Rapha has released its first designs for USA Cycling, with the new kit collection spanning road, track, mountain and BMX.
The brand will be the kit provider for the USA’s cycling athletes from 2026 through to the end of 2029, which will see it supply the home nation at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Rapha says the kit “evokes the lightness and grace of a rider in full flight” and “mirrors the explosive energy of a new generation of American talent”.
The collection is said to draw inspiration from the 1984 Games, which the brand calls a watershed moment for American cycling – the home nation took nine medals in Los Angeles.
The partnership is taking Rapha into new disciplines, such as track, BMX racing and BMX freestyle. Rapha
Recognisable elements from the Stars and Stripes are blended with a sense of movement.
Rapha says a lightspeed pattern is at the centre of the designs, adding to a long tradition of using patterns to express motion and speed in sportswear.
Aesthetics are matched with functional performance, with the pattern said to be a response to a specific request from USA Cycling athletes for a lighter-coloured kit suited to hot conditions.
Kate Courtney will be looking to take Gold on home soil. Rapha
Stars and Stripes detail features on the sleeves of the Rapha USA Cycling jerseys, with the left arm showcasing a navy Rapha armband and script logo.
Five unique ‘story labels’ are part of the collection, celebrating the full range of USA Cycling disciplines.
Rapha and USA Cycling are plotting to take success in this graph-paper-esque design. Rapha
Fran Millar, Rapha CEO, says: “This kit represents over a decade of world-class competition and innovation. We’ve left no stone unturned so that when USA Cycling athletes show up for their country, they can stand on the start line with total confidence.”