Joerg Teuchert
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The Tour de France is due to start next week and Rapha, EF Education and Cannondale are celebrating in another style collaboration with Palace Skateboards. But this year, with the launch of the 8-day Women’s Tour de France (and the biggest prize in women’s cycling), men and women will ride Rapha X Palace Tour de Force Switch Kit and bespoke painted racing bikes. Cannondale featuring the female gender symbol in playful graphics.
And in addition to the Rapha Replica Kit, you can also pick up a Rapha + Palace TdF Cannondale SuperSix!
Personalized Tour de France Rapha+Palace, Women & Strength!
vs. Rapha
For the first time in 33 years, women’s professional cycling will have its own stage race with the 8 stages Women’s Tour de France which takes on the iconic Champs-Élysée the day after the men’s final, then finally treks 1029km east of Paris into the mountains to culminate in a summit finish at La Planche des Belles Filles on the last day of July.
To underline the importance for women to get a real French stage race, the EF men will start 3 weeks earlier from July 1st with the same kit as the women and the same bespoke painted bikes, with a Rapha design + Palace Skateboard featuring a prominent female gender symbol and a group of playful little yellow dragons.
Rapha+Palace Skateboards EF Education Tour Kit
In addition to the flashy bikes, Rapha will soon be offering the riders custom kit. Women can get the Pro Team Aero jersey and Pro Team II bib shorts in the Rapha+Palace EF Education-Tibco-SVB pink, blue and full dragon yellow design, or a more discreet gray Pro Team Training jersey.
Men have the same choice in the Pro Team Aero jersey and Pro Team II bib shorts in the same pink, blue and yellow dragon design with the men’s team’s Rapha+Palace EF Education-Easypost sponsor logos, or the understated gray Pro Team training shirt.
Less exaggerated style (and price) options include a Rapha+Palace EF cotton cycling cap, white Rapha+Palace EF edition synthetic Pro Team socks or a cotton Rapha+Palace EF musette.
No official word on pricing or availability yet, but we expect it to hit the online store in time to get fans ready before the Tours end. RCC members will have a first try though.
Custom Cannondales EF Education Tour de Force
vs. Cannondale, bike photos by Twila Federica Muzzi
The EF Education-EasyPost men and EF Education-TIBCO-SVB women will complete their Tours de France on a fleet of three Cannondale race bikes in matching limited-edition Rapha+Palace paints: SuperSix Evo lightweight road, SystemSix aero road , and the SuperSlice time trial.
Cannondale EF TdF SuperSix Evo frame
Of these, only the SuperSix will be available to consumers. You can get your own custom Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi-mod Rapha + Palace TdF carbon frame direct from Rapha (soon), just like the pros ride.
Cannondale EF TdF SuperSix Evo Limited Edition
Although it might not be exactly the one the pros ride? Last December, Cannondale received UCI approval to compete on a new limited-edition SuperSix Evo 3. From the outside, the team’s bikes look similar, so we’d have to assume this isn’t what a super light and extra-stiff carbon layer on the inside, right?
Cannondale EF TdF System Six
You cannot get the special-edition Cannondale SystemSix race bikes.
But they are still worth a closer look.
There’s a little more surface area for silly graphics on an aero road bike.
Cannondale EF TdF SuperSlice Evo prototype
Then the Cannondale SuperSlice Evo takes it to the next level.
This SuperSlice (Evo?) disc brake technically still seems to be a prototype. But we’ve spotted it racing for over a year now, so it’s curious how it fits into the UCI’s technical rules.
Either way, it’s a nice big flashy canvas for the Rapha+Palace Skateboards custom look.
