrohe head into a new era without Peter Sagan on the team, and look to the future with Jai Hindley, Aleksandr Vlasov and Sergio Higuita joining.

Canyon-SRAM 5/5

I will not hold back, I love this kit. It's another one in the Women's WorldTour that is pinky/purple, yes, but it is distinctly different. It will certainly stand out in the peloton, with the green triangles on the shoulders.

I even like the strange meteorological symbols, even if I don't really understand what they mean, and I would happily wear this kit out and about myself. Canyon have outdone themselves in their first in-house made offering for the team.

Canyon-SRAM will be looking to Sarah Roy to deliver this season as a new signing, and hoping that Kasia Niewiadoma continues to perform at the highest levels.

Cofidis - 4/5

This is a refreshing look from Cofidis, a change from their quite staid and dated looking recent offerings. This will be worn by their men's team and their new women's team as well.

The iconic red and white remain but with a stylish update, sectioned off into block colours. The shoulders are white, torso red, and the jersey is joined by accompanying black shorts.

It is made by Decathlon's cycling brand Van Rysel, which is an interesting entrant into WorldTour kit-making, and one that features heavily in our guide to the best cheap cycling clothing, based on reviews under the previous name of B'Twin. Ion Izagirre and Bryan Coquard are among the riders appearing in the colours for the first time.

EF Education-EasyPost and EF Education-Tibco-SVB 4/5

Rapha have made two similar kits for the EF Education sponsored teams: EF Education-EasyPost (men's) and EF Education-Tibco-SVB (women's). Both are good, but I think I prefer the women's with the lighter blue, rather than the darker blue/green on the men's kit.

The men's team 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. The women's team, previously known as Tibco-SVB, is joining the EF Education stable this season.

A press release from Rapha read: "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."

FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope - 4/5

FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope's is a great kit, stylish but different from a lot of the Women's WorldTour peloton.

The jersey is designed by Gobik, and is very different from the similarly sponsored men's WorldTour team Groupama-FDJ. It is mostly vibrant blue, with a hint of red around one shoulder and white sleeves. The dark navy shorts are nice and complement it as well.

Grace Brown is the team's biggest signing, joining from BikeExchange, and they will have high hopes of her and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig firing together.

Groupama-FDJ - 3/5

No discernible changes for another French team, with Groupama-FDJ following AG2R in going down the sustainable route. It is a very smart kit, deliberately redolent of the French tricolor.

It will look fitting on riders including Michael Storer and Quentin Pacher, who have joined the outfit from Team DSM and B&B Hotels p/b KTM respectively. Groupama-FDJ always do a great job with national champion's jerseys, with Ignatas Konovalovas and Kevin Geniets sporting their country's colours. 

Again, while there is nothing wrong with the kit as it is, perhaps it is due a refresh. We can but hope that before 2023 Marc Madiot has a word with kit suppliers Alé.

Human Powered Health - 4/5

Human Powered Health, formerly Rally Cycling, are stepping up to the Women's WorldTour and have added a bit of flair to their previously block orange jersey with some reds and purples.

The jersey alone is great, it is just a shame that they are not the only women's team to feature orange merging into purple and red, with SD-Worx and UAE Team ADQ opting for similar designs.

The men's ProTeam will wear the same kit, and it is very smart, paired with black shorts. We will have to hope that the orange-purple kits all look very different from a birds-eye view once racing begins.

Ineos Grenadiers - 4/5

After a few years with Castelli, Ineos Grenadiers have moved to a brand beloved by cycling clubs looking to print custom cycling kit, BioRacer. The kit has new-look red shoulders, a slight upgrade to the mostly navy jersey that the British team wore last year.

It is pretty smart and will make sure they stand-out amid the other blues of the WorldTour, although it does remind me of Bristol Bears rugby union team. Belgian brand BioRacer probably didn't think of them in their design.

The British squad has looked towards youth this year, signing Luke Plapp, Ben Turner, Ben Tulett and Magnus Sheffield among others. Elia Viviani also returns to the team he last raced for while it was still Team Sky. Not a bad kit.

Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert 2/5

It is fine, I guess? Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert have kept their, um, interesting colour scheme of fluorescent greeen and dark blue, but there is more white space on the centre of the jersey.

This space has been filled with sponsors, a lot of them, which seems a little unbecoming of a WorldTour team, but then everyone has to survive somehow. Other teams seem to do it more tactfully, however.

The Belgian squad will hope they can get Alexander Kristoff firing this season in order to deliver some needed victories. Taco van der Hoorn, stage winner at last year's Giro d'Italia, is also one to watch out for.

Israel-Premier Tech - 2/5

There is nothing wrong with the newly-named Israel-Premier Tech's kit, it is just a bit underwhelming. It has changed from 2021, with the introduction of a bit more white on the jersey and a patterned blue lower half, rather than plain navy.

I should say at this point I am biased against sports teams in the colour blue thanks to my dislike of Portsmouth Football Club. This might be why blue kits are spoiled in my eyes, sorry to much of the WorldTour.

We have not seen the kit on a rider yet, so it may look much better in person. Jakob Fuglsang and Hugo Houle are among the riders that are going to pull on the Israel-Premier Tech kit for the first time this season, after both moved from Astana.

Liv Racing Xstra

This Liv Racing Xstra kit is bold, with its flower motif, and that should be noted. However, it is the same jersey as last year, just with the new Xstra headline sponsor added.

Also, it is reasonably dark and I think I prefer a brighter kit, but it definitely is different from the rest of the Women's WorldTour peloton. Furthermore, thanks to other teams changing their colours, this Liv kit should not clash with others anymore.

With the departure of Lotte Kopecky to SD Worx, the Dutch squad will be forced to look elsewhere for wins. They still have Canadian Alison Jackson and signed
Eva Buurman in the off-season.

Lotto-Soudal - 4/5

Just as I mostly dislike blue kits, I mostly like red kits. So cheers to Lotto-Soudal for what is the reddest kit in the peloton this season. It's smart, it doesn't try too hard, and it will certainly stand out in the peloton.

Apart from a white band around the middle for the main sponsors, and black around the cuffs, the kit is all in the vibrant hue which just promises to be fast. The team will be hoping for a much improved 2022 after a disappointing season last year.

Lotto-Soudal have signed Victor Campernaerts back from Qhubekha NextHash, and will be hoping Caleb Ewan delivers in sprint finishes throughout the year and avoids injury.

Movistar - 3.5/5

Movistar's new look comes from the production lines of Italian kit brand, La Passione, which replaces Alé as the team's new clothing brand. It's simple and smart, but a little bit boring.

It reminds me of Team Sky's kit from 2017, and seeing as Sky won the Tour de France and Vuelta a España that year, Movistar will be hoping some of the magic rubs off on them.

The same jersey will be worn by their women's team, led by the effervescent Annemiek van Vleuten, with a Tour de France-Giro Donne double possibly on the cards. This could be a historic kit. 

Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl - 4.5/5

Rules are there to be broken, aren't they? After telling you all how much I disliked blue, I'm now saying that Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl's jersey is one of my favourites of the year. Castelli have moved to the Belgian team from Ineos Grenadiers, and their first offering is a belter.

The new jersey has less blue than last season's effort, and is reminiscent of what the team wore in 2017. There is white across the shoulders and a band of pink around the chest.

Might we see a record-breaking Tour de France stage win for Mark Cavendish in this kit? More definitely, we will see more feats from Julian Alaphilippe and Remco Evenepoel. 

SD Worx - 3/5

The second of the purple-pink-orange kits on this year's list, SD Worx's jersey is fine, and I like the fact it is with black shorts, but that is about it. A few too many colours on the jersey for me, but there is nothing bad about it either.

I prefer the team's efforts with its national champion's jerseys, which is good because they have two more to sort now Lotte Kopecky and Marlen Reusser have joined the squad.

The team are in transition after Anna van der Breggen retired, but still have lots of firepower with Demi Vollering, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio.

Team BikeExchange Jayco - 1/5 for the men's, 2/5 for the women's

My aversion to blue is rearing its ugly head again here, but I am not convinced there's too much to like about BikeExchange's kit. The women's one is better thanks to the strength of the "aubergine" colour on its jersey, but the weak blue on the men's does not work for me.

It is the third kit on this list from Alé, with the Italian manufacturer joining the squad along with bike manufacturers Giant and Liv. This is the reason for the change in colour from the old BikeExchange kit, apparently.

The shorts are far too light a shade of blue for my liking, and might not leave much to the imagination mid-race. Dylan Groenewegen, Kristen Faulkner and Lawson Craddock are among the new signings that will be wearing this kit soon. 

Team DSM - 3/5

DSM have not changed their kit for this season, like so many other teams. This is a good thing, however, as it is pretty smart. Unlike a few years ago, there aren't that many teams in black either, so they do stand out in the bunch.

The men's and women's teams wear exactly the same kit, with 'Keep Challenging' stripes down the middle of the jersey. It also manages to have a few little sponsors and yet not look cluttered.

John Degenkolb is heading back to the team he left when it was still Sunweb, and they also have quite a few graduates from their development team making the step up. Meanwhile, the women's team will surely focus around Lorena Wiebes as before.

Team Jumbo-Visma - 4/5

Not a lot has changed, but this is a solid effort from Jumbo-Visma, who manage to have multiple sponsors across the jersey without it looking like too much. The big Cervélo logos on the shoulders do not even really get in the way.

As long as they alter it for the Tour de France, it should work throughout the season. The women's team will likely wear the same kit, with Marianne Vos leading the line.

Tiesj Benoot, Rohan Dennis and Christophe Laporte have joined the Dutch super team, where they will hope to link up well with Primož Roglič, Tom Dumoulin and Wout van Aert.

Trek-Segafredo - 3/5

Both kits are broadly fine, minimalist efforts, with Trek-Segafredo's men wearing white with a red hilight, and its women wearing white with a band of light blue.

They are reasonably prosaic, however, which is not a massively bad thing but does not thrill me. There are also quite a few teams with largely white kits in the men's peloton, which means it might be a little hard to distinguish between them.

Joining the women's team this season is world champion Elisa Balsamo, of whom much is expected. On the men's side, riders brought in include Tony Gallopin and Dario Cataldo.

UAE Team ADQ - 2/5

The third and final Women's WorldTour kit to feature orange and purple, the inaugural UAE Team ADQ kit is not really my cup of tea, with a bit too much colour blending going on, and it lacks a solid identity.

It is interesting that the women's team did not copy the UAE flag-based colour scheme of it's men's counterparty. The flag does feature lower down on the front and back of the jersey, but there is more colour across the whole thing.

Riders who have switched across from Alé BTC Ljubljana include Mavi García and Marta Bastianelli.

UAE-Team Emirates - 3/5

I am hard-pushed to find a difference between this one and last year's UAE-Team Emirates' kit. The jersey of Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar is still quite smart and classy, however, with the little red and gold accents doing a lot.

It is made by Gobik, the same people who make FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope's kit, and is simple. However, it is yet another largely-white jersey in the peloton, which might blend together a bit next season.

João Almeida, Marc Soler and George Bennett have all joined the super-team, bolstering its climbing ranks.