Hands down, the most fugly pro cycling kit for 2010 has to belong to to Footon-Servetto. In fact, the only thing possibly less attractive than the team’s kit might be its website. No matter how fit or handsome the team’s riders, the kit’s predominantly khaki hue in Lycra is enough to make fashion critic Richard Blackwell roll over in his grave. The faux brown belt is just wrong. When I think of khaki and belts, I think of one thing only: chinos. You know, flat front. Cotton. Non-form fitting. Cuffs optional if you’re going to pleat and press them with light starch. But cycling bibs? All black, thank you, very much. Dark blue if carrying a white sans serif Moots logo.
Footon-Servetto’s khaki kit may have been inspired by last year’s brown bibs of AG2R La Mondiale? No offense, brand manager for Footon, but in the U.S. it would appear you’re a competitor of Dr. Scholl. And even the aging Dr. School moved away from flesh tones years ago. Today’s he’s gellin’ in a bold blue primary color, accompanied by the can’t-miss bright yellow of Le Tour.
In the world of professional cycling, team kits (after the personalities of riders inside them) are everything. It’s why sponsors pony up cash to sponsor. For them, the peloton is a rolling advertisement that just so happens to occur during bike races. Quick Step gets its product message in front Belgians in April before home improvement season commences. Positioning the brand is key, and preferably across the finish line first in a Spring Classic or on the top step of a Grand Tour podium. Brand new U.K-based TeamSky won two stages at the Tour Down Under in subtle kit colors similar to those I’ve been known to wear.
In the U.S., Garmin Transitions has established the Argyle Club. HTC Columbia gave us instant six-pack abs. RadioShack’s recent entry as lead sponsor for another high-profile squad raised more eyebrows than it inspired brand love. The unveiling of the team’s first prototype kit only served to fuel additional skepticism.
But things can change. Just a single stage race into the 2010 season, some early detractors report that they are growing to “like” the Team RadioShack kit, which was updated slightly. “Designed for television,” the television commentators reported a few days ago. Aren’t all team kits? I suppose it helps when a 7-time Tour de France winner is wearing yours, regardless of brand. But even the mighty Lance Armstrong would not look quite the same dressed as these riders. What do you think? And if you were running the show, what would you do? Keep the khaki? Or change now before the season is too far along? I touched on my all-time favorite pro kits last month here.
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I agree, FUGLY! But I think at this point you keep what you have but maybe introduce a special edition used for other races. Then again they certainly do stand out from the rest of the peloton but every time the camera pans you think you’ve spotted a naked rider, bleh!
They need to get a bunch more black in that kit, though it might be beyond saving. Perhaps they could go to fleshy tank tops and black shorts for a circus strongman look, or ditch the shorts altogether and replace them with a cycling loin cloth, a al Tarzan.
You have to ask yourself though, does this kit, ugly as it is, in fact achieve its purpose by getting everyone talking about Footon-Servetto, that is to say, isn’t the bad publicity good?
Robot, you’re right about creating a memory, no matter how fugly. The team is even one of half a dozen featured in a jumbo print ad (inside cover current Velo News) about the wonders of the SRAM Red road group. Whoop, there it is. In living color, the flesh-tone jersey right along side Team RadioShack, Saxo Bank, Astana and others. What’s that PR/marketing adage? All publicity is good publicity?
I am especially fond of the sound effects on their website. A nice touch of class.