From Jan. 14-22nd, competitive road riders will take on South Australia’s roadways during the 2017 Santos Tour Down Under. Once again, Italy’s Santini have signed on as a technical partner to the event. The company has worked in partnership with this race for quite some time- last year we covered their tenth anniversary, so 2017 will mark the 11th year running they’re supplied the official threads of the TDU.
Not only has Santini created the 2017 Leader, King of the Mountain and Sprint jerseys, there’s also a collection of complete TDU outfits available to consumers. The three different kits were designed to represent different stages of the race, and their designs highlight unique characteristics from each area…
Above is a look at Santini’s official race jerseys for the Tour Down Under. Left to right we’re seeing previews of the red Sprint jersey, the ochre-colored Leader jersey, and the polka-dot King of the Mountain jersey.
Now if you want to wear a Tour Down Under jersey yourself, you’re in luck as Santini has created three full kits themed around this year’s race. All pieces of these collections bear the TDU acronym, but each kit’s aesthetic represents a highlight stage of the race. The kits all include jerseys, shorts, caps and socks. To further their exclusivity, unique icons on the jerseys and caps reference distinct features of each stage.
The Adelaide kit’s jersey features a background pattern designed to represent the city of Adelaide’s rolling, hilly terrain. The lime green color was also chosen to hint towards the hills surrounding the city. Since this stage finishes off the race with some climbing, its signature logo is an A-shaped hill surrounded by cog wheels. This logo graces the jersey at the back of the neck and appears on the right side of the Adelaide cap.
Providing riders with excellent views of the ocean, the Glenelg stage is graphically represented on its jersey with an aquamarine color scheme and wavy motif. Its signature logo is a G which refers to the ‘old gum tree’ Australian national monument, where South Australia was declared an official province in 1836.
If you drink wine, you’ve probably heard of the McLaren Vale region. Known worldwide for its vineyards, the McLaren Vale jersey pays homage to the area’s best-known industry with a wine bottle pattern. The red and burgundy colors also serve as a nod to the local wine producers, some of whom rank among the oldest in the world.
Keep an eye on Santini’s website for updated info on the 2017 Tour Down Under collections.
