Rapha launches EF Education Giro d'Italia changeout kit that pays homage to Italian carbohydrates
It's black, and it says PIZZA and PASTA on it to avoid a clash with the leader's pink jersey
There are few certainties in the world of professional cycling but the annual EF Education Giro d'Italia switchout kit is one of them.
As the team's annual variation of hot pink clash with the Giro d'Italia race leader's pink jersey, the US-registered teams are required to change their colours for the men's and women's Italian Grand Tour.
Last year we were treated to a stunning patchwork design made from offcuts, while nothing will ever top the stir caused by the Rapha X Palace collaboration for the 2020 edition of the Corsa Rosa.
"In Italy, a pink cycling jersey is reserved for one person only during the months of May and July: the leader of the Giro d’Italia," the team said when revealing the new colours.
"Our 2024 Giro changeout kit is a homage to Italian bike racing culture. We have traded bright pink for a classy black strip with yellow and pink emblems that celebrate the nation that is home to these beautiful, brutal races."
The 2024 changeout kit is more subdued than in previous years.
It seems to be identical to the team's 2024 standard pink kits, with the colours swapped out. However there is more to it than that. The words and graphics, usually in low contrast yellow on the standard kit, pop out here in high relief pink, and have been changed to Italian-specific phrases.
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According to an Instagram post from Rapha "This 2024 edition features reworked phrases in ‘Italian’ such as Vai, In Bocca al Lupo and PIZZA PASTA SCALA FASTA – typographic trinkets to motivate our brave athletes and celebrate Europe’s most jaw-dropping grand tour. Che bella!"
The kit will be available on sale shortly in both a Pro Team Aero Jersey and Pro Team Training Jersey guise, for both men and women.
It will be used by both the men's and women's EF squads, so we will get to see it again in July when the women's Giro d'Italia kicks off.
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Will joined the Cyclingnews team as a reviews writer in 2022, having previously written for Cyclist, BikeRadar and Advntr. There are very few types of cycling he's not dabbled in, and he has a particular affection for older bikes and long lasting components. Road riding was his first love, before graduating to racing CX in Yorkshire. He's been touring on a vintage tandem all the way through to fixed gear gravel riding and MTB too. When he's not out riding one of his many bikes he can usually be found in the garage tinkering with another of them, or getting obsessive about tyres. Also, as he doesn't use Zwift, he's our go-to guy for bad weather testing... bless him.
Rides: Custom Zetland Audax, Bowman Palace:R, Peugeot Grand Tourisme Tandem, Falcon Explorer Tracklocross, Fairlight Secan & Strael