When it came to sourcing ideas for this year’s Tour de France jersey, team Jumbo-Visma looked to some of their country's most iconic artists for inspiration.
The result is a limited-edition team kit featuring details from paintings by the titans of Dutch art, namely Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gogh.
To create the eye-catching design that will be worn by the likes of Primož Roglič, Wout van Aert and Marianne Vos during both the men’s race and the Tour de France Femmes, Jumbo Visma and kit supplier AGU relied on modern technology to delve deep into the past. Using Artificial Intelligence, an algorithm analysed fifty paintings by the three Dutch Masters, highlighting recognisable sections to help form an overall abstract pattern.
(Image credit: Jumbo-Visma)
Jumbo-Visma’s regular team kit, made up predominantly of yellow and black, has been deemed by the UCI to be a tad too yellow for the Tour de France. To avoid clashing with the race’s maillot jaune, the team is required to change its design for the three weeks, as it did in 2021.
“Last year, we released our first special edition Tour de France jersey with AGU,” says Richard Plugge, general manager Team Jumbo-Visma. “We enabled our fans to be a part of our journey by adding their name to our official jersey. That gave us the inspiration to take it a step further this year. It is exciting to see that we were able to develop a jersey inspired by three Dutch Masters through innovation. It is the perfect example of our heritage and our future goals.”
Pre-order now, our Tour de France limited edition: The Masterpiece. 👨🎨Available only between April 14 - April 25. Order here -> https://t.co/yYdkMp7zHS #TheMasterpiece pic.twitter.com/MZyZM3Cc6MApril 14, 2022
No doubt the team will hope that by celebrating their Dutch heritage they’ll also be able to create some unforgettable images of their own. They’ll head into the 109th edition of the race with high expectations, with Roglič a realistic contender for the general classification. Last year's runner-up Jonas Vingegaard will also hope to figure in the mix, no doubt inspired by the Grand Départ taking place in his native Denmark. Meanwhile in the women’s race Vos will aim to add the Tour de France Femmes to her incredible palmarès.
The Masterpiece jersey, as well as the bib shorts, socks and race cap, are available to buy between April 14-25. Like last year, fans will also have the option to add their name and number to the jersey.
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Luke Friend has worked as a writer, editor and copywriter for twenty five years. Across books, magazines and websites, he's covered a broad range of topics for a range of clients including Major League Baseball, the National Trust and the NHS. He has an MA in Professional Writing from Falmouth University and is a qualified bicycle mechanic. He has been a cycling enthusiast from an early age, partly due to watching the Tour de France on TV. He's a keen follower of bike racing to this day as well as a regular road and gravel rider.
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