While the constant churn of sponsors at the top tier of bicycle racing is ever-more turbulent, the presence of British clothing brand Rapha has been something of a constant since it first stepped up to WorldTour level with its sponsorship of Team Sky in 2013, before switching to EF-Drapac in 2018. At the end of the 2025 season, this somewhat reassuring presence \u2013 something that even non-diehard fans like my mum recognised as a staple of the sport \u2013 will cease as Rapha winds up its time at the top.<\/p>\n
In a statement, Rapha\u2019s CEO, Fran Millar, left the door open to coming back when the time is right:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n \u201cRapha is leaving the WorldTour \u2013 for now. We will be back. EF Pro Cycling has a unique spirit which we will always respect and champion. But we have made the decision to broaden our horizons and increase our impact across other, progressive areas of elite and participation cycling. This does not mark the end of our support for the world\u2019s most talented and charismatic riders. The next chapter begins now.\u201d<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n An iconic partnership comes to an end<\/p>\n While Rapha\u2019s partnership with Team Sky was a continuation of the clothing brand\u2019s visual identity, its partnership with EF heralded a new direction for the brand and produced some of the sport’s most iconic and divisive kits. Perhaps none more divisive than the 2020 Rapha x Palace Giro d\u2019Italia switchout kit<\/a>, complete with duck helmets and a dazzling, unorthodox pattern.<\/p>\n In fact, this annual springtime switchout at the Giro, as a result of the team\u2019s signature pink look clashing with the race leader\u2019s jersey, became a key event for fans of aesthetic kits year in, year out, with a second Palace collaboration, an homage to carbohydrates, and \u2013 my personal favourite \u2013 the kaleidoscopic 2021 design<\/a>.<\/p>\n What is unclear is who will step in to fill the substantial void. Cyclingnews has heard from one brand, which we’ll avoid naming, that considered sponsoring the team but felt that the Rapha boots would have been simply too big to fill.<\/p>\n Also, it\u2019s worth considering that Rapha not only provided clothing to the squad, but a substantial media presence too. Rapha\u2019s \u2018Gone Racing\u2019 series provided behind-the-scenes access to one of racing’s perennially popular squads, as well as one of the sport\u2019s most well-known athletes in Lachlan Morton and his alt-tour<\/a> and alternative calendar escapades.<\/p>\n It is worth noting that this additional input likely came at substantial cost to the brand, which has reported losses for the last seven years<\/a> in a row, so it is perhaps not a surprise to see it pulling back from sources of significant expenditure.<\/p>\n EF Pro Cycling founder and CEO, Jonathan Vaughters, said of the partnership ending:<\/p>\n \u201cEF Pro Cycling and Rapha set out to disrupt the world of cycling together back in 2019. Over the last seven years, we did just that: the Alternative Calendar, the unexpected collabs, the jerseys people couldn\u2019t ignore. We made some noise and brought new people into our sport along the way. To me, that is the hallmark of a successful partnership\u201d.<\/p>\n