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2018 UCI WorldTour kits: from the chic to the shocking

Your guide to who's wearing what in the pro peloton this year

The 2018 race season has already begun – the Tour Down Under has come and gone –  and if you want to know what's going on in the peloton you need to know who's who. 

Here's our guide to the kits the big teams are wearing this year.

Ag2r-La Mondiale 

AG2R jersey (1).jpg

AG2R-La Mondiale has switched to Italian clothing brand Rosti and ditched last year’s busy design, which featured one brown sleeve and one blue sleeve. Too far ahead of its time! They go for something altogether more classy in 2018. 

They’re still rocking those brown shorts, though (not pictured for reasons of taste). We’re all for breaking convention, but brown shorts! Non! 

Astana Pro Team

Astana kit 2018 (1).jpg

Astana has neatened up its jersey a little for 2018 and added a yellow band on the left sleeve to match the one on the right – as with AG2R, asymmetry is out.

It’s a ‘yes’ from us.

Bahrain-Merida 

Bahrain Merida 2018 kit (1).jpg

Bahrain-Merida has widened the blue band across the chest of its 2018 jersey, and changed the sleeves and collar from blue to red, but it's a pretty similar overall impression to last year.

This lot don’t look too happy about it, mind. In fact, they look decidedly miserable. Chin up, lads, we think it’s a strong look.

BMC Racing Team 

BMC.jpg

BMC’s kit hasn’t changed all that much for this season although new sponsor Sophos is now represented on a blue collar, which puts a dent in the red, white and black theme.

That fella behind's not bothered either way, just as long as he gets to finish his cone pyramid before it's time to clock off.

Bora-Hansgrohe 

Chevrons, huh? Cheeky. Germany’s Bora-Hansgrohe has a completely new kit having switched from Craft to Sportful. We need to have a talk about Jay McCarthy's tash at some stage, though.

Dimension Data 

Dimension Data (1).jpg

Dimension data has ditched most (not all) of the black from its jersey and goes for a more distinctive white/green combo. We can’t decide whether this is a step forward or a step back. Maybe it’s neither. A solid mid-table performance.

These pics make us think: barber shop wall. Number two at the back and sides, please, leave it a little bit longer on top. Ta.

EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 

EF Education First (1).jpg

The new name is challenging, admittedly, but we’re right behind a bit more pink in the pro peloton. Whether or not it should be teamed up with bright green is perhaps a little more open to question, but you’ve got to take a style risk now and again.

FDJ 

FDJ 2018 (1).jpg

Although FDJ is currently racing in the same kit as last year, the team is taking on a new sponsor and will be known as Groupama-FDJ from March. Here's the new jersey (below).

It has to be said, the boys don't look wild about it.

Lotto-Soudal 

Lotto Soudal 2018 front (1).jpg

What’s going on here? Like the mullet, Lotto-Soudal’s jersey is business in the front, party in the back.

Lotto Soudal 2018 jersey rear (1).jpg

It looks like they’re channelling an Eddy Merckx-era Faema jersey – which is a Good Thing – but those coloured circles that have been added at the rear, they’re just a bit… uncalled for. They’re out of control.

Mitchelton-Scott

Mitchelton Scott 2018 jersey (1).jpg

Well, whaddya know? They’ve only gone and changed their name again. This team has so far been Orica-Scott, Orica-BikeExchange, Orica-GreenEdge, GreenEdge Cycling and now Mitchelton-Scott and it has only existed since 2012. The change of name means a new kit, obviously, and they’ve switched from blue to predominantly black. That curious shape on the chest is part of the logo for Mitchelton, a wine, hotels and spa business.

Movistar Team 

Movistar kit 2018 (1).jpg

Movistar Team has had a dark blue jersey decorated with a bright green M since the telecommunications brand began sponsorship in 2011 but that all changes this season – now it’s light blue with a white M. The clothing still comes from Scotland’s Endura and it still looks pretty cool to us. Bold!

Quick-Step Floors 

Quick-Step haven’t gone for a wholesale redesign, they’ve just taken the various elements from last year, given ’em a bit of a shake and left it at that. It kinda works.

Team Katusha Alpecin 

Katusha 2018 5 (1).jpg

Katusha Alpecin has added light blue to the mix for 2018, which gives them a bit of an Aston Villa vibe. Geez, how many riders do they have on this team? That’s a helluva lot of free haircare products to give out. Oh, it's a ride-out. As you were.

Team LottoNL-Jumbo

LottoNL-Jumbo have made a few logo changes and the tops of the shoulders are now yellow rather than black but the 2018 jersey is a similar proposition to last year’s. But hang on a sec! Last year the Lotto ball numbers were 24, 2, 6, 37, 15 and 45. This year they taken the 2 out and stuck a 1 in there (no, really, that's an actual fact!). Why? This must mean something important. If only we knew what it was.

Team Sky 

Team Sky (1).jpg

Whoa! What happened to all the black? Sky has dabbled in white kit before but it has gone in with both feet for 2018. Sir Dave Brailsford is going to be up late into the night getting that clean after a muddy Paris-Roubaix. What are the odds on a Persil logo being added at some stage during the season?

