Everybody is debuting their new kits the past few days, and for the national champions, it’s always interesting to see how they turn out.
Jackson’s maple leaf jersey for her new French team
Alison Jackson, who is riding for French team St Michel – Auber93, unveiled her maple leaf jersey on New Year’s Day. It’s a more traditional look – using the (former) standard design of red sleeves with maple leaves, and one in the middle white chest area. This was the design for decades – an earlier version was similar, but with white sleeves. In 2025, Cycling Canada unveiled a new design, but the majority of pros who received custom kit are sticking with the previous iteration, it seems. Mike Woods, it should be noted, did his own take, with a bit of a Hockey Canada and track-and-field melange back in 2023.
The inspiration for the design
Jackson’s jersey does have a curious flourish. In an Instagram post, she said she wanted a classic jersey that resembled the Canadian flag: white with a red maple leaf. “But, I’m a bit of a funky person, so I wanted a funky maple leaf design,” she explains. “Alexander Cowan, a friend from Canada, designed a really cool maple leaf after his national crit win in 2023.”
Photo: Agence de presse Meurisse, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
He had an idea for Jackson, based on the top that Ethel Catherwood, the first Canadian woman to medal at the Olympic Games. Born in North Dakota but ultimately growing up in Saskatoon, Catherwood would take gold in the high jump at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam.
Jackson said that, “this jersey represents the amazing female athletes that come from Canada.” The 2023 Paris Roubaix winner’s team is also sponsored by Quebec-based company, Premier Tech. There are also two other Canadians on the 2026 team: Clara Emond and Simone Boilard.
You can watch the video of her sporting the very cool-looking kit that gives a nod to Catherwood, below.