Dropping the predominantly black colour scheme which dominated the team kit this year and bringing back the signature argyle pattern which adorned the jersey prior to this season, the Garmin-Cervélo team has today unveiled a new look for the 2011 Tour de France.
The jersey is predominantly white and should immediately remove the confusion which had existed between it and the Sky Procycling clothing.
“We’re really excited about the Tour de France kit,” said team CEO Jonathan Vaughters today. “The lighter color is perfect for hot weather and our signature argyle is more prominent.”
The move is the third season in succession where clothing manufacturer Castelli has changed team kit for the Tour. In 2009 and 2010 it did so while supplying the Cervélo Test Team, reversing the black and white colouration and thus helping the riders cope better with hot conditions.
“This team is rider-centric, and Castelli has done its part to make sure the riders have the most comfortable and technically advanced clothing for this big event,” said brand manager Steve Smith. “Racing in hot weather is physically demanding, that’s a given, and despite the fact that Castelli makes some of the lightest and coolest fabrics in existence, wearing a lighter colour will make a big difference, both psychologically and physically, to a rider’s well being.”
The company has introduced what it says is the first skinsuit for road racing, with the goal of saving watts during the race and thus boosting performance. It will also give the riders a lightweight jersey for the mountains. It says that this absorbs hardly any moisture, and should therefore help even further in keeping weight down.
Garmin-Cervélo heads to the Tour de France with a range of objectives. World champion Thor Hushovd and Tyler Farrar will target sprint victories, aiming to take the team’s first-ever Tour de France stage win, while GC contenders Christian Vande Velde and Ryder Hesjedal will aim to finish as high up in the top ten as possible. Time trialists David Millar and Dave Zabriskie will be important cornerstones in the team time trial and individual race against the clock and, along with Julian Dean and Ramunas Navardauskas, will help the others at key points of the race. Dean will also act in a leadout role for Hushovd and Farrar.
The team is completed by stage race specialist Tom Danielson, who has shown strong form of late and is making his debut in the race.