Cyclist
Inside the weird and wonderful world of pro cycling merchandise
Sports merchandise is a commercial colossus. Logos of sports teams and athletic idols appear far and wide, whether that be branded on children’s bed sheets, official replica kits or logo-wrapped slippers. The industry is only expected to grow in the coming years. The licenced sports merchandise market is expected to grow by around 26% in the next five years according to market studies.
Cycling has often lagged in its merchandise range, lacking the same style cult of football and basketball teams. It’s rare to see cycling memorabilia stocked at mainstream sports retailers in Europe (at least until Decathlon entered the fray this year) but the teams try their best to capitalise on the fans’ interest in two-wheeled mania.
However, with the best marketing ingenuity available in the cycling world, our beloved pro teams have managed to provide us with cycling merchandise to sport from the cradle to the grave (I mean that in a very literal sense). We dived through the virtual cycling shopping mall to uncover some of the strangest and most adorable cycling goodies available on the market.
Bora-Hansgrohe Puma CA Pro
If you’re looking for some new, and most likely unique, street shoes, look no further than the Bora-Hansgrohe accented Puma CA Pro. A style harking back to 1980s Euro-mode, the German team claims the shoes ‘combine team spirit and style’. I guess the aforementioned combination is highlighted in the aquamarine streak along the side of the shoe. I’m glad they chose this aquamarine tone and not the fluorescent yellow of the 2024 Bora kit.
Bora-Hansgrohe is not unique in stocking shoes. Jumbo-Visma released special edition pink, yellow and red shoes designed by Dutch atelier Floris van Bommel last year.
Make sure to cop the shoes soon, they’re currently on sale on a huge 50% discount and with the Red Bull tsunami about to hit, it’s best to invest in this team sooner rather than later.
- Available from Bora-Hansgrohe Shop (€59)
Ineos Grenadiers coffee
Do you ever wake up in the morning yearning for a cup of Jo(natan Castroviejo)? Well, now you can get your hands on Ineos Grenadiers’ very own Nespresso-style coffee pods, as supplied by Grand Tour Coffee Co.
‘This blend is ideal to enjoy pre-race like the Ineos Grenadiers or simply to enjoy an espresso.’ Are the two mutually exclusive? This perhaps suggests that the riders don’t like enjoying an espresso.
Ineos has leaned into the cross-section between cycling and coffee culture. The British team’s online shop also sells in-vogue glass keepcups for hot drinks.
- Available from Ineos Grenadiers Shop (£6)
Soudal-QuickStep lunchbox & pencil case
Soudal-QuickStep win the award for the best online shop. They spent plenty of time refining their merch selection to include many unforeseen products, including a whole range for baby and children’s accessories (more on that later).
First, let’s highlight the Wolfpack lunchbox. This classic lunch receptacle comes branded with the Wolfpack mascot. The friendly canine leans back on a bike that looks far from Specialized’s S-Works Tarmac. I also wonder whether a wolf version of Patrick Lefevere exists in this mascot’s world.
Part of me really hopes that Julian Alaphilippe gets his mid-race lunch delivered in one of these square plastic boxes, loaded with energy bars, rice cakes and a little Capri-Sun.
When lunch is over, the Wolfpack lunchbox can be swapped for the Wolfpack pencil case. I’ll be honest, it’s modest. There’s no playful wolf to be found here, just the menacing eye-less icon that appears on most of Soudal-QuickStep’s merch. I must add, The Wolfpack Shop also offers a lovely blue wolf-branded backpack. You can do the whole back-to-school shop on the Soudal-QuickStep online store if your child is a Remco Evenepoel superfan.
- Lunchbox available from The Wolfpack Shop (€14.95)
- Pencil case available from The Wolfpack Shop (€14.95)
Team SD Worx hi-vis jacket
Team SD Worx-ProTime dominates the women’s wing of the sport, boasting a roster including Tour de France champion Demi Vollering and world champion Lotte Kopecky.
What better way to support the Dutch superteam than with a high-vis jacket. You heard me correctly, a high-vis jacket. It’s the people’s yellow jersey after all.
This would make a little more sense if SD Worx, the company, worked in construction. But no, the company is an HR software firm. Anyway, you can’t be missed at a bike race wearing the high-vis jacket of your favourite team. In a sea of fans at a Tour stage finish, this might actually come in handy – you might even be able to sneak beyond the barriers.
- Available from SD Worx-ProTime Webshop (€8.95)
Pogačar fan flag & calendar
Tadej Pogačar’s personal online store is a goldmine of goodness. There’s plenty of clothing, shoes and even sunglasses available on that site. I implore you to take a look.
