Ahead of the 2026 UCI Road World Championships, taking place in Montréal, Canada, from 20 to 27 September, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and its Official Partner, cycling apparel manufacturer Santini Cycling, have announced the launch of the Ride Your Colours programme.
The initiative enables UCI-affiliated National Federations that have limited resources to equip their athletes with high-quality kit in their national colours, individually designed to reflect each country's cultural identity.
Ride Your Colours forms part of the UCI Solidarity Programme, launched in 2018 to promote the international development of cycling by supporting the activities of Continental Confederations and National Federations. In line with the UCI's Agenda 2030, Ride Your Colours reflects the UCI's commitment to closing the gap between cycling nations already well established on the world stage and those with fewer resources.
UCI President David Lappartient said: "Since its creation eight years ago, the UCI’s Solidarity Programme has helped National Federations with fewer resources to guide their riders to the highest level. Ride Your Colours now gives these cyclists the chance to race in their national jersey, making them instantly recognisable as representatives of their country, and as role models for the next generation.”
In total, 41 National Federations are benefiting from the Ride Your Colours programme, with close to 1,000 kits (jerseys, shorts, gloves and socks) handmade by Santini Cycling in its workshops in Bergamo, Italy.
The National Federations of the following countries are benefiting from the programme: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Curaçao, Cyprus, Dominica, El Salvador, Eritrea, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Mali, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, North Macedonia, Oman, Palestine, Republic of Moldova, Rwanda, Sint Maarten, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uruguay, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The concept behind Ride Your Colours grew after Santini Cycling's emergency production of national kits for the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda. That event brought together athletes from a record 36 African nations, some of which were being represented at this level for the first time. Santini Cycling, a long-standing partner of the UCI Solidarity Programme, stepped in to produce jerseys so that every athlete on the start line could race in kit worthy of the occasion. Following this, UCI President David Lappartient expressed his wish to see the initiative continue and expand. Between January and May 2026, the Federations wishing to benefit from the programme were identified, and custom designs reflecting the colours, identity and ambitions of each nation were then developed together with each of them. From June to July, the kits were produced before being delivered to the beneficiaries.
Santini Cycling CEO Monica Santini said: "It’s an enormous pleasure for us at Santini to produce cycling kits for talented athletes from emerging cycling countries. It is already a major achievement to be at the start, and we want them to live the experience to the full and with a sense of national pride."
The Ride Your Colours programme will continue next year, ahead of the 2027 UCI Cycling World Championships in Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc, France, which will bring together 20 separate UCI World Championships from 24 August to 5 September, drawing an unprecedented number of National Federations from all five continents.
Media assets (free of rights) are available in the Ride Your Colours toolkit. Please credit UCI/Outdoor Perspectives - Jérémy Pancras.
About the UCI
Founded in 1900 in Paris (France), the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the worldwide governing body for cycling. It develops and oversees cycling in all its forms and for all people: as a competitive sport, a healthy recreational activity, a means of transport, and also just for fun. The UCI manages and promotes the eleven cycling disciplines: road, track, mountain bike, BMX Racing, BMX Freestyle, cyclo-cross, trials, indoor cycling, cycling esports, gravel and snow bike. Five of these are featured at the Olympic Games (road, track, mountain bike, BMX Racing and BMX Freestyle), and two at the Paralympic Games (road and track). Cycling is also on the programme of the Youth Olympic Games. For more information: www.uci.org.
About Santini
Santini Cycling was founded in 1965, thanks to Pietro Santini's deep passion for cycling. Each of our garments, proudly made in Italy, is the result of dedicated work by a team of designers who are also cycling enthusiasts. All Santini products are built on four core principles: perfect fit, exceptional performance, unbeatable comfort, and long-term durability. Through continuous investment in researching innovative fabrics and new production methods, Santini is committed to the well-being of athletes and enthusiasts. Our mission is clear: to refine our clothing, allowing everyone to pursue their passion while wearing comfortable and stylish apparel. For more information: www.santinicycling.com.