The UCI allows teams one kit switch-out per season. For some teams, like Jumbo-Visma, this is a right reserved for the Tour de France Femmes, where the riders' yellow jerseys would obviously detract from the famous maillot jaune. The same situation arises for EF Education at the Giro d'Italia.
For other teams, it can be down to a new sponsor arrangement, which often tends to occur at the Tour de France as this is the biggest stage. Finally, for others, it's simply a chance to make a splash and line up against the best riders in the world with some fresh kit.
Back at the start of the season, I took you through all the World Tour kits for the season, ably assisted by my mother, who passed extremely critical comments on most of them. As such it only seems right that I outline the five switch-out kits for the Tour de France Femmes, for Canyon-Sram, UAE Team ADQ, Fenix-Deceuninck, Uno-X, and Jumbo-Visma.
Despite being midway through a bike tour I did approach my mum for comment, along with her friend Jenny.
Canyon-SRAM
The original team kit was my favourite of all of the 2023 kits, despite being identical to the 2022 kit. For the Tour de France Femmes however it's been parked in favour of a full package of jersey, shorts, bike, helmets, and bottles clearly inspired by the 'avec Zwift' part of the race's oft-truncated name.
I like it a lot, but that's perhaps because it puts me in mind of Fruit Salad penny chews from the corner shop. Whatever it is it's bold, bright, and easy to spot without being overdone: Top marks from me. Also, the paintwork on the teams Canyon bikes is really very good indeed.
For once my mum and I (and her mate Jenny) agree: "We like this one! It's a peach melba of colours and very classy shorts. Jenny and I would be delighted to wear this."
Fenix-Deceuninck becomes Fenix-Elegant
The original Fenix-Deceuninck jersey came in near the bottom of our overall rankings, and to be frank not much has changed for this kit beyond the sponsor name, and my mother's opinion of it. Deceuninck is a windows company, with 'Elegant' being its flagship product range (absolutely textbook cycling sponsorship here), highlighted for the Tour.
The Jersey is more or less unchanged, but now my mum says she likes it: "That's lovely! Great arm detailing and back pockets. Lives up to the name."
I'm still holding on for a Belgian superteam entirely sponsored by building supplies though... Soudal-Deceuninck-QuickStep would have adhesives, windows, and flooring covered.
UAE Team ADQ
No new sponsors here, just a chance of visuals for the jersey that came 4th in our overall rankings, and that mum thought 'looked cheap'. The new jersey ditches the orange and blue fade in favour of a predominantly white jersey, with patchwork sleeves covered in women's faces and silhouettes in team colours. This was apparently lost on my mother, and her friend Jenny...
"Mishmash of sponsors and the sleeves look like a toddler's wooden puzzle, but nice to see happy colours. Not a fan of lilac, but this is a positive from us."
I'd hate to see a negative, in that case.
Jumbo-Visma and Uno-X make necessary changes
As teams with identically outfitted men's and women's squads, and both predominantly yellow kits for the majority of the season, it's no great shock to see the Jumbo-Visma and Uno-X women's squads adopting the same kit swaps as we've seen in the men's Tour de France.
Personally, I'm not a great fan of the Jumbo kit; it's a bit busy and a bit... muddy for my tastes, for want of a better word. The Uno-X kit however is ace in its standard guise, and I think I prefer it even more in the red. I didn't get anything from Mum on these though, as I suspect she had fallen asleep.
FDJ Suez become a basketball team?
In a bold move that sees the team replace aero gains with swag and vibes, FDJ Suez appear to be set to race in basketball vests. This is most unorthodox, and could well be my deliberate misrepresentation of an Instagram post. Do your own research.
