22 April 2016

Team jerseys and team bikes at the Tour of California

The best bikes and clothing at the Amgen Tour of California

When the speed is so great, a team jersey is the recognizable symbol that lets us know instantly which rider won by an inch over the finish line. When combined in mass, team jerseys create a blur of color symbolic of the pro peloton in movement. Together with the clatter of bikes on rough pavement and the sound of wheels slicing through the air, the colorful jerseys create the atmosphere of professional bike racing.

Inside that blur of color is a dynamic mental struggle and physical fight to stay at the front of the race. From the fan's perspective the jersey, helmet, sunglasses, socks, shoes, and particularly the bike of a professional cyclists gives the impression of a calm, well trained, well equipped, well prepared athlete.

The look is called pro, but being pro requires a legion of support staff and dedicated sponsors and partners. Team jerseys are the symbol of this sport. Team bikes make it all happen in a display of dream machines.

Let's take a look at what you will see as fans out on the road during the upcoming eight stages of the Amgen Tour of California. If you attend a start of any stage, be sure to walk by the team buses and check out the bikes lined up securely outside.

Getting the bikes ready. ©Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer Photography®
Of particular interest to the amateur cyclist's price point (depending on the build) would be the bikes of Team Katusha, Team Giant-Alpecin, Novo-Nordisk, Holowesko-Citadel, Direct Energie, Trek-Segafredo and Rally. If you have no budget (or just want to drool over extravagant bikes) check out the bikes of Team SKY, Tinkoff, BMC, Etixx-Quickstep, United Healthcare, Axeon Hagens Berman, Dimension Data or the magnificent Team Wiggins team bike.

Guess whose bike this is? You will see it at the Tour of California in May. Peter Sagan's bikes. A very colorful Specialized Venge. Photo via tinkoffteam.com

Eighteen men's teams will compete in the 2016 Amgen Tour of California. These are the team jerseys and bikes, listed by: team website, country, jerseys, bikes and some of the equipment used on the bikes. Each team has a large group of equipment, goods and service suppliers (including cars!) which can be found on their team websites. Read more about the WorldTour sponsors: Pro Team Sponsors – What Do They Do? By Inner Ring (descriptions of the products sponsors make).

MEN'S TEAMS

UCI WorldTour Teams

BMC Racing Team (USA) - BMC bikes

BMC team equipment on the bike: BMC, Shimano, fi’zi:k, SRM, Continental.

BMC team BMC Teammachine SLR01 Dura Ace Di2
BMC team BMC Teammachine SLR01 Dura Ace Di2. Photo via bmc-switzerland.com

Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (USA) - Cannondale bikes

Cannondale team equipment on the bike: Cannondale, Shimano, Mavic, Garmin, FSA, Rock Tape, fi’zi:k.

Cannondale team Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi-MOD
Cannondale team Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi-MOD. Photo via www.cannondale.com
Dimension Data (South Africa) - Cervélo bikes

Dimension Data team equipment on the bike: Cervelo, Roto Uno / Shimano, ENVE, Continental, fi’zi:k, Speedplay, Rotor, Lizard Skins.

Etixx – Quick-Step (Belgium) - Specialized bikes

Etixx-Quickstep team equipment on the bike: Specialized, Shimano, HED, Rovel, FSA.

Giant – Alpecin (Germany) - Giant bikes

Giant-Alpecin team equipment on the bike: Giant Liv, Shimano, Vittoria, Pro, Pioneer, Polar.

Katusha (Russia) - Canyon bikes

Katusha team equipment on the bike: Canyon, SRAM, Zipp, Quarq. Katusha swapped from Shimano to SRAM this year, and from Mavic to Zipp wheels this years, they also ride Canyon bikes, all products continuing to grow in tremendous popularity in the United States among amateur cyclists.

LottoNL- Jumbo (Netherlands) - Bianche bikes

LottoNL-Jumbo team equipment on the bike: Bianche bikes, Shimano, FSA, Selle San Marco, Vittoria.

Sky (Great Britain) - Pinarello bikes

SKY team equipment on the bike: Pinarello, Shimano, PRO, Stages, fi’zi:k.

SKY team Pinarello Dogma F8
SKY team Pinarello Dogma F8. Photo via pinarello.com
Tinkoff (Russia) - Specialized bikes

Tinkoff team equipment on the bike: Specialized, Shimano, FSA, Roval, HED, Look, Prologo, SRM.

