Alongside the big news this week that Jonas Vingegaard and Wout van Aert have been ruled fit enough to start the Tour de France, Visma-Lease a Bike released their new switch-out kit for the race. And it's... interesting.
Take a quick look at the picture. Now ready yourself for a pun. More like Visma Fleur-de-lis a Bike, am I right?
The pattern, a far cry from the usual yellow hue, combines a blue and gold floral mélange. It's a traditional moquette, and, as Twitter users pointed out, a worthy interior for any regional bus route.
Of course, deep down, the design has significance. According to a team press release, it "pays homage to the Renaissance" and "reflects the team's mission to push boundaries and strive for improvement every day".
This year's Tour de France starts in the Italian city of Florence, home of the great painters, and a focal point of the artistic Renaissance that spanned the 15th and 16th centuries. Crucially, though, Florence's emblem is an iris, which is apparently an easy plant to copy and paste all over a new jersey.
Visma-Lease a Bike's CEO, Richard Plugge, had some lyrical words to say about the new design. "With this beautiful cycling jersey, we not only honour this historic period and beautiful city and region, but it also symbolises our dedication to innovation and renewal," he said. "This commitment extends both within our team and in our collaboration with partners."
Indeed, it didn't take long before the new jersey became a commercial venture. On the team's website, right now, you can buy a host of new products in the pattern, including the full kit, a poster of Van Aert wearing the full kit, a mug, a keyring, and a beach towel. It's a plethora of gift shop indulgence, just as Michelangelo would have wanted.
Elsewhere on social media, Magnus Cort climbs into a suitcase, Urška Žigart sings karaoke and Chris Froome calls for an Oscar.
1. The jersey will look just as good with two-year-old chewing gum matted into it
this is my renaissance pic.twitter.com/BtzHXbcOggJune 20, 2024
2. It's from the same designers who brought you 1970s wallpaper and your grandma's living room curtains
New Visma-Lease-a-bike-kit confirmed: pic.twitter.com/ihqmFGsudcJune 20, 2024
3. Visma-Lease a Bike also changed their bike colours, this time in homage to Intermarché-Wanty
Inspired by CUBE 😇 Glad you love our bikes @vismaleaseabike https://t.co/FtY5rLt25z pic.twitter.com/GJ3iGEkaQmJune 21, 2024
4. Don't forget to turn up two hours before your flight to check-in your Magnus Cort
5. Another hungry mouth for the press room buffet?
The TdS & @AdamYates7 made a deal yesterday about bringing his Dog Zoe to the pressconference:@PrimeoEnergie @TeamEmiratesUAE pic.twitter.com/gYev7atpp7June 15, 2024
6. Demi Vollering's dog Flo prefers the podium to the press room
7. 'Tonight, Matthew, I'm going to be Natasha Bedingfield...'
Cool down karaoke in the rain ft. @urskazigart ☔️🎤😆 pic.twitter.com/lOAiXUAwoQJune 17, 2024
8. Football's coming home, and on a bicycle too
9. There's a career in acting waiting for Chris Froome after professional cycling, as long as the only characters he has to play are bike riders
4 yellow jerseys, 2 Olympic medals, and surely an Oscar is on the cards after this performance, right? 🤣 https://t.co/jJNZJGSbNX pic.twitter.com/1u83oCVmRbJune 20, 2024
10. Fair play to Anna Henderson. I struggle to land a high five in day-to-day life, let alone after a max-effort time trial
11. Wattbikes are out, Scalectrix is in
12. Perhaps Visma-Lease a Bike should have asked Felicity Wilson-Haffenden to design their jersey?
We have an artist in the Team 🤩Look at these amazing @lidl shoes customized by our own Felicity Wilson-Haffenden 👏 pic.twitter.com/JWW9sDMdBjJune 18, 2024
13. And the winner of the classification for the best pond animal is...
quack pic.twitter.com/kB9clYUc67June 16, 2024
14. Finally, here's Cat Ferguson with the save of the week
