Arkéa-B&B Hotels celebrates Bianchi with a special jersey

Italian and French cycling have never been as close as they are now. On the eve of the historic Grand Départ of the Tour de France from Italy, Team Arkèa-B&B Hotels chose to pay homage to a piece of Italian cycling history, with Bianchi being one of its global symbols.

During the official team presentation, which took place on Thursday, June 27, at 6:30 PM in Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence, the French team entered with a commemorative jersey to evoke the great Bianchi champions who have made Tour de France history. Revisiting the evocative celeste design with a white stripe on the chest, Team Arkèa-B&B Hotels celebrated the feats of great Italian cyclists, from Fausto Coppi to Felice Gimondi to Marco Pantani.

All three — winners on French roads — were unforgettable racers in the Grande Boucle. They sparked the fans’ passion for one of the world’s most followed events. In tribute to the memory of these “campionissimi,” the commemorative jersey worn for this special occasion shares the same distinction. The jersey, which is the result of a collaboration between the team and Bianchi, features the unmistakable Bianchi heritage logo and will be complemented by a cap.

“The Grand Départ of the Tour de France from Italy is something unique. We are particularly happy to have collaborated with Team Arkèa-B&B Hotels to reproduce our iconic white and celeste jersey. We thank the team and the other sponsors for enthusiastically embracing this initiative that pays homage to our fantastic history,” said Claudio Masnata, marketing and communication manager for Bianchi.

“Team Arkèa-B&B Hotels is celebrating the relationship between the Tour de France and Italy for the 2024 Grand Départ in Florence by paying tribute to Bianchi and the great Italian champions who’ve forged the history of our sport and the Tour. We wanted to remember the great names, like Fausto Coppi, Felice Gimondi, and Marco Pantani with a jersey for true champions. It’s a tribute that connects past, present, and future, and it’s the perfect way to kick off Team Arkèa-B&B Hotels’ adventure at the 2024 Tour de France,” said Emmanuel Hubert, general manager for the French team.

AN ATTACK-ORIENTED TEAM TO CAMPAIGN ON THE OLTRE RC AND SPECIALISSIMA RC

From the first stage starting in Florence, Team Arkèa-B&B Hotels will take an attack approach in its hunt for stage wins. Leading the charge will be the experienced French sprinter, Arnaud Démare, who will rely on the Oltre RC in the sprints. Among the fast wheels on the team are also Amaury Capiot and the Italian, Luca Mozzato.

The general classification will be handled by the Frenchman, Kevin Vauquelin, who’s making his Tour debut, and Cristian Rodriguez, who will rely on the all-rounder capabilities of the Specialissima RC, the perfect bike for tackling France’s majestic climbs. The roster is completed by Clement Champoussin, Raul Garcia Pierna, and Daniel McLay.