Trek - Segafredo (USA) - Trek bikes

Trek-Segafredo team equipment on the bike: Trek, Shimano, Bontrager, SRM

Trek-Segafredo team Trek Madone
Trek-Segafredo team Trek Madone. Photo via treksegafredo.com
UCI Professional Continental Teams

Direct Énergie (France) - BH bikes

Direct Énergie team equipment on the bike: BH bikes, Sigma, Shimano, FSA, Vision, Prologo, Hutchinson, Look.

Novo Nordisk (USA) - Orbea bikes

Novo Nordisk team equipment on the bike: Colnago, Maxxis, Selle Italia, Stages, Pioneer. Catlike helmets.

UnitedHealthcare (USA) - Wilier bikes

United Healthcare team equipment on the bike: Wilier, Shimano, Maxxis, Pioneer, Deda, San Marco, Rocktape.

United Healthcare team Wilier Trestina
United Healthcare team Wilier Trestina
UCI Continental Teams

Axeon Hagens Berman (USA) - Specialized bikes
The Directeur Sportif for the team is Jonkheer ("The Honourable") Axel Merckx, son of Eddy Merckx who has been made a baron in Belgium.

Axeon-Hagens Berman team equipment on the bike: Specialized, SRAM, Quarq, Zipp, Speedplay.

Axeon-Hagens Berman team Specialized Tarmac
Axeon-Hagens Berman team Specialized Tarmac.  Photo via 2016.axeoncycling.com
Holowesko – Citadel Racing Team (USA) - felt bikes

Holowesko - Citadel team equipment on the bike: Felt, Shimano, Mavic, Michelin, Pro, Prologo.

Holowesko - Citadel team Felt bikes
Holowesko - Citadel team Felt bikes. Photo via twitter.com/TeamHincapie/
Jelly Belly – Maxxis (USA) - Argon bikes

Jelly Belly-Maxxis team equipment on the bike: Argon, Maxxis, FSA, Prologo, Speedplay, Tocktape, Cateye and Jelly Beans.

Jelly Belly-Maxxis Argon 18
Jelly Belly-Maxxis Argon 18.  Photo via @JellyBellyTeam
Rally Cycling (USA) - Diamond Back bikes

Rally Cycling team equipment on the bike: Diamond Back, SRAM, Mavic, HED, Kenda, Speedplay.

Team Wiggins (Great Britain) - Pinarello bikes (Wikipedia)

Team Wiggins team equipment on the bike: Pinarello, SRAM, Zipp, fi’zi:k

Oh, and wait until you see the team cars and buses at Tour of California!

One of my favorite sponsor combos:
UCI WorldTour
BMC Racing Team (USA) - BMC bikes, Shimano
Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (USA) - Cannondale bikes, Shimano
Dimension Data (South Africa) - Cervélo bikes, Roto Uno / Shimano
Etixx – Quick-Step (Belgium) - Specialized bikes, Shimano
Giant – Alpecin (Germany) - Giant bikes, Shimano
Katusha (Russia) - Canyon bikes, SRAM
LottoNL – Jumbo (Netherlands) - Bianche bikes, Shimano
Sky (Great Britain) - Pinarello bikes, Shimano
Tinkoff (Russia) - Specialized bikes, Shimano
Trek – Segafredo (USA) - Trek bikes, Shimano

UCI Professional Continental
Direct Énergie (France) - BH bikes, Shimano / FSA
Novo Nordisk (USA) - Colnago bikes
UnitedHealthcare (USA) - Wilier bikes, Shimano

UCI Continental
Axeon Hagens Berman (USA) - Specialized bikes, SRAM
Holowesko – Citadel Racing Team (USA) - Felt bikes, Shimano
Jelly Belly – Maxxis (USA) - Argon bikes
Rally Cycling (USA) - Diamond Back bikes, SRAM
Team Wiggins (Great Britain) - Pinarello bikes, SRAM 

Bikes lined up before the stage at ATOC in 2015. ©Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer Photography®
More Pedal Dancer® race coverage 2016:
Coming soon: Startlist and bib number Amgen Tour of California 2016;  National and World Championship jerseys at the Tour of California; and stories from the race.