Showcasing the jerseys at the team presentation on Thursday in the centre of the Belgian capital saw special-edition jerseys from Bora-Hansgrohe, Trek-Segafredo – who have both opted for a predominantly white design – and Lotto Soudal, who now have Soudal as their lead title sponsor on their jerseys, which will remain the case for the rest of the season at races outside Belgium.
UAE Team Emirates have also taken the brave decision to wear white shorts for the entirety of the race.
Click through the gallery above for a look at the new jerseys and team kits at the 2019 Tour de France.
Rudy Project extend with Bahrain-Merida
Rudy Project have extended with Bahrain-Merida through to 2023 as the team’s official helmet and eyewear partner. The long-term extension follows the announcements of McLaren joining the squad as a sponsor and Rod Ellingworth taking over as team manager.
Rudy Project were one of the first partners to commit to the team during their inception ahead of the 2017 season.
In a press release from Rudy Project, Cristiano Barbazza said: “Rudy Project is proud that Team Bahrain-Merida has become one of the key players in the elite WorldTour and now we’re greatly enthused that McLaren has joined this long-term project.
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“Rudy Project shares with McLaren a commitment to excellence. Both of our brands have a constant focus in developing products, technologies and innovations that can elevate performance in sports. This partnership opens the way for exciting future collaborations.”
Pro launch updated Stealth saddle for Tour de France
Shimano’s finishing components company Pro have announced an update to their range-topping Stealth saddle. Pro say the saddle weighs 15 per cent less than the current iteration and, through a new design, also has better stiffness and compliance. Team Sunweb’s Michael Matthews, who won the green jersey at the race two years ago, will race with the new saddle at the Tour de France Grand Départ on Saturday.
The one-piece carbon design offers an improved and smooth aesthetic for the saddle with the rails joining the shell seamlessly, while the wider shape is retained from the outgoing model.
Pro say that by constructing the saddle by using a carbon weave instead of injection moulding results in the stiffness and compliance improvements to contribute to greater power transfer. The new Pro Stealth has a claimed weight of 145g.
The padding and cover have also been redesigned to contribute to the improvements, say Pro, with the polyurethane cover offering less friction and rubbing.
In a press release from Pro, Michael Matthews said: “I’ve been racing with the original Stealth saddle since its introduction so the weight drop of the new version is a significant advantage.
“I love the new super-stealth graphics, and the way the rails flow into the saddle is a real work-of-art. Also, I’ve found it just as comfortable as the previous version so I’ve got a good stable base for great power transfer. Just the ticket for the world’s biggest bike race.”
Cube launch new Litening C:68X for Wanty-Gobert at Tour de France
Bavarian bike brand Cube have launched a completely updated, range-topping bike ahead of the Tour de France, which will be used by Belgian Pro Continental team Wanty-Gobert at this year’s race.
Cube say the bike has a drag reduction of 30 per cent versus the previous C:68, with the frame weighing a claimed 980g in an unspecified size.
100 hours of wind tunnel testing were used during the development of the bike, which – like most modern range-topping framesets – includes frame, fork, cockpit system and seat post.
The disc-only frameset has claimed tyre clearances of 28mm and features internal cable routing.
Cube Litening C:68X pricing: from £3,999 (international pricing not yet available).
