Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl saddles up with Castelli for 2022 kits
Belgian team of Julian Alaphilippe, Fabio Jakobsen, Mark Cavendish partners Italian clothing supplier through 2024.
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New year, new name, new clothing supplier for Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl.
The team of Julian Alaphilippe, Fabio Jakobsen, Mark Cavendish and Co. launched its new-look Castelli-designed race kits for 2022 on Saturday.
The customary deep blue remains, but white comes back after it dominated the 2020 design.
Title backers Quick-Step Floors and its Alpha Vinyl brand take center stage on the chest. The logos of Napolean Sports and Casino and Safety Jogger Shoes sub-sponsors get more space than before, with prominent graphics on the arms and shoulders.
2022 marks the first year the team has partnered Italian brand Castelli after it previously used Vermarc. Castelli had formerly supplied kits to Ineos Grenadiers before the British crew switched to BioRacer.
Castelli will now supply Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl through 2024.
“We have long admired the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team’s meticulous approach to pushing the technological limits of the equipment, the same approach we take with clothing,” said Luca Martines, Castelli brand manager. “We’ve shown that clothing can provide a significant performance advantage, and we will continue the research and development alongside Quick-Step in the coming years.”
Team manager Patrick Lefevere said that Castelli’s commitment to “performance-enhancing innovations” made the deal a no-brainer.
“At Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl we have always been looking to innovate and find new ways of thinking to help us improve, so we are delighted that we can build a partnership with Castelli,” Lefevere said. “Like us, they have a long and rich history in cycling, and yet are still pushing to be the best, constantly evolving and looking for new ways to improve their clothing and to stay at the top of their game.”
Castelli also plans to trickle down any new products created for Quick-Step into the mass market.