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Sir Bradley Wiggins to attempt Hour in London in June as he and Rapha launch partnership

Cycle clothing firm will supply Team Wiggins, range to be expanded over next three years

Sir Bradley Wiggins will ride the UCI Hour record in London in June. The venue was announced in a press release from Rapha  revealing details of a global joint venture that will initially see the London-based cycling clothing firm supply the kit for the team being launched by the four-time Olympic champion.

Since 2013, Rapha has supplied Team Sky’s kit, and the 2012 Tour de France winner will ride his final race for them at Paris-Roubaix in April before joining Team Wiggins as he begins his preparations for Rio 2016 where he is aiming to ride the team pursuit.

While the team’s roster is exclusively British, according to a press release from Rapha, both parties “share a desire to transform the sport globally by engaging and inspiring more young riders and searching for the next generation of racers around the world.”

The company adds that over the next three years, it will be expanded into a wider clothing rangeand that the kit will be on sale to the public ahead of Wiggins’ planned attempt on the UCI Hour record this summer. More information is available on the Rapha website.

“I’ve got to know the Rapha team well over the last few years at Team Sky; they’re serious about design and they love cycling almost as much as I do,” said Wiggins.

“I want a range of kit that looks great but is also functionally practical for today’s cyclist in all their different shapes and sizes, and I know Simon and the team at Rapha will do the business.”

Simon Mottram, founder and chief executive of Rapha, said: “Sir Bradley Wiggins is one of the very few cyclists who transcend the sport.

“He combines world-leading performances on the road and track with a love of the culture and history of cycling and the charisma to inspire cyclists, fans and the general public.

“It’s flattering and extremely exciting to be working with him.”

There's an explanation about the background to the kit on the Rapha website.

Using the rich heritage of British cycling, and taking inspiration from Sir Bradley’s global ambitions for the sport, Rapha is proud to have designed the WIGGINS identity and the kit that the WIGGINS team will wear in competition.

Taking design inspiration from road racers like Tom Simpson and Robert Millar, and also other British cultural icons Bobby Moore and The Who, both logo and jersey represent the style, heritage and dynamism of the British pioneer.

As a number of people have pointed out on social media, including Justin Belcher in a comment on road.cc's Facebook page, the kit also has a strong similarity to the one sported by Great Britain during the 1980s.
 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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55 comments

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sjb2332 | 9 years ago
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Christ i'm ashamed to read some of these comments....

it's quite clear that whatever venue / brand he picked he would have got 'pelters' from the cycling community which is ridiculous...

the guys trying to make history, let's get behind him rather than give him a kicking - I'm also a Chelsea fan and I tought the chelsea forums were the preserve of the sad and bitter keyboard warriors but clearly not

if you don't like Rapha, don't buy it but please no more tantrums

Good Luck BW

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farrell replied to sjb2332 | 9 years ago
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sjb2332 wrote:

Christ i'm ashamed to read some of these comments....

Which ones in particular? I'm intrigued.

sjb2332 wrote:

it's quite clear that whatever venue / brand he picked he would have got 'pelters' from the cycling community which is ridiculous...

Pelters? What an awful word.

sjb2332 wrote:

the guys trying to make history, let's get behind him rather than give him a kicking

Who is 'giving him a kicking'?

sjb2332 wrote:

if you don't like Rapha, don't buy it but please no more tantrums

Who has had a tantrum?

Am I gettign it wrong or missing some of the comments here or are people just reading what they want to read?

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ianphillips1966 | 9 years ago
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Herne Hill in the rain Ah yes or at the concrete tracks of Welwyn Garden City or Harlow ! Are they still there ? Or have they gone the way of Paddington et al ? Still have the scars of many a fall on those unforgiving swines .

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pwake replied to ianphillips1966 | 9 years ago
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ianphillips1966 wrote:

Herne Hill in the rain Ah yes or at the concrete tracks of Welwyn Garden City or Harlow ! Are they still there ? Or have they gone the way of Paddington et al ? Still have the scars of many a fall on those unforgiving swines .

Showing your age there, in more ways than one. Harlow was that rare beast, an outdoor wooden track (although I think it was wooden boards over banked concrete). It was only about 200m round and, at the time, I think it was the steepest track in Europe; bit like riding the Wall of Death!

