[The Weasel]

Something about when a rider changes to full yellow garb that annoys me. Especially when it's early in the stage and/or that rider has no chance of winning the thing. It screams 'look at me, I'm wearing the yellow jersey'. Maybe it's teams decision and is of benefit to the sponsor (I can't see how yellow gloves help though). I much prefer a rider/team that tosses on his reguler team shorts and gloves, and maybe the helmet. It just gives the impression that he is more humble.
Anyone else this freaking anal about shorts?

 

[cbuchanan]

Not upset here. I'm actually a fan of the full-on matching kits for the leaders, makes it a lot easier to pick them out on TV and I think that they look pretty good. It's a huge honor for a pro cyclist to be wearing the yellow jersey, or any of the leaders' jerseys for that matter, and most of those who earn that right are proud to show it off.

 

[blackhat]

better than red.

 

[Iwannapodiumgirl]

Something about when a rider changes to full yellow garb that annoys me. Especially when it's early in the stage and/or that rider has no chance of winning the thing. It screams 'look at me, I'm wearing the yellow jersey'. Maybe it's teams decision and is of benefit to the sponsor (I can't see how yellow gloves help though). I much prefer a rider/team that tosses on his reguler team shorts and gloves, and maybe the helmet. It just gives the impression that he is more humble.
Anyone else this freaking anal about shorts?

I'd rather yellow shorts than white shorts...

But I'm with you. And it's retro, and everything retro is cool again.

 

[zosocane]

I too can't stand the all-yellow garb -- it isn't called the yellow jersey + yellow bib shorts. Ditto with the Giro when the top GC guy goes all pink. The only guy who can get away with it is Cipollini in an all-pink skin suit, but on anyone else it looks ridiculous.

In Lance's 7-year run he never went all yellow. Wasn't Floyd the first GC guy to go all yellow in 2006?

 

[Iwannapodiumgirl]

I'm so pleased someone mentioned Cipo...

Maybe this can be the jersey for leader of the "Most Doped Rider" category? (He was ahead of his time!)

 

[JohnnyChance]

I too can't stand the all-yellow garb -- it isn't called the yellow jersey + yellow bib shorts. Ditto with the Giro when the top GC guy goes all pink. The only guy who can get away with it is Cipollini in an all-pink skin suit, but on anyone else it looks ridiculous.

In Lance's 7-year run he never went all yellow. Wasn't Floyd the first GC guy to go all yellow in 2006?

actually, i think it was cipo who started the trend of incorpotating more yellow on the shorts, helmets, gloves, bar tape, paint job, etc.

and here is a pic of lance with yellow bibs

and yeah, sometimes it does look a bit too much, but i think floyds was actually better suited than most, because his team colors were green and yellow anyway, it matched his team kit better.

and screw it, you may only have the yellow jersery for one day, and you may have no shot in hell of actually winning it, but you did something to deserve it, do whatever you want.

 

[Andrea138]

I agree that they've gotten pretty ridiculous w/the full-blown leaders' getups. I think it was really cool that the CSC guys didn't jump on that bandwagon.

 

[PeanutButterBreath]

Agree. Even though it was only a coincidence due to the standard black bibs of the CSC team kit, I thought that Frank Schleck looked classier than most recent yellow jersey wearers.

I was a little dissapointed to see the yellow bar tape on every CSC bike for the final stage.

 

[Guest]

I say go all out if you want on the Champs, but b/4 that I prefer just the jersey.

 

[somdoosh]

I think Rasmussen started the trend of matching the jersey to the rest of the kit in 2005. By the end he even had a polka-dot bike.

It was clever the first time, but after that it became redundant. You could make the case for having a yellow helmet to make the leader easier to spot, but that's about it.

 

[The Weasel]

I say go all out if you want on the Champs, but b/4 that I prefer just the jersey.

Good point!
Well wouldn't you know it. Late last night I was able to hop on my bike for a spin (just 45 minutes). I had put on a yellow jersey as I knew it would start getting dark on the return. I went to the car to put on my shoes and helmet, fill the tires...In the last minute rush I forgot my gloves. Well there in the car are my yellow mountain biking gloves. And I am not walking in road shoes into the house or taking the time to take them off and put back on. With my lime green glasses and yellow garb I must of looked like a real poser dork wanna be from an early 90's Performance catalog.

 

[tron]

[

and here is a pic of lance with yellow bibs

Well that is a timetrial skinsuit, I dont think he had a choice in the time trials.

 

[JohnnyChance]

Well that is a timetrial skinsuit, I dont think he had a choice in the time trials.

sure he did.

 

[function]

If you have the legs you can get away with anything. It's a perk.

 

[weltyed]

i just dont like when they make changes to the bikes before the ride into paris. the first bike i recall being changed before the ride into paris was landis, and look how that went. it almost seems like there is a curse on people who have different paint schemes before the final stage. This includes bikes painted up because they are national champ. the TT guys can get away with the paint jobs because those are different bikes anyway.

I find the different jerseys for current/former national champs cool, though.

 

[bnoojin]

I think Rasmussen started the trend of matching the jersey to the rest of the kit in 2005. By the end he even had a polka-dot bike.

It was clever the first time, but after that it became redundant. You could make the case for having a yellow helmet to make the leader easier to spot, but that's about it.

Cipollini started in the late nineties, '98 maybe. The TdF would actually fine a rider if they wore yellow shorts and Cipo would gladly pay the fines so that he could look the garish part. then the world champs started following suit. and the whole thing has changed within the pelotons culture. Euro cycling is generally very traditional but now that it is more international the old traditions have relaxed a bit.

personally, I prefer the modest look of the jersey only, it just looks classier to me. when they have helmets, shorts, gloves, bikes all matching it seems to scream for attention. kind of the modern day NFL receiver's hot dog antics or the baseball players standing around admiring his home run. it celebrates the individual too much and diminishes the team, IMHO.