That said, Pogi’s non-wearable merchandise cuts the mustard. In particular, this fan flag caught my attention – and that’s only in part due to its almost €50 pricetag. The banner comes with an inspirational message inscribed onto it: ‘Never quit trying and never give up’. It’s no Shakespeare quote, but he never quit trying.
Always trust Pogačar to promote his website as well – the URL to his site is found on the bottom right-hand corner of this drapeau. There’s also a little bit of flag-ception here as a Slovenian flag in the wind is found within the fan flag. I believe this is what art critics would call ‘maximalist’.
Now, Pogačar has capitalised on his cult identity and created a calendar for 2024 too. The online listing for the calendar is cryptic, but the same quote appears on the cover alongside a strangely cropped image of the man himself. Seriously, take a look.
I’m not sure if the culture of nude calendars has crossed the English Channel, but if it has I am surprised we haven’t heard more about Pogačar’s calendar. I’ll therefore take a punt and guess that it is very PG and family-friendly.
- Available on Tadej Pogacar Shop (€42.50)
Cofidis Tote Bag
Tote bags are the weapons of artsy young adults who refuse to wear backpacks. I am a strong advocate of the tote bag revolution and am glad to see cycling latch onto this cultural phenomenon.
Some teams have given it their best shot, but French team Cofidis leads the way with this offering. The bag, which comes in at a claimed weight of 140g, is in the signature canvas beige, adorned with a red bike frame connecting the ‘C’ and ‘O’ of the Cofidis name through the wheels. Is it a trompe-l’œil? I’m not quite sure.
Regardless, this accessory, which comes in at a respectable €9 on sale right now, is the perfect size for a frozen pizza and bottle of wine from the supermarché. You have been warned!
- Available from Cofidis Team Shop (€9)
Jonas Vinegaard Scarf
Scarf culture has successfully translated from the football terraces to professional cycling. Some cycling teams offer a team-branded scarf, but Visma-Lease a Bike have a personalised scarf for their starboy, Jonas Vinegegaard.
It radiates a slight cult of personality kind of energy and the black and white portrait only adds to the authoritarian aura. Given that the cycling season reaches its peak in summer, a scarf is a strange choice. However, I have yet to see a fan on the side of the road wearing a fabric effigy to Vingegaard wrapped around their neck.
I hope we see start to see more aspects of football culture in cycling. I expect Vingegaard-themed tifos on the Col du Galibier this summer and fan-on-fan hooliganism in full swing in Tours de France to come.
This scarf comes out to £13.31 in the UK. However, I will send out a warning far and wide. The Visma-Lease a Bike merch shop charges €32.95 for delivery to the UK. Congratulations Visma, you win the prize for the highest delivery fee in the UCI WorldTour. I guess the big salaries of Vingegaard, Van Aert and co. aren’t going to pay themselves.
- Available from the Team Visma Lease a Bike Shop (£13.31)
Decathlon AG2R Dog
Races are gatekeeping cycling-themed children’s merchandise. Personally, I loved my Liverpool FC-branded alarm clock and wish I never threw it out. Why does all the soft-toy budget go on the Tour de France lion?
Thankfully, Decathlon-AG2R are profiting from the childhood fans of the sport with its cuddly toy range, including this wonderful dog. I christen you ‘Aurélien le Chien’ after the team’s Giro 2023 stage winner Aurélien Paret-Peintre.
Aurélien le Chien comes equipped with an adorable mini Décathlon-AG2R jersey and the most mischievous little smile. For just €25, you can take him home. I imagine that’s cheaper than a real dog, and Aurélien le Chien won’t require long walks either.
Don’t worry, if you are afraid of dogs, there is a bear version. However, I will go ahead and declare that the dog is far cuter.
- Available from Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Shop (€25)
Soudal-Quickstep baby range
For those initiated into the cycling cult from a foetal age, the Soudal-Quickstep ‘Wolfpack Shop’ has you sorted. In fact, the Belgian team is one of only two teams (emphasis on team, Primož Roglič stocks baby clothes on his online store) on both men’s and women’s UCI WorldTour level to provide baby clothing. Somehow, I am not surprised.
Let’s begin by checking out the Wolfpack baby bib. This looks like a pretty simple baby bib, but with the classic wolf-icon logo slap bang in the middle of it. ‘Eating like a wolf has never been more adorable’, the product listing claims. I’ll be the judge of that.
To match, there’s a baby tunic (I’ll be honest, I have no idea what these are called – I am just a childless man in my early 20s). I wonder if these stretch out to become a skinsuit on time-trial day.
- Baby bib available from The Wolfpack Shop (€14.95)
- Baby ‘body’ available from The Wolfpack Shop (€24.95)
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