The EF Classics Collection
Our final Rapha20 edition – celebrating two decades of performance, progress and panache – is an expanded release of EF Pro Cycling’s Tour of Flanders switch-out kit.
Rapha is rooted in a love for road racing and we continue to be captivated by the emotion, drama, romance and glory of the Monuments and the world’s greatest sport. As we have done since 2004, this collection reinterprets a heritage design vernacular with modern fabrics and components, distilling 20 years of inspiration and innovation.
From chaos to calm
Embodying Rapha’s love for Europe’s greatest one-day races, the techno-tinged cacophony of Flanders is juxtaposed by the operatic tranquillity of Lombardia in the north of Italy. If you’ve ever attended a pro bike race, in particular one of Europe’s classics or grand tours, you’ll know just how intoxicating the adrenaline and noise can be – and that’s just the fans. These two races for us bookend the classics calendar, epitomising the excitement and energy of the arrival of the racing season, and the contentment and calmness of its conclusion.
De Ronde
Spring’s cruellest and most captivating
The race of the Flandriens,
The cobbles and chaos
Riders of elegance, martyrs of grit,
Simpson, Boonen, Cooke and Kopecky,
Hup hup hup! Crash-bang-wallop,
Beer-fuelled fanatics from Belgium to Melbourne
Crammed on the Kapelmuur, Kwaremont, Koppenberg,
De Ronde the most beautiful, brutal and wild.
Il Lombardia
The calming mists and Falling Leaves
Our final and most mellow-flamed of Monuments;
Close-packed peloton beside the blinking sun,
The poetry of pedalling against history,
Speed-boats bob beneath the mountains’ shadows,
And the opera of Autumn wind, rain and the tifosi;
Coppi, Merckx, Nibali and Pogačar*,
Brianza, Sormano, Gallo and Ghisallo
Time moves fast, Il Lombardia per sempre.
*There is no professional women’s Lombardia race (yet)
CELEBRATING THE SEASON
This season, EF Pro Cycling’s brave women and men have travelled and battled through it all. From Alberto Bettiol sniping his way to win Milano-Torino to Clara Emond escaping to victory at the Giro Donne. More punchy exploits from Ben Healy at the Tour in pink was perfectly punctuated by Richard Carapaz claiming the polka dots in Nice. Back in Paris Kristen Faulkner stole gold (twice) and we cannot forget our man with the unpredictable plan, Lachlan Morton taking a very deserved win at the world’s most prestigious gravel race, Unbound.
2024 is undoubtedly a year for us to celebrate, but also meditate on all that we’ve witnessed from the team, looking good and going fast. We can’t wait to see what next season reveals on the road and beyond.
Flandrien collection
The first Rapha 20 Edition, the Flandrien Collection is a revival of Rapha’s original design aesthetic and inspired the EF Pro Cycling Tour of Flanders kit