Team Sunweb 

Team Sunweb (1).jpg

Unless we’re very much mistaken, that’s the exact same kit Team Sunweb was wearing last year. Cheapskates. Or maybe they’re saving the planet, in which case: well done.

Trek-Segafredo 

Trek Segafredo (1).jpg

Trek-Segafredo has switched from Sportful clothing to Santini and ditched black from its jerseys in the process. The pin-stripes are back, though, putting us in mind of Liverpool FC around about 1982-84. You know, Souness, Hansen… Dalglish and Ian Rush slotting them in up front. It’s a good look.

UAE-Team Emirates

UAE Team Emirates (1).jpg

UAE-Team Emirates have altered their logos a bit over the past few months but that’s about yer lot. Still, the team has only been around in this form for less than a year, so we’ll let ’em off.

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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14 comments

Avatar
JohnnyRemo | 6 years ago
0 likes

No conicidence that the two Belgian teams on the WT have the best looking kit...

 

Avatar
tom_w | 6 years ago
0 likes

This is all very well, but what we're all really waiting for is the review of this year's team buses!

(I love the type of humour in the annual kit and bus reviews, be great to see some more articles written in this style)

Avatar
peted76 | 6 years ago
1 like

I think there's some decent kits this year..  particualrly like, EF Education First. Quick-Step Floors are reassuringly blue and similar to previous years, Lotto Soudal is very smart but I can't help but think of Marlbrough fags every time I see it.. Dimension Data looks good too, quite understated in a green and white sort of way.. Bahrain-Merida has the best colours but the kit for me is ruined by a gold scribble in the middle of the shirt I'm sure it signifies something but it means nothing to me, and I sort of 'object' to Bahrain and any other country which doens't treat people/citizens/women/equally or who prosecutes people for expressing opinion.

 

Worst of the bunch by a country mile, the new FDJ kit, it's 'fowl', they look like 'cocks' ...French pun.... anyone... no.. I'll get my coat...

 

Avatar
kitkat replied to peted76 | 6 years ago
0 likes
peted76 wrote:

 I sort of 'object' to Bahrain and any other country which doens't treat people/citizens/women/equally or who prosecutes people for expressing opinion.

Well at least people in Bahrain actually get prosecuted! in UK at the moment an unsubstantiated Tweet can condemn a person to lose their job, their closest family and ostracised from their community - and not a sniff of due process.

Now that's what I call progress!

Avatar
WolfieSmith | 6 years ago
2 likes

#Me too!

 

Avatar
rix | 6 years ago
0 likes

That TREK kit looks very elegant on Skujinsh! 

smiley

Avatar
Freddy56 | 6 years ago
0 likes

Merida kit just looks classy.

Quickstep looks classically quick

Katusha is burgundy. oof

 

I waiting to see how Chris pleads before I pass comment or wind on the sky kit.

Avatar
themuffle | 6 years ago
3 likes

I think a closer up pic of Puck Moonen is needed please! 

Google her if you dont know who she is..

Avatar
Redvee replied to themuffle | 6 years ago
1 like
njmoffat wrote:

I think a closer up pic of Puck Moonen is needed please! 

Google her if you dont know who she is..

For some reason I follow her on Intagram, can't think why.

//scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/575c36db213b4c778cee4830fdae34b8/5B0EA9C3/t51.2885-15/e35/15875887_259368864484418_6182740185780846592_n.jpg)

Avatar
surly_by_name replied to Redvee | 6 years ago
0 likes
Redvee wrote:
njmoffat wrote:

I think a closer up pic of Puck Moonen is needed please! 

Google her if you dont know who she is..

For some reason I follow her on Intagram, can't think why.

Hot waffles.

(I'm almost certain we're not supposed to do this anymore.)

Avatar
handlebarcam | 6 years ago
7 likes

Sky have switched to light blue and white. Now, where have I seen that colour scheme before? Oh, yeah...

//a360-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/rtmagazi/2015/09/dreamstime_xs_14108924.jpg)

Avatar
alansmurphy replied to handlebarcam | 6 years ago
2 likes
handlebarcam wrote:

Sky have switched to light blue and white. Now, where have I seen that colour scheme before? Oh, yeah...

//a360-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/rtmagazi/2015/09/dreamstime_xs_14108924.jpg)

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...

Actually, aren't those colours closer to Movistar / Quick Step.

Shame, it was such an excellent joke.

Avatar
kitkat | 6 years ago
3 likes

Road.cc should rank pro kit out of 5 then it’ll build a year on year graph of kit quality/taste. Totally subjective but entertaining 

Avatar
RobD replied to kitkat | 6 years ago
0 likes
kitkat wrote:

Road.cc should rank pro kit out of 5 then it’ll build a year on year graph of kit quality/taste. Totally subjective but entertaining 

Agreed, I'd like to see the ups and downs of the past few seasons of Trek and OriGreenMitch Scott as two of the teams who've barely kept a consistent design for two seasons.

As an aside, is it just the pictures or are ag2r gradually making the brown darker so eventually they'll just be black shorts?

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