Rapha release L39ION of Los Angeles kit for 2022 season

L39ION of Los Angeles have released their new kit for the 2022 racing season, which has been designed by Rapha.

The dark kit mirrors the nocturnal crit races which is where the team made their name, and is based off of the "always lead - never follow" mindset that the American squad has.

It is largely black, with streaks of orange, red, green and blue across the abdomen, hinting at the streaks of light shown in photos of night-time crit racing, or the blurs that the racers become at speed.

The press release says: "The kit design features warped traces of light and fast paced graphic style, which symbolises Legion’s attitude towards warping people’s perceptions of them and the sport."

The left arm has the classic Rapha white band, and the team's main sponsor Zwift is prominent on the front, back and sleeves, with other sponsors placed on the back of the jersey. The shorts are plain black.

The custom cycling kit will be available to buy through Rapha, with a portion of profits being reinvested back into the team, to help fund the development.

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Justin Williams, the co-founder and team manager of L39ION, said that it was the "coolest uniform" he had ever worn in his career, "hands down".

He said: "The inspiration stemmed from a series of night racing photos that my brother and I fell in love with, and Rapha perfectly executed our design for 2022. 

"I’m thrilled that we could use this jersey to celebrate the thing we love most about bike racing: chaotic straightways, fast corners, and even faster sprints."

The team stepped up to Continental level last year and won a stage and the overall at the Joe Martin Stage Race through Tyler Williams. They also won two stages and the overall at the women's equivalent through Skylar Schneider.

L39ION thrives at crit racing, however, and won multiple races in 2021. Kendall Ryan, who rides for the women's team, is currently the US national criterium champion.

Rapha also provides kits to EF Education-Easypost, with the WorldTour team expected to release their kit in the coming weeks.