Rapha has made a major step forward with its international ambitions, unveiling its debut collection for the USA Cycling team. The high-profile London-based performance wear specialist said the association “ushers in a new era for American cycling”. It’s also a timely move, given the US will be staging the next summer Olympic Games in 2028.

Rapha said it will be outfitting the USA’s “most talented athletes” through to the end of 2029, “bringing its signature style and panache to the ultimate stage for the sport”.

It also sees the team partnership taking Rapha into new disciplines such as Track, BMX Racing, and BMX Freestyle. 

The debut collection draws inspiration from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, “a watershed moment for American cycling” when the home nation took nine medals.

Blending elements from the Stars and Stripes with a ‘Lightspeed’ pattern (on the front and back of the jerseys) is central to the designs with the latter “adding to a long tradition of using patterns to express motion and speed in sportswear”. Stripes are also an integral part of both Rapha’s design heritage and the history of cycling apparel, the brand noted.  The kit’s lighter colouring ensures suitability to hot conditions. 

The designs also incorporate a collegiate-style typeface, characteristic of American sports, accented with a stripe.

The jersey’s sleeves also feature star and stripe detailing, with the left arm showcasing the navy Rapha armband and script logo. The bib shorts contrast white striped stars and USA graphics with a navy base, designed to contour to the body and enhance the feeling of speed.

With story labels a long-standing Rapha tradition, such details are also inscribed inside of the garments with the collection featuring five unique story labels “celebrating the full range of USA Cycling disciplines”.

Of course, seeing as American interest in cycling “is at an all-time high”, with 112 million people there riding bikes in 2024, according to PeopleForBikes, replica kit and a range of merchandise will be available next month.

Rapha CEO Fran Millar, said: “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.

“The starting pistol for LA has been fired and there is nothing more powerful for a sport than a home Games. The energy, the expectation, the history – Rapha will support American cycling to seize the opportunity with both hands.”

In November, Rapha also “marked a major milestone” by opening its first ‘Clubhouse’ in mainland China. Located on Donghu Road in the heart of Shanghai’s historic Hengshan-Fuxing Road Cultural Area, it said the new space becomes a  “purposeful commitment to one of the fastest-growing cycling communities in the world”.