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The new Australian national team kit was unveiled at a special event staged in Hong Kong to coincide with the 2017 UCI Track Cycling World Championships.
Designed and produced by Santini Cycling Wear, the kit was worn for the first time by the Australian track cyclists during the presentation organised by the Italian brand and Cycling Australia. The time trial, road and track skin suits designed and made for the team were also premiered at the same event.
Santini Cycling Wear has been supporting the Australian national cycling team since 2001, the year the brand also became the exclusive partner of the Australian cycling association Cycling Australia, and became official technical clothing supplier to the team.
“It’s been a shared journey that is enriched every year by new ideas to help us develop innovative top-of-the-range products created exclusively for the elite Australian athletes,” commented Santini Cycling Wear marketing manager Paola Santini. "High-performance products that meet the team’s needs, just like the garments we are presenting today”.
“As one of Cycling Australia’s longest partners, Santini always provided the team with the highest quality clothing; it has lead the industry with its cutting edge fabrics and designs. We’ve always found that its range meets and exceed the team’s needs and help provide us with a winning edge,” said Cycling Australia CEO Nicholas Green OAM.
The kit was designed by Santini Cycling Wear’s chief designer Fergus Niland, who created a look that mirrors the team’s existing visual identity but also brings some new details to the mix.
The word AUSTRALIA is emblazoned on the right breast above the triple stripe with the first three letters (AUS) in darker black for emphasis. The seven-pointed Commonwealth star that appears on the Australian flag also features prominently on the jersey. The left-hand sleeve sports one star, while three smaller stars decorate the nape. The team’s black bib shorts also feature the triple green-yellow-green stripe and the word AUSTRALIA split over three lines on the left thigh.
From a technical perspective, the is made from the same fabrics as the Giro d’Italia’s Pink Jersey. The front, collar, sides and back pockets are in breathable Rudy fabric, whilst the back sections and sleeves are constructed from Bodyfit – which guarantees an improved fit. The sleeves are also raw cut to further improve comfort and the long zipper is almost invisible. The jersey also has a stand-up collar, while elastic around the bottom hem holds it firmly in place, preventing it riding up.
The bibshorts are made from New Monica, an innovative fabric which hugs the skin without feeling tight or restricting movement. The bib shorts are raw cut with seams reduced to a minimum. There is also no elastic at the end of the legs to feel tight or uncomfortable.
The braces are made from a light elastic material that stretches as the body moves called Stripes. The NAT chamois has an ice-effect NEXT gel core to keep the rider cool while raised cylinders on the upper section of the gel core also have a micromassaging action to boost circulation.
The kit aside, Santini Cycling Wear also supplies a range of other apparel to the Australian team including Time Trial, road and track skinsuits as well as specific accessories such as special aerodynamic socks.
