There are few certainties in the world of professional cycling. Chris froome offering an opinion on disc brakes is one, and the annual EF Giro switchout kit is the other. As the team, resplendent for most of the season in some variation of hot pink, would clash with the race leader’s pink jersey, they are required to wear something else for the first grand tour of the season.
Last year we were treated to a stunning patchwork design made from offcuts, though nothing will ever really top the stir caused by the Rapha X Palace collaboration of the 2020 edition.
Normally we are sent a bit of advance warning as to the release, along with a slew of images, but it seems that this year Rapha and EF are aiming to rely on social media to share the news, sticking to an Instagram-only approach, devoid of any press material explaining the significance. What can we glean from the new kit then?
Well, it’s black for starters. On the face of it, it seems to be identical to the team’s 2024 standard pink kits, with the colours swapped out. There is more to it than that, though. 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.
According to the 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 mens 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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