Viva La Vuelta! Santini's Special Cycling Kit Collection for Spain's 2019 Grand Tour
The Vuelta Espana is the third and final of cycling's Grand Tours each season, and reliably provides an exciting array of the two-wheeled discipline. With high-altitude finishes, unforgiving time trials, and unpredictable weather, the Vuelta is a race that can break a champion or launch the career of an up-and-comer. For Santini's 2019 Vuelta cycling kit collections, the designs celebrate both the toughness of the race and the beauty and history of Spain. The brand begins by selecting the best-in-class fabrics to build well-fitting, technical, race-ready garments. Then they put the canvas of those kits in the hands of the design team. The result is another beautiful collection of leader’s jerseys and inspirational commemorative kits that reflect the race we all love so much, and the people and places that serve as its backdrop.
KILÓMETRO CERO 2019
This minimalist design is one of Cento's favorites from this collection, representing the colors of the Spanish flag against a field of black. The concept for the 2019 kilómetro CERO jersey, according to Santini, was to pare down all graphic elements and focus on creating a super-clean, emblematic design.
COSTA BLANCA
The first of four stage jerseys in the 2019 Vuelta collection is dedicated to the Costa Blanca, 200 kilometers of Mediterranean coastline in the Alicante province, on the southeastern coast of Spain. The region is home to the first five stages of the Grand Tour. The key design elements of the Costa Blanca cycling jersey call up the incredible pink colors present in the salt lakes typical to the region, the blue of the ocean, and the palm trees. The bar graphic on the chest, a design motif representing all 21 stages of La Vuelta, is replicated across the entire line.
LOS MACHUCOS
The kit developed for the thirteenth stage of the 2019 Vuelta is in homage to the brutal climb of the Alto de Los Machucos, nestled in the ruggedly beautiful region of Cantabria. The Los Machucos cycling jersey design draws on the fact that the pass is largely paved in concrete and in one section reaches a staggering twenty-eight percent gradient.
SANTAURIO DEL ACEBO
The Santaurio del Acebo cycling kit is dedicated to the stunning, mountainous region of Asturias, home to both stages 15 and 16 of the 2019 La Vuelta. Stage 15 finishes on the Santuario del Acebo. Stage 16 on the climb up Alto de la Cubilla. The vibrant yellow and blue colorway is drawn from the official flag of the region. The cross motif incorporated into the bar graphic is known locally as the Cruz del la Victoria. It represents the cross carried by Pelagius, first King of Asturias, in the decisive Battle of Covadonga against the Moors in the eighth century C.E. The text for Asturias in the design is adapted from an engraving on the stone plinth where a statue of King Pelagius stands.
TOLEDO
Stage 19 of the Vuelta sees the race finish into the magnificent city of Toledo, the inspiration for the Toledo cycling jersey draws on a number of very specific elements, the first being the colors, the steel grey referencing the ancient industry of sword making while the vermillion shade of red alludes to the official crest of the city. The logo on the back pocket however pays homage to one of Spain's greatest ever cyclists, and native of Toledo - Federico Bahamontes. Learn more about this legendary rider below: