Share

Racing

UCI WorldTour 2016: all 18 pro cycling team kits rated

We run the rule on the latest kits from pro cycling's biggest teams

Eighteen teams will compete in pro cycling’s top tier in 2016, with Team Dimension Data joining the 17 UCI WorldTour teams from last season.

With the season starting in January at the Tour Down Under and running right through to Il Lombardia in October, there will be plenty of chance to catch your favourite riders in action.

The professional peloton will be awash with colour again in 2016 (pic: Sirotti)

But who’ll be wearing what in 2016? While several teams have stuck with the tried and tested when it comes to their kits, there will be plenty of colour in the peloton next season.

We’ve taken a closer look at all 18 team kits for the 2016 UCI WorldTour season and rated and ranked them all.

Do you agree with our picks? Let us know in the comments. Here we go, from worst to best…

18) FDJ

FDJ have stuck with their predominantly white kit for 2016, the same jersey Thibaut Pinot wore on his way to Tour de France stage success on Alpe d’Huez last season.

Lorrenzo Manzin’s bizarre take on modelling the FDJ kit… (pic: FDJ)

And it props up our list of team kits, mainly because it’s white (rarely a good idea for cycling kit… especially when shorts are involved), but also because of the frankly odd picture of Lorrenzo Manzin they used to promote it (see above).

That’s an image we’ll struggle to get out of our heads…

RCUK rating: 1/5

17) Ag2r-La Mondiale

Ag2r-La Mondiale’s kit polarises opinion, and we’ve made no secret of the fact we’re in the ‘no’ camp when it comes to THOSE brown shorts.

@alexisvuillermoz est maintenant sur Instagram ! Suivez notre vainqueur d’étape sur le dernier #tdf2015 Photo @fred_machabert #allezalm

A photo posted by AG2RLAMONDIALE ProCyclingTeam (@ag2rlamondiale_procyclingteam) on

But, credit where it’s due, the French team have at least tried something a little different since coming bottom of the pile when we rated last year’s kit.

We’re not quite sure of the purpose of the blue sleeve, but it’s enough to promote them to, erm, second-bottom.

RCUK rating: 1.5/5

16) Lampre-Merida

Lampre-Merida’s fuchsia-coloured kit has become an unmissable part of the colour of the peloton and it’s back this year – as modelled by Diego Ulissi and Sacha Modolo.

Diego Ulissi and Sacha Modolo model the Lampre-Merida kit (pic: Lampre-Merida)

There’s not an awful lot to report, as it’s very similar to previous versions, and the Italian team will be keen to ensure success on the road stays on the same track too after four stage wins in their home Grand Tour in 2015, as well as a stage win at the Tour de France and two at the Vuelta.

We don’t mind the kit, as it happens, but it’s nowhere near our favourites either…

RCUK rating: 2.5/5

15) LottoNL-Jumbo

LottoNL-Jumbo didn’t enjoy much success in 2015, and as far as we were concerned there’s not much to shout about on the kit front either.

Happy to be part of @lottonljumbo_road in 2016! #newteam #motivation #goals

A photo posted by victor (@vocsnor) on

Sponsored by the Dutch national lottery, the yellow lotto balls remain on this year’s jersey but they’ve traded their predominantly yellow jerseys for a big splash of white in 2016.

It’s similar to their 2015 Tour de France kit, and ensures there will be no clash with the yellow jersey this year – but we’re still not big admirers.

RCUK rating: 2.5/5

14) Etixx-QuickStep

We voted Etixx-QuickStep’s 2015 kit our favourite in the WorldTour peloton, but there have been some drastic changes since then.

Marcel Kittel models Etixx-QuickStep’s new kit (pic: Etixx-QuickStep)

Marcel Kittel’s arrival was accompanied by the news Lidl had come on board as co-sponsors, and their kit has been given a ‘Lidl’ makeover.

It’s now predominantly blue, including some questionable blue shorts, and the German supermarket brand’s logo displayed prominently on the shoulders and back.

RCUK rating: 2.5/5

13) Orica-GreenEDGE

They say if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it and Orica-GreenEDGE have taken those words to heart, sticking once again with their white, green and blue offering – but we think it could do with freshening up.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – Orica-GreenEDGE have stuck with the tried and tested (pic: Sirotti)

With Simon and Adam Yates committed to new contracts, the Aussie team will have plenty of fans on these shores and their kit is relatively easy to spot in the peloton.

It’s middle of the road when it comes to our verdict though.

RCUK rating: 3/5

12) IAM Cycling

How do you make your team stand out in the professional peloton? Well switching from dark navy blue jerseys to white will certainly help.

IAM Cycling have gone for a predominantly white jersey for 2016 (pic: IAM Cycling)

It’s a tactic IAM Cycling have deployed in 2016, though we’re not sure how well it will go down.

Unlike FDJ, they’ve stuck with dark shorts though so, like Orica-GreenEDGE, we’re going down the middle with our verdict.

RCUK rating: 3/5

11) Team Dimension Data

Team Dimension Data are making their WorldTour debut in 2016, and this is the kit we will see Mark Cavendish in this year after he signed a three-year deal with Africa’s team.

Team Dimension Data threw a bit of a curveball by first launching the team’s training kit. This is what they will race in (pic: Sirotti)

It’s a much-changed design from last year’s black-and-white stripes but, while we weren’t fans of the 2015 kit at at first, it was starting to grow on us by the time the season was up.

Cavendish’s fellow Brit, Steve Cummings, will also be pulling on this jersey in 2016 which, compared to last season’s offering, is just a bit plain.

RCUK rating: 3/5

10) Giant-Alpecin

Giant-Alpecin, and their women’s team Liv-Plantur, haven’t made any ground-breaking changes to their kits for 2016.

