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Rapha announces innovative partnership with Michael Woods’ EF Education First-Drapac team

Apparel sponsorship will also include riders taking part in mixed-terrain events and ultra-endurance races

EF Education First-Drapac will be outfitted in the apparel of Rapha in 2019. The partnership between the WorldTour team and upscale clothing company marks a return of Rapha to the WorldTour after its departure from Team Sky at the end of 2016. Unlike SKy, EF are generally underdogs at the biggest races on the calendar with only two WorldTour wins in 2018.

In addition to an apparel sponsorship, the partnership between Slipstream Sports and Rapha is intended to provide exposure of the rider and brand beyond the results sheet of the biggest races. In addition to balancing the riders ambitions at the Classics and Grand Tours, EF-Drapac will also participate in “criteriums, ultra-endurance races and renowned mixed-terrain events.”

These events will bring the team closer to the public which participates in cycling at a broader level. The riders will still seek high profile victories and celebrate when they achieve their loftiest goals but as interest in gravel racing and cyclocross rises the team seems set on expanding its calendar evolving to meet new interests.

In addition to expanding their presence in cycling, the team and Rapha will create content to tell stories using EF riders and staff. Social seems set to play an important role in this partnership to reach cyclists. “Together, Rapha and EF will celebrate the team’s characters and heroes, and will explore not only the traditional heart of cycling in the Grand Tours and Classics but also bring new formats and disciplines into focus,” the announcement read.

Canadian Mike Woods fresh off a victory at the Vuelta and third at worlds featured in the partnership announcement as did Americans Taylor Phinney and Lawson Craddock, Colombian Rigoberto Uran, Belgian classics specialists Sep Vanmarcke and Australian Mitch Docker.