EF Pro Cycling unveil new Rapha and Palace Skateboards kit for Giro d'Italia

EF Pro Cycling have revealed their new kit specifically for the 2020 Giro d'Italia, a striking collaboration between Rapha and Palace Skateboards, showing it off for the first time at Thursday's team presentation.

To avoid a clash with the Giro's pink leader's jersey, the American team have made a one-time switch for the race. Their clothing provider, Rapha, has taken the opportunity to collaborate with British shop and clothing brand Palace Skateboards to design a new kit. British brand Rapha took over kit supply to the team in 2019, having formerly worked with Team Sky, and have already created a distinctive pink theme for the EF team.

Rapha said it collaborated with Palace because of its lack of involvement in cycling and knowledge of its traditions, hoping to make "a team kit quite unlike any other seen in the peloton so far."

Not only will the team's outfits feature the radical new design, but the team's helmet and glasses made by Swedish brand Poc will also receive a facelift. The riders' bikes will also have an aesthetic overhaul, with the Cannondale SuperSix Evo, SystemSix, and Slice bikes featuring a new all-white Palace-inspired design alongside the Rapha/Palace kit collaboration.

The distinctive kit will be available to buy in limited numbers through Rapha, with the Pro Team Aero Jersey, Pro Team Bib Shorts II, Pro Team Training Jersey, the women’s version of the Pro Team Bib Shorts and Pro Team Aero Jersey available along with special edition socks, caps, and musettes.

As well as the on-bike kit, you'll also be able to grab some special edition casual wear from Palace, again available in limited numbers. The off-bike range includes a T-shirt, long sleeve T-shirt, cap, hoodie, Oxford shirt, and Palace Gore-Tex Jacket.

It's far from the first time a team have changed their kit for a Grand Tour; Jumbo-Visma have often changed their kit at the Tour de France to avoid clashes with the yellow jersey, while teams like Bora-Hansgrohe, Sunweb, and Team Sky/Ineos have ridden in special edition kits for Grand Tours.

EF head into the Giro on the hunt for stage wins without an outright GC contender. Their eight-man squad contains a strong climbing line-up including the likes of Simon Clarke, Tanel Kangert, and Jonathan Caicedo, while American Sean Bennett will be their man for the flat sprint days.

The Giro d'Italia 2020 starts on Saturday (October 3) in Monreale, Sicily, and ends in Milan on Sunday October 25.

For more information on the Rapha/Palace range click here.