Santini is celebrating this year’s La Flèche Wallonne with a new collection of apparel that takes its inspiration from the colors of the Belgian flag and the grueling final climb of the Mur de Huy that punctuate the Ardennes Classic.
“Although the climb is just 1,300 meters, it is incredibly grueling because it has a passage with a stretch up to 19%. The Mur de Huy name is spray-painted graffiti-style on the asphalt on the last treacherous climb and that’s what we have put on our jersey that also has an asphalt effect,” says Santini’s Creative Director Fergus Niland.
The collection further gives a nod to the stretch of road that leads up to the iconic finale that’s affectionately called the Chemin des Chapelles, which features seven chapels that dot the way.
“Another unusual detail of this kit is a logo with seven chapels, a reference to the climb’s other nickname, the Chemin des Chapelles'” adds Niland.
The seven chapels along the climb are depicted in a round logo on the back of the jersey, the base layer and several of the accessories, along with the red, black and yellow colors of the Belgian flag.
The men’s jersey and bib shorts feature a yellow and black background with the Flèche Wallonne moniker in red, while the women’s versions also have the red script but with a black and grey background.
The collection also includes a technical t-shirt, baselayer, vest, socks, gloves, neck gaiter and a cap that are color coordinated as well.
The new Flèche Wallonne collection is the latest addition to Santini’s ongoing partnership with the Amaury Sport Organization (A.S.O.), which also includes the leader’s jerseys for the Tour de France and capsule collections for all of the other races on the A.S.O circuit.
The collection is available at www.santinicycling.com, as well as select retailers worldwide.
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