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Flying Scot | 9 years ago
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He should do it on grass, at the Highland games, in a vest, like a real man, you know that bloke on the porridge box.

That's how chris hoy would do it. (Possibly)

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crikey | 9 years ago
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I'm basically rambling along; this is the digital equivalent of talking to myself  3

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crikey | 9 years ago
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...and anyone in the UK who has followed cycling from a time when UK riders were not so prominent will understand that traditional cycling fans didn't choose riders to admire based on nationality. This is a peculiarly British trait and one which exposes the immature nature of cycling fandom here, with echoes of the nationalism that characterises football and other, equally less intellectual pursuits...

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crikey | 9 years ago
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I was speaking in a wider sense about the use of nationality, but notice up the thread:

Quote:

Funny how many people are having a pop at Wiggins, brought up in London, not riding in Manchester ... but were strangely quiet when Sarah Storey, born and raised there (and a huge United fan), chose London too. Just saying

The birthplace of Sir Wiggo is absent...

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fukawitribe replied to crikey | 9 years ago
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crikey wrote:

I was speaking in a wider sense about the use of nationality, but notice up the thread:

Quote:

Funny how many people are having a pop at Wiggins, brought up in London, not riding in Manchester ... but were strangely quiet when Sarah Storey, born and raised there (and a huge United fan), chose London too. Just saying

The birthplace of Sir Wiggo is absent...

Ah, ok, see what you mean. All fairly pointless but that is a wee difference, although sod all to do with nationality (which is, as you say, pretty pointless in itself).

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crikey | 9 years ago
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It is, but is still seized upon by ...new followers... of cycling as an easy hook upon which to hang their colours...

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fukawitribe replied to crikey | 9 years ago
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crikey wrote:

It is, but is still seized upon by ...new followers... of cycling as an easy hook upon which to hang their colours...

So what was the post regarding nationality and where someone was born about then ? Even more confused than I was..

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crikey | 9 years ago
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Hmmm. The whole 'actually born in Belgium' thing often escapes people who like to think of him as the quintessential British champ modfather...

Meh. The hour record has been so rare over the years because it's so bloody boring...

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mrmo replied to crikey | 9 years ago
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crikey wrote:

Hmmm. The whole 'actually born in Belgium' thing often escapes people who like to think of him as the quintessential British champ modfather...

Meh. The hour record has been so rare over the years because it's so bloody boring...

What, like Froome the Kenyan, or Dan Martin the midlander, Nicholas Roche the frenchman, David Millar the Maltese, etc. The whole nationality thing is in some ways an anachronism from another era.

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badback | 9 years ago
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Always thought he was born in Belgium. Wasn't Ghent velodrome free for an hour or two this summer ?

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Beefy | 9 years ago
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I bet he eats butter pies from the bakery in Orrell cheeks southern git, go back to you jelly eels! Local pies for local people  1

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giff77 | 9 years ago
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.

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Simon_MacMichael | 9 years ago
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Funny how many people are having a pop at Wiggins, brought up in London, not riding in Manchester ... but were strangely quiet when Sarah Storey, born and raised there (and a huge United fan), chose London too. Just saying  3

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farrell replied to Simon_MacMichael | 9 years ago
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Simon_MacMichael wrote:

Funny how many people are having a pop at Wiggins, brought up in London, not riding in Manchester ... but were strangely quiet when Sarah Storey, born and raised there (and a huge United fan), chose London too. Just saying  3

I can't speak for anyone else but I wasn't actually having a go at Wiggins but I'm bored of chasing my tail with that one.

As for Sarah Storey's attempt? I just have no real interest in watching it.
She's a fantastic athlete so I wish her all the best, I have nothing against her and I overall I do enjoy women's cycling but I just have nothing but ambivalence at the minute for her attempt. That may change nearer the time but I doubt it.

I was excited for Jens' attempt, I was excited for Jack Bobridge's attempt, couldn't really be bothered with Brandle's, I'll be excited for Wiggins' and Fabian's attempts, I have no explanation for it.

