Sidi unveils custom shoe for Nibali and Bahrain-Merida

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When Vincenzo Nibali and his Bahrain-Merida teammates begin their 2017 seasons at the Vuelta a San Juan in Argentina later this month, they'll have custom Sidi shoes to toe the start line.

The Italian shoemaker unveiled the team's custom "Shots" during Sunday's team presentation at Prince Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa's royal palace in Bahrain. The exclusively designed shoe features the team colours of red and white, which, according to a statement from Sidi, "represents the Bahrain national flag; there is also blue, which represents the island nation nestled between two seas, and of course, there had to be some golden finishes to recall the culture and tradition of the Bahrain Kingdom’s royal household."

As a team sponsor, Sidi's logo will also appear on the team's shoe covers, socks and jerseys.

"We are very happy to rejoin Vincenzo Nibali," said Dino Signori owner and founder of Sidi since 1960. "He even came to pay us a visit at company headquarters to work out some details on his new Shot shoes. When 'The Shark' donned his first maglia rosa in 2010, he was wearing Sidi on his feet. Since then he has scored two successes at the Giro, one at the Tour and one in the Vuelta, and I am sure that this portfolio will only expand further."

The team had its first two camps in Croatia - an informal gathering in late October a more serious training-oriented affair last month. But this week many of the riders travelled for the first time to the state they'll be representing over the coming season.