With the cycling world set to descend on Abruzzo, the home of Vini Fantini, for the Giro d’Italia Grande Partenza next week, Israel – Premier Tech unveils a special edition jersey to celebrate the team’s partnership with the iconic Italian winery.
Vini Fantini is located in the heart of the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOCG, where the vineyards slide from the hills to the sea to create a unique and exceptional microclimate. For the second time in the history of the partnership, the team will race the Italian Grand Tour with a jersey dedicated to Vini Fantini, this time drawing inspiration from the Fantini brand identity and the picturesque backdrop of Abruzzo.
“Vini Fantini is an important part of the Israel – Premier Tech family so, as we did in 2021, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to celebrate our partnership at the Giro d’Italia, particularly with the Grande Partenza in Abruzzo. When our riders race against the clock on stage 1, they will cross the finish line in Ortona, where the Fantini Group factory and headquarters are located, in what will be a special moment for Fantini and Valentino Sciotti. We are proud to put the spotlight on Vini Fantini throughout the Giro d’Italia, and also appreciate the excellent collaboration between the team, Premier Tech, EKOÏ, and Vini Fantini to create such a beautiful jersey,” says IPT General Manager Kjell Carlström.
The bold jersey was designed by Élie Desgreniers from Premier Tech. “We looked at a variety of ideas but it was the Fantini logo and bottle branding with the circular dot and line formation of the logo that really drew my eye, and this was the inspiration for the jersey design,” explains Desgreniers. In addition to the patterns, Israel – Premier Tech’s core blue identity is paired with a rich wine red and complemented with the sea blue tones of the right shoulder, which pay tribute to the importance of the Abruzzo coastline in Fantini’s terroir and serve as additional visibility in the peloton.
“We are deeply grateful to the team and sponsors for dedicating a special jersey to us at a race, such as the Giro d’Italia, which is very important for us especially this year where the first stage will take place in our region, in our city of Ortona,” says Fantini owner Valentino Sciotti. “We are so proud to be part of this team that shares our same values. Our wish is to see one of our athletes wearing this jersey on the podium celebrating an important victory at this Giro d’Italia.”
Produced by EKOÏ, the jersey matches perfectly with the team’s bib shorts and as a contrast to the team’s 2023 jersey, favors block colors, and bold, clean lines which create a striking look set to stand out in the peloton.
“Appreciating premium and aesthetically pleasing products, we are proud to have worked on the design of this jersey. From a technical point of view, the jersey features innovations in fit and aerodynamics and I am convinced that the kit will not go unnoticed in the peloton thanks to its elegance. EKOÏ rises to a challenge and we jumped at the chance to quickly bring this jersey to life which I believe is a superb collaboration with this great team!” adds Stéphane Rosetto, EKOÏ Sponsorship Manager.