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Some Fella replied to Simon_MacMichael | 9 years ago
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Simon_MacMichael wrote:

Funny how many people are having a pop at Wiggins, brought up in London, not riding in Manchester ... but were strangely quiet when Sarah Storey, born and raised there (and a huge United fan), chose London too. Just saying  3

I for one voiced my disappointment (not anger) at Storey doing it in London via the medium of twitter. I was very polite though because she is lovely. Unlike that nasty cockney wideboy Wiggins with his airs and graces. Coming up here. Stealing our women. Watching our rugby. Drinking our Vimto. Sucking our Uncle Joes Mintballs. And what not.

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fustuarium | 9 years ago
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I hoped for Manchester and Altura. Instead I get London and Rapha.  2

Inspire a new generation? How? Seems to be aimed at the same old same old southern, wealthy, IT working, male, Mamils. Who drink Pims. And shandy.

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fukawitribe replied to fustuarium | 9 years ago
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fustuarium wrote:

I hoped for Manchester and Altura. Instead I get London and Rapha.  2

Inspire a new generation? How? Seems to be aimed at the same old same old southern, wealthy, IT working, male, Mamils. Who drink Pims. And shandy.

Don't be silly - no-one hopes for Altura....

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jollygoodvelo replied to fustuarium | 9 years ago
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fustuarium wrote:

I hoped for Manchester and Altura. Instead I get London and Rapha.  2

Inspire a new generation? How? Seems to be aimed at the same old same old southern, wealthy, IT working, male, Mamils. Who drink Pims. And shandy.

Oi! I resemble that remark. Apart from the Pimms and shandy, obviously; we drink "craft beer" these days.

He couldn't do it at HHV by the way, no roof.

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Leviathan replied to jollygoodvelo | 9 years ago
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Gizmo_ wrote:

He couldn't do it at HHV by the way, no roof.

Is there a Herne Hill Hour record? and who has it? I am definitely HHV positive.

And whats wrong with a nice Pimms? Aldi do a version called Austins. Very drinkable in the summer, have a look for it the next time you are looking for another loominus jacket. Personally I go to Aldi to buy food not cycling clobber. I must be a northern snob.

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fukawitribe replied to Leviathan | 9 years ago
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bikeboy76 wrote:

Personally I go to Aldi to buy food not cycling clobber. I must be a northern snob.

Just got back. Yet to have made it out of the cold meat section unencumbered....

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fustuarium replied to jollygoodvelo | 9 years ago
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lol of course! Now ammended based upon my last trip to London:

I hoped for Manchester and Altura. Instead I get London and Rapha.

Inspire a new generation? How? Seems to be aimed at the same old same old southern, wealthy, IT working, male, Mamils. Who drink craft beer. And drip* coffee.

(*known as 'filter' by the rest of us)

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KirinChris replied to jollygoodvelo | 9 years ago
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Gizmo_ wrote:

He couldn't do it at HHV by the way, no roof.

Why would that stop an hour attempt?

I realise the roof makes a difference and any serious attempt would be indoors - my suggestion of HHV was ironic.

But I'm just interested as to whether there is now a rule. Merckx's record in Mexico was outdoors.

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jollygoodvelo replied to KirinChris | 9 years ago
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abudhabiChris wrote:
Gizmo_ wrote:

He couldn't do it at HHV by the way, no roof.

Why would that stop an hour attempt?

I realise the roof makes a difference and any serious attempt would be indoors - my suggestion of HHV was ironic.

But I'm just interested as to whether there is now a rule. Merckx's record in Mexico was outdoors.

I was pretty sure that the "new" rules state that the Hour must be set on an indoor velodrome. However, Dekker's planning on using Aguascalientes - it has a roof but open walls...

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KirinChris | 9 years ago
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If he really cared about the history of the sport and where he came from he'd do it at Herne Hill Velodrome... in the rain.

If he was lucky they'd let him have a slot on the Good Friday programme, but early in the day before anyone arrives.

Obviously that would all be subject to approval by road.cc commenters, who after all have a far better appreciation and have contributed much more to the sport than that pretentious twat.

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juniper bushes | 9 years ago
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A Rapha article where no one is complaining about prices?

road.cc has changed.  13

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Leviathan replied to juniper bushes | 9 years ago
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juniper bushes wrote:

A Rapha article where no one is complaining about prices?

road.cc has changed.  13

Because the link is broken and no one can tell the jersey costs £230.

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