The switch-out team kits and full livery are bound to turn heads; the commercial collection to also include matching casual wear and the Cannondale SuperSix EVO frameset.
This year, the party doesn’t end in Paris when the men sprint onto the Champs-Élysées. For the first time since the ‘80s, women will also get to race on cycling’s biggest stage at the Tour de France Femmes. It’s a seminal moment for the sport, the fans and the riders, one that makes this race more than just another Tour de France. Now that everyone is invited, the summer is set for a Tour de Force.
To celebrate the majesty of the Tour de Force, Rapha partnered once again with Palace Skateboards to create a striking limited-edition switch-out kit for the riders of the EF Education-TIBCO-SVB and EF Education-EasyPost teams.
In addition, the teams’ livery will receive a complete overhaul that will see the entire fleet of Cannondale race bikes, including the Cannondale SuperSix EVO, which will be sold commercially, as well as POC helmets and Crocs, decked out with distinct designs in collaboration with Palace. Team partners WHOOP and Wahoo have joined in as well, creating their own designs inspired by the kit.
In the women’s and men’s teams, Palace and Rapha have the perfect partners: both race with character and have never been afraid to break from cycling’s dusty traditions. Upon these daring shoulders, the kits are set to turn heads across the world and push the boundaries of the sport.
“I’m just thrilled with the kit that Rapha and Palace Skateboards have designed to celebrate the return of the women’s Tour de France. Women’s cycling has been growing steadily over the past couple of decades, but the return of the Tour de France will accelerate this growth and further our search for equality,” said Linda Jackson, the founder and owner of the EF Education-TIBCO-SVB team. “It’s a true honor to have the EF Education-EasyPost men’s team racing their Tour de France in a jersey that celebrates women’s cycling. It’s been a very long road to get to this point, and all of us, the riders, staff and management, realize the significance of this jersey and will be proud to wear it.”
The design narrative of the second Rapha and Palace collaboration righteously celebrates the Tour de France Femmes. After 33 years, women are finally able to return to race and they are ready to show the world what it’s been missing. Rapha and its designs regularly refer back to the sport and cycling history whilst Palace is disruptive, witty and always surprising, authentically straddling the worlds of high fashion, streetwear and core skate.
“The changeout is our way of celebrating women in sport and the Tour de France Femmes. It’s wild, it’s bold, and it’s an exciting time for the cycling world and long overdue. It’s an honor for our team to race in this kit in advance of the women’s Tour de France. Both races will be incredible, and we’ll fight to keep this kit and its celebratory message at the front of the race this July,” said Jonathan Vaughters, the CEO of the EF Education-EasyPost team.
Since returning to the men’s pro peloton in 2019 as a partner of EF Education First, Rapha has designed to disrupt. The first collaboration with Palace for the 2020 Giro d’Italia did not fall short of expectations and the kit created was something altogether different, merging the worlds of fashion and cycling and changing the face of the sport once and for all.
The EF Education-TIBCO-SVB team kit will include the Women’s Pro Team Aero Jersey, Women’s Pro Team Training Jersey and Women’s Pro Team Bib Shorts II and the EF Education-EasyPost team kit consists of the Pro Team Aero Jersey, Pro Team Training Jersey and Pro Team Bib Shorts II. Both team kits are complemented by special editions socks, caps and musettes.
The change out extends to the full range of team bikes from Cannondale to celebrate the return of women to Le Tour. Every element of the frame design of the SystemSix, SuperSix EVO and SuperSlice is bold and intentional to seamlessly combine with the Rapha + Palace team kit that both the men’s and women’s teams will don at the Tour. Unique touches extend beyond the obvious elements of the design; each SuperSlice incorporates easter eggs for each rider to match their personality and riding style.
Off the bike, there is a range of special edition casual wear from Rapha + Palace, which will be worn by the teams at the Tour. The details of the off-bike collection will be revealed soon.
Both Rapha + Palace collections will be available through Rapha online, in select Rapha Clubhouses and through Palace online and in store. The Cannondale SuperSix EVO frameset will be available through rapha.cc, palaceskateboards.com and cannondale.com.
All of the Rapha + Palace items will be sold in very limited numbers and to give everyone the best chance of accessing the collection there will be three drops at localised times in the UK, EU, Canada and the USA and the Asia-Pacific region.
A select range of Rapha + Palace on-bike items will be made available exclusively to the Rapha Cycling Club members who were active on or before the 28th of June or have renewed a previously lapsed membership by the day preceding the commercial launch, the date of which will be announced soon.
