Etixx – Quick-Step has revealed its new jersey for the 2016 season, designed once again by Vermarc, who made sure of creating a jersey which will stand out in the peloton. The light blue of last year is replaced by a darker shade of blue which is predominant on the jersey, except for a white horizontal line, framed by two black ones. Black will be noticeable also on the sleeves and in the lower half, thanks to the addition of some vertical stripes. The shorts will undergo a major change from last year, becoming blue as well, which will be the main colour of next season, thus making sure the outfit will be easier to get recognized in the races.
Once again, the sponsors of the team will have top visibility, with Etixx resting on the center chest of the jersey, right above Quick-Step, just as in the past season, which proved to be a very successful one for the team, with 54 victories. Latexco, Etixx – Quick-Step's most loyal sponsor, moves to the upper chest, on the neckband and on the back, while Lidl – who is new to the sponsors present on the 2016 kit – will have its place on the sleeves and on the rear of the pants. Also on the sleeves, below Lidl, on a white background, there's Janom, while on the upper back there's the car company Peugeot, with Specialized, the major bicycle brand, making its way on the lower half.
"It's an elegant and modern jersey, which will be easy to spot in the pack. I like it a lot, because it's very classy and it makes me proud to wear it. Vermarc did a great job designing this jersey and for my part I hope to honor it during the races and take it to the top spot of the podium", said Marcel Kittel, one of the eight new riders who signed with Etixx – Quick-Step ahead of the new season.
Team CEO Patrick Lefevere also had words of praise for the new kit, which will make its debut in a race on the 17th of January 2016, at the People's Choice Classic, in Adelaide: "The launch of the new jersey is a kind of ritual that we renew with huge delight every year. For us, as a cycling team, it's a great moment, because this is our uniform, the jersey that will accompany us throughout the season. In cycling we say that a winning jersey is the most beautiful jersey you can have, but I must say that I already like it a lot, even before seeing it in a race. I hope that our fans will appreciate it as much as we do."