Specialized take inspiration from France's football team for limited edition Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe Tour de France kit

Specialized have unveiled a new, lighter and brighter limited edition Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe kit which pays homage to France and the French national football team ahead of this year's Tour de France.

The new-look kit, made by Specialized, features a white base and fading red and blue stripes across the body, while the shorts are switched to a bright blue colour.

The company says that the new kit is "a tribute to the country, the fans, and the legendary roads that make the Tour de France the ultimate race in cycling. The blue, white and red stripes echo the French flag, capturing the race’s speed and spirit, while the gradient design is inspired by France’s diverse landscapes – from the cobbled streets of the north to the Alps and the vibrant finish in Paris."

Befitting Red Bull's portfolio of teams and sponsorship deals across a range of sports, Specialized have taken inspiration from the world of football. The US company says that the tricolor-style jersey is "calling back to the iconic French World Cup jerseys."

The switch-out kit seems to recall France's kit at the 2006 World Cup. The nation made it to the final in Germany but lost on penalties after team captain Zinedine Zidane was sent off for headbutting Marco Materazzi.

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe will presumably be aiming to avoid a similar fate for their team and Roglič this July. The Slovenian finished second at the 2020 Tour but has since failed to finish on each of his more recent participations. This time around, he'll be battling against Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard, and Remco Evenepoel for yellow once again.

The reigning Vuelta a España will be backed up by Critérium du Dauphiné podium finisher Florian Lipowitz at the Tour. Aleksandr Vlasov, Laurence Pithie, Jordi Meeus, Mick van Dijk, Danny van Poppel, and Gianni Moscon also form part of the eight-man selection.

The team was unveiled earlier this week, with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe chief of sports Rolf Aldag saying that over half the squad is dedicated to guiding Roglič and the climbers through the flatter first half of the race.

"We're heading into this Tour extremely well prepared. Every stage has been reconned, analysed, and simulated," said Aldag.

"Our team strength will be especially critical in the first half of the race – five riders are dedicated to guiding our three climbers safely toward the Pyrenees. In the high mountains, individual class will make the difference. That’s our race plan – and our guiding principle for the next three weeks.”

While the bright blue shorts may divide opinion, the brighter, patterned jersey looks an easy upgrade on the team's previous, darker offering.

Away from the fresh design, all the same sponsors are still there, occupying the same spots on the kit. Title sponsors Red Bull, Bora, and Hansgrohe occupy prime positions on the front, back, and side of the jersey as well as the shorts.

Other major sponsors on the kit include clothing brand Hugo Boss, industrial cloth cleaners Mewa, office product leasing company Grenke, the tourism board of Ötztal in Austria, and, of course, bike and kit manufacturer Specialized.

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