Earlier this year, British Cycling celebrated a decade of partnership with adidas, with the launch of a new kit for the Great Britain Cycling Team. Since then, it’s been worn by the riders in multiple disciplines across the world – in places such as Switzerland, the USA and Colombia.
Nelson Madlangbayan, head of adidas products, says the international jet-set lifestyle of the Great Britain Cycling Team fits in with the design.
“The new kit is inspired by aero-dynamics, aeroplanes and specifically the leading edge and trailing edge of an aeroplane wing.
“The inspiration came as I sat on a jet on the way out to British Cycling and I thought wow, that is a pretty interesting shape that has a lot of relevance to cycling.”
The new kit has already played its part in some incredible moments for the Great Britain Cycling Team. It was worn as Lizzie Armitstead became world champion in the UCI Road World Championships in Richmond and as Liam Phillips retained his BMX Supercross World Cup title in Rock Hill.
Laura Trott sported the new design as she won her tenth European title at the UEC Elite European Championships in Grenchen, Switzerland and the lightning bolts will also be worn at the UCI Track World Cup and the UCI Track World Championships in London – the last major track event before Rio.
Madlangbayan said that he hoped the new kit would inspire the team to success:
“What I hope the riders feel when they put on this kit before the start of a race, the next stage or prepare themselves for training, is the energy that was put into the design of the graphic, the hours behind this inspirational lightning bolt design and that it all transforms into a performance of explosiveness, power and energy on the road, on the track and on the trail.”
Great Britain Cycling Team technical director Shane Sutton agrees that the new adidas kit could help give riders the edge: “The fit, the cut, everything about this jersey is a massive performance gain to us.”
The adidas and British Cycling partnership
British Cycling member offer
British Cycling members get 30% off at www.adidascycling.co.uk from 1 to 14 December.
