AG2R's kit supplier Rosti has created real denim shorts for the team to wear at Strade Bianche
A close up of the denim shorts worn by an AG2R Citroën rider(Image credit: Pauline Ballet)
Strade Bianche is a unique race that has quickly gained a cult following amongst cycling fans. The world will be watching on Saturday as the peloton races across iconic Tuscan roads once again.
Members of Team AG2R Citroën, including Greg Van Avamaet, have been spotted training on the white gravel roads and they appear to have made something of a kit change.
At first, it may appear the team's cycling shorts are just a little dusty as is common from racing across the legendary white strade. Upon closer inspection, though, it becomes clear the team are wearing denim cycling shorts from Italian cycling clothing partner Rosti, who has produced the special shorts for the occasion.
Cycling Weekly reported on Rosti launching some real denim (yes you read that right) cycling shorts late last year at Rouleur live and it seems the team have decided the time is right for the shorts to break cover. In a move which brings back memories of the Carrera team and their denim effect shorts of the late '80s and worn by Marco Pantani.
We know gravel bib shorts now often feature cargo pockets on the thighs, but it's difficult to tell from the pictures whether the new shorts' denim thigh pocket is merely stitched on or in fact the real deal.
The team recon the Tuscan roads ahead of the weekend in the new shorts (Image credit: Pauline Ballet)
The digital ink has only just dried on our WorldTour teams kit guide where we ranked all of the men's and women's team kits for this year. This year we also went a step further and got tech writer Will Jones's mother to pass judgement on each team's stylistic choices. She had the following to say on the team's usually brown bib shorts.
Will's Mum says: I'm a big fan of brown. Also, nobody else has brown and they've been consistent and you can see exactly who the sponsors; classy.
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Will the team be storing gels in the denim quad pocket in case they miss a musette on Saturday? (Image credit: Pauline Ballet)
Naturally, we went straight back to the authority on the subject, for an opinion on the updated shorts.
Will's Mum says: Oh dear God! Oh, that's quite offputting. Oh no. Why would you put the pockets on the side? If they were jeans they'd go on the back? Unpleasant.
The WorldTour bubble can be a very serious one at times. We say it's nice to see a team mixing it up and having some fun with their cycling kit.
If you plan to tune in to the race on Saturday to see the team wear the shorts in range our how-to watch Strade Bianche page will help you follow the action.
Tom joined the Cyclingnews team in late 2022 as a tech writer. Despite having a degree in English Literature he has spent his entire working life in the cycling industry in one form or another. He has over 10 years of experience as a qualified mechanic, with the last five years before joining Cyclingnews being spent running an independent workshop. This means he is just as happy tinkering away in the garage as he is out on the road bike, and he isn’t afraid to pull a bike apart or get hands-on with it when testing to really see what it’s made of.
He has ridden and raced bikes from an early age up to a national level on the road and track, and has ridden and competed in most disciplines. He has a keen eye for pro-team tech and enjoys spotting new or interesting components in the wild. During his time at Cyclingnews, Tom has already interviewed some of the sport's biggest names including Mathieu van der Poel, Tadej Pogačar and Alberto Contador. He's also covered various launches from brands such as Pinarello, Ridley, Specialized and more, tackled the Roubaix Challenge sportive aboard his own rim-brake Cannondale SuperSix Evo, tested over 20 aero helmets in the wind tunnel, and has created helpful in-depth buying advice relating to countless categories from torque wrenches to winter clothing.
