The latest generation Team Jumbo-Visma kits by AGU

Wind tunnels and temperature sensors: Vingegaard’s key to the double. AGU presents cutting-edge cycling equipment for the Tour de France, taking into account scorching heat, the risk of crashes, and minimal wind resistance.

Significant sums and a lot of time have been invested in the development of the Jumbo-Visma team’s jerseys and skinsuits for this year’s Tour de France. When Jonas Vingegaard starts his race this Saturday to defend his Tour de France title, he will be wearing a skinsuit from cycling apparel specialist AGU that will help him in all areas on the road to Paris. Before that, enormous efforts were made to create the fastest and most comfortable cycling jerseys that take into account scorching heat, the risk of crashes, and minimal wind resistance. All this with the aim of gaining a competitive advantage that could well be decisive.

Hundreds of hours of work

Team Jumbo-Visma and AGU have invested heavily in the Tour team’s equipment. More than hundreds of hours of wind tunnel testing per year and hundreds of thousands of euros have been dedicated to finding the fastest kit in all conditions. Dutch cycling apparel expert AGU supplies Team Jumbo-Visma with cutting-edge cycling clothing, and they have put all their efforts into creating the best possible framework for Jonas Vingegaard, Wout van Aert, Dylan van Baarle, Christophe Laporte, and the other riders who will start in Bilbao and try, over the next three weeks, to defend their title in the world’s biggest cycling event.

High temperatures

With the prospect of what could be one of Europe’s hottest summers, the focus is on keeping riders cool throughout the race. AGU has developed a special material that takes into account the fact that the skinsuit is essentially black. The HeiQ Smart Temp solution is activated by the rider’s body temperature and is up to 2.5 degrees cooler than the competition. On the front of the skinsuit, the thin fabric is perforated so that riders stay cool in the French heat. The back has a tighter weave while preventing the sun’s UV rays from penetrating, so the protection corresponds to that of an SPF 50 sunscreen. Finally, the black shorts are designed to reflect the sun’s rays to a large extent, allowing riders to stay cool.

HeiQ Smart Temp technology has been tested in wind tunnels, where thermal lamps and special sensors were used to measure the cooling effect. However, the main objective has been to optimize AGU skinsuits for time trials, which already made a big difference last year when Wout van Aert and Jonas Vingegaard took the top two spots in the final time trial of the Tour de France.

This year, AGU has further improved the time trial skinsuits, which have been studied to be even faster and for which the team’s top riders have had several fitting sessions with tailors and seamstresses who ensure that the skinsuits are perfectly adjusted.

The Vélodrome jersey

For this year’s Tour de France, Team Jumbo-Visma has launched a new jersey in collaboration with AGU and Efteling. The unique design is based on the power of dreams. A special jersey, “Le Vélodrome,” represents a starry sky full of dreams. The AGU-designed cycling jersey will shine for weeks under the French sun this summer, inspiring everyone to dare to dream and follow their dreams. One of the most remarkable features of the jersey is that it offers space for personalization. Indeed, the jersey of each Team Jumbo-Visma rider in this year’s Tour features a personalized starry sky that symbolizes the rider’s dreams. For Jonas Vingegaard, the sky above Viborg on September 8, 2020, is depicted on his jersey, as it marks the birth of his daughter. Wout van Aert chose to feature the sky above Lille on January 10, 2016, on his jersey, reminding him of becoming Belgian cyclocross champion in his hometown.