'Stay Strong Amy' - SD Worx launch special kit designed by Amy Pieters

Team SD Worx will wear a special jersey on stage 1 of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift on Sunday, part of a collection designed by Amy Pieters and a symbol that the Dutch rider is ‘still part of the team’ in Paris.

Pieters, who remains in physical rehabilitation after a life-altering crash in December, has designed the multi-piece collection in collaboration with Specialized. The collection includes several pieces of apparel and a special version of the SD Worx jersey.

“In this way, the team shows that [Pieters], who is going through a long rehabilitation process due to a severe training accident, is still part of the team,” an announcement from SD Worx said.

The jersey that SD Worx will wear features team branding and the ‘Stay Strong Amy’ slogan, and was debuted by Lotte Kopecky, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak and Christine Majerus at the pre-race press event on Saturday.

The team has said that Pieters had been planning to launch her own apparel collection prior to the crash.

"Before her accident Amy was already busy designing her own cycling apparel collection,” said Team Manager Danny Stam. “It is an honor for us as a team to present these clothes during the first stage of the Tour de France Femmes in Paris. We are very grateful to the International Cycling Union, UCI, the various national federations and Tour organizer ASO for making this possible.”

Named the Ocean collection, the jersey features blue and pink marble patterns, and has been in the works since the summer of 2021.

“With inspiration from her America holiday trip last fall, the collection was quickly established by Amy, her clear ideas and trust in us,” said Specialized designer Lisan Dierkx, who worked with Pieters on the kit. 

“It was clear to me which colors Amy liked and what colors Amy didn't like. It is very nice to work with someone who has such a clear idea and at the same time has so much confidence in us as designers.”

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The special jersey is the latest effort from SD Worx to support Pieters and her rehabilitation. At last month’s Dutch national championships, a crowdfunding campaign was launched to ensure the former national championship can “can receive the best possible treatment”.

After spending three months in a coma, Pieters is in rehabilitation at a medical centre in Dordrecht, the Netherlands, but is now able to spend her weekends at home.