On the presentation of the 108th Tour de France, Bahrain Victorious riders walked onto the stage fashioning a never-before-seen jersey, moving away from the traditional red the team wears throughout the year. The riders wore a white jersey with blue highlights. Known as the ‘Maillot Disruptif’, the jersey highlighted several key messages about Obesity and Diabetes.
Following the presentation, the jerseys were destroyed, never to be physically seen again. One has since been minted as a piece of crypto art known as an NFT (Non-Fungible-Token) that will be auctioned off, raising money to combat these diseases. Along with the increasing uptake and growing market of cryptocurrencies, NFTs have also seen an increase as a new way of collecting exclusive digital art. They are the baseball cards of tomorrow. Both TBV and Alé saw this as the perfect platform for the ‘Maillot Disruptif’ because it not only communicates with a younger market, one who are potentially more at risk of Diabetes and Obesity, but also because it gives the owner a unique connection with both cycling and TBV.
The auction for the NFT ‘MAILLOT DISRUPTIF’ jersey went live at this link https://bit.ly/3xNV9pR following the reveal and destruction of the jersey and will end at midday on 5th July 2021. The highest bid will win irrespective of the imposed reserve (minimum requirement by Opensea).
The aim is to raise awareness for two prevalent diseases – Obesity and Diabetes – diseases that can be tackled by driving a healthier and more active lifestyle. Something cycling can do for people. The proceeds from the auction will go to the Royal Humanitarian Foundation to aid those with complications from Obesity and Diabetes.
THE DESIGN
An all-white design symbolizes the clear message – the benefit of movement to combat Obesity and Diabetes. The touches of blue across the jersey reference the team’s optimism, which also represents Diabetes awareness.
The faint ‘V’ across the jersey is the roman numeral five, a nod to the team’s time in WorldTour cycling and the name Victorious. On the back of the jersey is a prominent and clear message about the power of cycling: “Riding Away From Obesity and Diabetes” and “Every Pedal Stroke is a Victory.” It represents that the name Victorious is about celebrating the personal victories and challenges taken on by everyone. We may not all be able to compete to win stages at the biggest race in cycling, but we can each work towards our own victories with sport.
Across the jersey, striking red text highlights the challenges faced through the diseases, such as: “374 million people are at increased risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes“, along with messages of the benefits of cycling and movement to prevent Obesity and Diabetes.
Finally, looking closely, you will see that the font for the jersey is imperfectly hand-drawn and childlike. This links back to the younger generation, not only a key moment when many of us learn to ride a bike, but also the moment when we should be aware of the benefits of continuing to ride. With cycling being the ideal tool to be physically active, TBV and Alé aim to inspire the future generation to become cyclists.
