Supporters at Wollongong's UCI Road World Championships will soon be able to deck themselves in head to toe merchandise ahead of the big race.
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Event organisers unveiled the new merchandise, which includes branded lycra for the hard-core cyclists, as well as casual memorabilia including caps, socks and T-shirts for supporters.
The 2022 UCI Road World Championships will be held in Wollongong from September 18 to 25, and will be a "history making moment for cycling in Australia", Wollongong 2022 CEO Stu Taggart said.
Mr Taggart said the new merchandise range balances professional-grade cycling gear with affordable and fun options for supporters.
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"We're trying to look after the purist and the avid cyclist, giving them a range they can be excited about that's unique and special to Wollongong, but we also want to be able to provide affordable supporter gear," he said.
Italian cycling kit brand and UCI partner Santini created the range, which has already been given the tick of approval by local cyclists.
Illawarra Cycling Club Vice President Simon Kersten tried the new gear on Friday, and gave it the thumbs up.
"I used to race in the early 90s and we rode in Santini gear then, so it's always been the top level gear," Mr Kersten said.
"There's a lot of very drab, very dark cycling gear around... this is not black and it's different," he said.
Illawarra women's cycling coach Jules Verheyen said the lycra's colours were a great choice from designers.
"It's really comfortable and really bright," Ms Verheyen said.
"They suit all riders - bit of purple in there for the girls, bit of red for the boys, a bit of speed!"
Both Ms Verheyen and Mr Kersten have both had a crack at the UCI track, and agreed it's going to test the riders.
"We've ridden all of those pieces of the course over the years, but when you stitch them together in that order it totally changes it... it's going to be challenging," Mr Kersten said.
Ms Verheyen, who has been cycling since she was eight years old, said she had to do some swerves to get through it.
As the countdown begins for Wollongong 2022, organisers are making the final preparations to ensure the world-class event runs smoothly.
The 2022 UCI Road World Championship merchandise can be purchased via presale on the Wollongong 2022 website, with items due to arrive in September.
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