Giant-Alpecin have also stuck with a very similar design for 2016 (pic: Giant-Alpecin)

The team call the white stripes their two ‘Keep Challenging’ stripes apparently, like the racing stripes the teenager on your street might stick on their Vauxhall Corsa.

Other than that, for the men’s team it’s black jerseys with Alpecin’s big red logo adding a touch of colour.

RCUK rating: 3/5

9) Trek-Segafredo

Trek’s kit is largely unchanged from their 2015 offering, which paired their 2014 pinstripe design with a white upper half.

Trek’s kit is relative unchanged apart from the edition of new co-headline sponsors Segafredo (pic: Trek-Segafredo)

The eagle-eyed among you will see there is one big change though, with new co-headline sponsors Segafredo slapping their name right in the middle of the jersey.

The coffee brand’s red ‘S’ keeps things on point with the already red cuffs, so we’re happy to stick Trek just inside the top ten – one spot up from last year.

RCUK rating: 3.5/5

8) Astana

Astana have stuck with their tried and tested kit for 2016, though they will no doubt be hoping to swap it for more Grand Tour leaders’ jerseys after Fabio Aru’s Vuelta a Espana win.

Astana’s will ride in the colours of the Kazakh national flag as ever in 2016 (Pic: Sirotti)

Aru’s red jersey followed the yellow jersey Vincenzo Nibali won at the 2014 Tour de France, but it’s blue jerseys in which the team normally rides.

Specifically, it’s the same sky blue (and yellow details) which features on the Kazakh national flag and it’s certainly easy to spot in the peloton.

RCUK rating: 3.5/5

7) Movistar

Movistar will want Nairo Quintana to swap the team’s traditional blue colours with the maillot jaune in 2016 but it’s not stopped the Spanish-based squad making some minor adjustments to their kit.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! #YoSoyMovistarTeam ????????

A photo posted by Movistar Team (@movistar_team) on

A white cuff on the sleeve and a white rear pocket, coupled with that big green M of Movistar add some eye-catching detail.

Alejandro Valverde’s take on the Spanish national champion’s kit is a bit minimalist, mind, so marks off for that.

RCUK rating: 4/5

6) BMC Racing

BMC Racing have made big changes to their roster for 2016, with Richie Porte joining the team as co-leader, but you won’t find much change when it comes to the team kit.

New faces, but same old kit for BMC Racing (pic: BMC Racing/Continuum Sports)

And why should there be? It’s a solid if unremarkable design that has become easily recognisable over the years.

Whether Porte will be swapping it for a Grand Tour leader’s jersey remains to be seen, but it may take some getting used to not seeing him at Chris Froome’s side this year.

RCUK rating: 4/5

5) Lotto-Soudal

Lotto-Soudal’s retro-inspired red kit is now in its third year, though Joker no longer sponsor the team and so have been removed from the shoulders.

Lotto-Soudal line up in their retro-inspired kit (pic: Lotto-Soudal)

Nevertheless it’s a stylish throwback, and it’s won plenty of fans since it was first introduced in 2014 – so it’s easy to see why they’ve stuck with it.

We like it at any rate and are keen to see if Andre Greipel will be following up his incredible form from last year’s Tour de France, when the German won four stages.

RCUK rating: 4.5/5

4) Team Sky

Team Sky’s final year with Rapha as clothing partner has seen significant change to their stylish kit.

The black jersey, with vertical blue stripe on the rear, remains but it now boasts sky blue and white stripes across the front too. We’re fans and it will make the team easier to spot in the peloton.

There is one small problem though – it makes their riders all look like Estonian national champions!

RCUK rating: 4.5/5

3) Tinkoff

Tinkoff can count the men’s world champion, Peter Sagan, in their number for 2016 and rather pleasingly the extroverted Slovakian has opted for black shorts with his rainbow jersey.

Tinkoff’s kit is largely the same, minus former co-sponsors Saxo Bank. Peter Sagan has paired his world champions jersey with black shorts (pic: Bettini Photo)

The rest of his team-mates will ride in fluoro yellow, as with their 2015 kit but minus the Saxo Bank sponsor logo, and you certainly can’t miss them in the peloton.

You won’t miss them when they’re out training either – check out the eye-catching La Datcha kits they revealed just before Christmas.

RCUK rating: 4.5/5

2) Cannondale

Cannondale Pro Cycling are back. Well, sort of, they’re still owned by Slipstream Sports as a result of last year’s merger but with Garmin no longer as co-title sponsors.

Cannondale have returned to an all-green jersey for 2016, which they’ve paired with black shorts (pic: Cannondale)

It means a return to the eye-catching green jerseys, with Slipstream Sports making their presence felt with a smart Argyle design.

Paired with black shorts it’s a winning combination, just like Johnny Vaughters and co hope will be the case behind the scenes after struggling for success last season.

RCUK rating: 5/5

1) Katusha

Katusha have ditched last year’s white jersey for something much more aesthetically pleasing – we’re big fans of the red kit, which has a large ‘ю’ logo on the front and back. There will be no missing these boys in the peloton.

Katusha have gone back to an all-red kit for 2016… and we like it!

Despite that prominent logo, it’s a stylish kit and a huge improvement on last year’s design, which came in at a lowly 14th in our 2015 rankings.

We reckon it was going to take something special to beat Cannondale to the number one spot, but we think Katusha have delivered.

RCUK rating: 5/5

Share

Newsletter Terms & Conditions

Please enter your email so we can keep you updated with news, features and the latest offers. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. We will never sell your data and you'll only get messages from us and our partners whose products and services we think you'll enjoy.

Read our full Privacy Policy as well as Terms & Conditions.

production