The 2021 edition of the Vuelta a España plays out between August 14th and September 5th, spanning 21 classic stages spread across Spain. The race starts on August 14th from Burgos Cathedral and finishes on September 5th at Santiago de Compostela. The event gets underway with an 8-kilometer time trial and also ends with a 33.7-kilometer time trial between Padron and the Galizia capital. The classification leaders will be sporting jerseys made once again this year by Santini Cycling Wear from recycled fabrics.

Amateurs will also have five kits dedicated to key stages to choose from: Aside from supplying the leader jerseys, the Italian company is also releasing five kits dedicated to five key stages in the Spanish classic as well as the two official CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta jerseys.

After 2020’s unusual edition was postponed until autumn due to pandemic-related chaos on the international cycling calendar, La Vuelta, the Spanish grand tour returns to its usual August hot spot. As they tackle the roads of Spain from August 14th to September 5th the competitors will be vying for the leader jerseys once again supplied by Santini Cycling Wear. This year, however, amateur cyclists will not only be able to get their hands on replica leader jerseys but also five special kits inspired by key stages in the Spanish race and designed by the Santini team.

Santini Cycling Wear, which has been sponsoring the Spanish race for the last five years, has once again ensured that the leader jerseys are eco-friendly for this edition as they have been made from two sustainable fabrics: Ecofabric RECY by Corno, an environmentally friendly fabric spun from recycled yarn recovered from materials that have been used or discarded in the environment, and Sitip’s Native – Ecoknit which, once again, is made from recycled fibers and yarn without the use of polluting chemicals. The aim being, of course, to reduce the consumption of natural resources and reliance on non-renewable energies.

The leader jerseys are: La Roja (red jersey) sponsored by Carrefour for the overall race leader, the points leader, on the other hand, will sport the Green Jersey with the Škoda logo. The White Jersey Feníe Energía-branded jersey, on the other hand, will go to the best young rider and the Polka Dot jersey sponsored by Loterías y Apuestas del Estado will be donned by the King of the Mountains.

Additionally, the women riders taking part in the CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta will also be wearing Santini.

Special La Vuelta 2021 kits

In addition to the official jerseys, Santini also makes several special kits dedicated to the La Vuelta’s most iconic stages each year. The five kits include a jersey, bib shorts, socks, cap, and gloves as well as a cotton t-shirt.

The Burgos kit (stage 1)

The Burgos kit celebrates the first stage of the Spanish race during which competitors will compete in an individual time trial in the city of Burgos: the jersey’s design was inspired by the rose window that adorns the southern façade of the majestic 13th-century Cathedral of Santa Maria. The entire kit and the cotton t-shirt are in the red and white of the flag of the Autonomous Community of Castile and León and will feature the number 01 to reference the first stage of the race.

Santini Vuelta a España 2021 custom kits: stage 1 Burgos
The Burgos kit (stage 1)

The Alicante kit (stage 7)

The seventh stage of La Vuelta 21 starts from Gandía and ends in Balcón de Alicante. The route will take competitors through the spectacular forests of the regions of Valencia and Alicante which have also inspired the mainly green Alicante kit. The back and sleeve of the jersey also feature the words Estima la Natura (“Love the Nature”), also sported by the sculpture atop the Balcón de Alicante.

Santini Vuelta a España 2021 custom kits: stage 7 Alicante
The Alicante kit (stage 7).

The Extremadura kit (stage 14)

The mast at the top of Pico Villuercas, the finish line of the Extremadura stage, is the main motif of the kit celebrating that stage. The radio mast for the now-abandoned military base features on both the back and sleeve of the jersey. Its colors are inspired by the flag of the Extremadura region.

Santini Vuelta a España 2021 custom kits: stage 14 Extremadura
The Extremadura kit (stage 14)

The Altu d’El Gamoniteiru kit (stage 18)

However, the most iconic stage of 2021 is the 18th which ends at the top of Altu d’El Gamoniteiru after a grueling 15-kilometer climb with an average gradient of 9.69%, peaks of 17%, and a total elevation gain of 1,465 meters. The peak is at an altitude of 1,791 meters and it is this figure that gives its name to the Santini kit dedicated to the stage. All of the items in the kit are in a navy/blue color combination to reference the sky above the peak. Red and white striped details are a nod to the antennas on the peak. The back of the jersey is adorned with a crown with the hairpins of the grueling climb. The number 18 is also featured in the kit as a reminder that it is the 18th stage.

Santini Vuelta a España 2021 custom kits: stage 18 Altu d'El Gamoniteiru
The Altu d’El Gamoniteiru kit (stage 18)

The Galicia kit (stage 21)

In honor of the last stage of La Vuelta 21, which finishes in the historic city of Santiago de Compostela, Santini has made the blue and yellow Galicia kit which features the shell motif, the symbol of the famous Way of Saint James, on the back and sleeves of the jersey. It is also a reference to the Jubilee Year of St James, patron saint of Galicia and Spain.

Santini Vuelta a España 2021 custom kits: stage 21 Galicia
The Galicia kit (stage 21)

About Santini Cycling Wear

Santini Cycling Wear was founded in 1965 by Pietro Santini who spotted a market for technical cycling clothing as a result of his abiding passion for the sport and competition. In what would seem like a revolutionary and contrarian choice today, the Bergamo-based company made the pivotal decision to design and manufacture all of its products exclusively in Italy. Each item is designed and developed by a design team with a deep-rooted passion for the two-wheel world to meet four key requirements: fit, performance, comfort, and durability.

Santini currently produces 3,500 items of clothing per day and exports 80% of its output. It is deeply committed to ongoing investment in researching and developing innovative textiles and new production methods. However, people – athletes – remain its central focus as it continues to refine its creations to allow cyclists to pursue their sporting passions in a comfortable but inimitably stylish kit.

M. Özgür Nevres

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