Watch This Oscar Worthy Jersey Reveal for Arkéa-B&B Hotels
Last week we saw the loss of AG2R Citroën’s brown bibs, which have stood out in the pro peloton for over a decade. Alas, next year they’ll be Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale, with no brown shorts. And this week another French team is making news for their kit.
The Breton pro cycling team Arkéa-B&B Hotels has stayed with red as their flashy main color. Their new title sponsor, B&B Hotels, is featured prominently on the front. But the real news is how the team unveiled their new digs.
The team’s sprint star Arnaud Démare is the main character in a new video, along with Marie-Morgane le Deunff from the women’s team, and Pierre Thierry from the development squad.
Cycling News reported that, “Démare was heavily featured in the team’s social media revelation of their new jersey, removing the kit from a box as if it were the sword in the stone in the Arthurian legend. The shoot was filmed in Brittany at the myth-enshrouded Brocéliande forest.”
The team posted the video to their social media, saying “This is the story of our sacred armor.” In another post, they said, “Inspired by the legends of our lands, here is our 2024 jersey, ready to set off in the quest for the Grail: victory.” This will be the 20th season for the men’s pro peloton.
According to Cycling News, the team’s General Manager, Emmanuel Hubert, said, “Our colors remain red and black. These have become a real landmark, a reference over the years within the professional peloton, as well as an identification model for our supporters.
“You all know our history, linked to the Breton territory. This is why our 2024 jersey was designed around the theme “EXCALIBUR”, a legendary Breton sword. This 2024 vintage ‘breathes our origins, our land.”
It Hasn’t All Been Heroics
Fans will recall that last year around this time, all was not so legendary for B&B Hotels. Cyclingnews reported at the time that the team completely collapsed, leaving riders and staff without jobs for 2023.
That included team leader Mark Cavendish, who was forced to scramble for a new team at a less than ideal time as many WorldTeams had already finalized their budgets and team rosters for 2023.
Lanterne Rouge reported that the situation even forced some older riders to retire earlier than expected, because they couldn’t sign anywhere else. Lucky for Cavendish, Astana-Qazaqstan came to the rescue and excitedly signed him for the 2023 season.
While the demise of B&B Hotels last year caused quite a bit of anxiety, this year seems to be a different story. Hopefully it’s all fairy tale and no nightmare in 2024.
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