The colourway of the new kit is described as “the perfect bond between Sportful’s style and the philosophy behind TotalEnergies identity" – a global brand focused on the research, production and distribution of energy.
The use of colours and fades are key elements to the design and are said to be “directly related to how TotalEnergies approaches the solution to complex issues like shrinking fossil fuels availability and the growth in green energy solutions.”
(Image credit: TotalEnergies)
More specifically, each colour on the new jersey has been chosen to represent one of the seven types of energy resources that TotalEnergies manages; while the fades between them “speak to the belief that a sustainable solution for the future will be one in which the seven resources coexist and work together.”
With the colour playing such an important role in the new team kit, it’s an aspect TotalEnergies will take “beyond the jersey and the bib shorts." Even base-layers and accessories "will be elements that strongly characterise the kit worn by athletes.”
(Image credit: TotalEnergies)
Acknowledging the ambition of the new team stripe, Sportful’s brand manager Devis Barchi said: "this new chapter with Team TotalEnergies required careful collaboration to project the brand identity through graphic design. We approached this project with seriousness and enthusiasm."
General manager for Team TotalEnergies, Jean-René Bernadeu said: “I sincerely thank [Sportful and the Cremonese family] for the professional attitude shown.The technologies brought by this prestigious brand will allow us to be even more the real “Ambassadeurs Du Monde de Demain [ambassadors of the world of tomorrow.]”
(Image credit: TotalEnergies)
Although in a new team for the first time in five years, Sagan should be feeling quite at home with Specialized and Sportful both having been bike and clothing sponsors (respectively) at his previous team, Bora-Hansgrohe.
The Slovakian was down to start the season at the Vuelta a San Juan, an Argentinian stage race, but this was recently cancelled for a second consecutive year. Combined with Sagan's own positive Covid-19 test result, 2022 seems to have gotten off to no better a start for him than 2021.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
After winning the 2019 National Single-Speed Cross-Country Mountain Biking Championships and claiming the plushie unicorn (true story), Stefan swapped the flat-bars for drop-bars and has never looked back.
But his favourite rides are multiday bikepacking trips, with all the huge amount of cycling tech and long days spent exploring new roads and trails - as well as histories and cultures. Most recently, he’s spent two weeks riding from Budapest into the mountains of Slovakia.
