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.
This is one of 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 jersey. Photo via @BMCProTeam
BMC team equipment on the bike: BMC, Shimano, fi’zi:k, SRM, Continental.
BMC team BMC Teammachine SLR01 Dura Ace Di2. Photo via bmc-switzerland.com
Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (USA) - Cannondale bikes
Cannondale jersey. Photo via @Ride_Argyle
Cannondale team equipment on the bike: Cannondale, Shimano, Mavic, Garmin, FSA, Rock Tape, fi’zi:k.
Cannondale team Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi-MOD. Photo via www.cannondale.com
Dimension Data (South Africa) - Cervélo bikes
Dimension Data jersey. Photo via @TeamDiData
Dimension Data team equipment on the bike: Cervelo, Roto Uno / Shimano, ENVE, Continental, fi’zi:k, Speedplay, Rotor, Lizard Skins.
Dimension Data team Cervelo S5 aero road bike. Photo via Dimension Data africasteam.com, Stiehl Photography
Etixx – Quick-Step (Belgium) - Specialized bikes
Etixx-Quickstep jersey. Photo via @Etixx_QuickStep
Etixx-Quickstep team equipment on the bike: Specialized, Shimano, HED, Rovel, FSA.
Etixx-Quickstep team Specialized SWorks. Photo via Etixx-Quickstep website, photo (c) TDWsport.com
Giant – Alpecin (Germany) - Giant bikes
Giant-Alpecin jersey. Photo via @GiantAlpecin
Giant-Alpecin team equipment on the bike: Giant Liv, Shimano, Vittoria, Pro, Pioneer, Polar.
Giant-Alpecin team Giant TCR bike. Photo via teamgiantalpecin.com
Katusha (Russia) - Canyon bikes
Katusha jerseys. Photo via @katushacycling
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.
Katusha team Canyon bike. Photo via sram.com
LottoNL- Jumbo (Netherlands) - Bianche bikes
Lotto Jumbo jersey. Photo @LottoJumbo_road
LottoNL-Jumbo team equipment on the bike: Bianche bikes, Shimano, FSA, Selle San Marco, Vittoria.
LottoNL-Jumbo team Bianchi bike Oltre XR2. Photo via teamlottojumbo.com
Sky (Great Britain) - Pinarello bikes
Team SKY jersey. Photo via @TeamSky
SKY team equipment on the bike: Pinarello, Shimano, PRO, Stages, fi’zi:k.
SKY team Pinarello Dogma F8. Photo via pinarello.com
Tinkoff (Russia) - Specialized bikes
Tinkoff jersey. Photo via @tinkoff_team
Tinkoff team equipment on the bike: Specialized, Shimano, FSA, Roval, HED, Look, Prologo, SRM.
Tinkoff team Specialized Tarmac. Photo via tinkoffteam.com
Trek - Segafredo (USA) - Trek bikes
Trek Segafredo jersey. Photo via @TrekSegafredo taken by fan Dan Hartley.
Trek-Segafredo team equipment on the bike: Trek, Shimano, Bontrager, SRM
Trek-Segafredo team Trek Madone. Photo via treksegafredo.com
UCI Professional Continental Teams
Direct Énergie (France) - BH bikes
Direct Energie jersey. Photo via @TeamDEN_fr
Direct Énergie team equipment on the bike: BH bikes, Sigma, Shimano, FSA, Vision, Prologo, Hutchinson, Look.
Direct Énergie team BH bike. Photo via teamdirectenergie.com
Novo Nordisk (USA) - Orbea bikes
Novo Nordisk jersey. Photo via @teamnovonordisk
Novo Nordisk team equipment on the bike: Colnago, Maxxis, Selle Italia, Stages, Pioneer
Novo Nordisk team Orbea Orca. Photo via orbea.com/us-en
UnitedHealthcare (USA) - Wilier bikes
United Healthcare jersey. Photo via @UHCprocycling
United Healthcare team equipment on the bike: Wilier, Shimano, Maxxis, Pioneer, Deda, San Marco, Rocktape.
United Healthcare team Wilier Trestina
UCI Continental Teams
Axeon Hagens Berman (USA) - Specialized bikes
Axeon Hagens Berman jersey. Photo via @axeonhb
Axeon-Hagens Berman team equipment on the bike: Specialized, SRAM, Quarq, Zipp, Speedplay.
Axeon-Hagens Berman team Specialized Tarmac. Photo via 2016.axeoncycling.com
Holowesko – Citadel Racing Team (USA) - felt bikes
Holowesko-Citadel jersey. Photo via @TeamHincapie
Holowesko - Citadel team equipment on the bike: Felt, Shimano, Mavic, Michelin, Pro, Prologo.
Holowesko - Citadel team Felt bikes. Photo via twitter.com/TeamHincapie/
Jelly Belly – Maxxis (USA) - Argon bikes
Jelly Belly jersey. Photo via @JellyBellyTeam
Jelly Belly-Maxxis team equipment on the bike: Argon, Maxxis, FSA, Prologo, Speedplay, Tocktape, Cateye and Jelly Beans.
Jelly Belly-Maxxis Argon 18. Photo via @JellyBellyTeam
Rally Cycling (USA) - Diamond Back bikes
Rally jersey. Photo via @Rally_Cycling
Rally Cycling team equipment on the bike: Diamond Back, SRAM, Mavic, HED, Kenda, Speedplay.
Brad Huff on his Rally Diamond Back bike which recently won the USA Criterium Championship.
Team Wiggins (Great Britain) - Pinarello bikes (Wikipedia)
Wiggins jersey. Photo via @OfficialWIGGINS
Team Wiggins team equipment on the bike: Pinarello, SRAM, Zipp, fi’zi:k
Pinarello Dogma Wiggins team. Photo via twitter.com/OfficialWIGGINS
Oh, and wait until you see the team cars and buses at Tour of California!
Rally's team Acura car. Photo via rallycycling.com/trainingcamp/2016
One of my favorite sponsor combos:
A Mini Cooper with Giant Bikes. Photo via teamgiantalpecin.com
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) - Orbea 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:
Tour of California Spectator Guide Page
How to watch the Tour of California Live in 2016
Team jerseys and team bikes at the Tour of California
10 UCI WorldTour Teams to compete in California
Stage Route and Maps Tour of California 2016
Tour of California Host City activities: Stages 1-4 PART I
Tour of California Host City activities: Stages 4-8 PART II
- Classification jerseys and bib numbers Tour of California (coming soon)
- Startlist for Amgen Tour of California 2016 (coming soon)
- National and World Championship jerseys at the Tour of California (coming soon)
- and stories from the race.