professionals, team kit & training rides

[Spare Tyre]

Could someone more expert than me - and that will be all of you - please advise me as to whether the wearing of full team kit by professional cyclists on training rides is:

a) optional;
b) required by contractual agreement;
c) cycling convention;
d) because professional cyclists are too stingy to buy other kit;
e) none of the above, in which case please fill me in.


Cheers.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

I understand that they are usually contractually required to wear it.

Susan

 

[ak-zaaf]

That's why a lot of guys are wearing the kits from their old team on the training rides of their new team. The contracts last till 31 december.

I don't know if they are allowed to train in neutral kits, but I guess teams have forbidden that after the whole 'men in black' debacle.

 

[BikeCentric]

I understand that they are usually contractually required to wear it.

Susan

Correct, and this is even the case for small local semi-pro racing clubs. These clubs don't have "contracts", but they do have sponsorship deals whereby club members get sizable discounts on the sponsors product so it is usually a club by-law or rule that racers have to wear their team kit every time they ride.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Interestingly, Santiago Botero was known to train in a generic kit when at home for fear of kidnapping if he were recognized.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

Could someone more expert than me - and that will be all of you - please advise me as to whether the wearing of full team kit by professional cyclists on training rides is:

a) optional;
b) required by contractual agreement;
c) cycling convention;
d) because professional cyclists are too stingy to buy other kit;
e) none of the above, in which case please fill me in.


Cheers.

f) both b and d

 

[Martin318is]

Then what is George Hincapie wearing on today's front page?

 

[Andrichuk]

My guess is he is able to because hes wearing clothes from his own clothing company, which also sponsors his current team BMC.

Although I would of thought he would still be under contract with Columbia. I guess neutral clothing fine, or maybe just a small fine.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Then what is George Hincapie wearing on today's front page?

+1
And Evans is already training in his BMC world champs kit. Though I think those two guys have actually broken their contracts so are free to wear what they want. On a training ride I don't see the problem of wearing something that is not of your teams.

 

[Martin318is]

its not a "problem" as such.

Its just that a number of sponsors recognize (and then stipulate in the rider contract) that they get extra exposure when the rider continues to wear their race uniform during their tens of thousands of annual training miles.

Whilst the big guns are in the public eye all the time by racing up around 100 days a year, some more junior riders may only do 20-30 race days in a year and a LOT of training miles.

 

[sherer]

I think it also depends on whether the cameras are there too. If they are being photographed then they know they have to wear their contracted kit but I guess if they out on their own then they can prob get away with whatever they like