If the shoe fits, wear it. And if the shoe really stands out, we’ll feature it here, in our top five special shoes from the pro peloton.
Custom kicks are becoming more and more common in the pro peloton so we take a look at 5 of the best
The use of BOA and BOA-like dials has exploded in the past two seasons, with most shoes employing some type of wire closure. And many brands are having fun customizing the dials as well as the uppers of the pros’ shoes.
While a number of companies are doing limited-edition or even custom creations for top riders, we have to give our number-one spot to a hand-created work.
5. Peter Sagan’s collection of Specialized S-Works 6s
Being world champion comes with a few privileges, including a seemingly unlimited supply of high-end footwear.
Peter Sagan has worn a few limited-edition styles of the Specialized S-Works 6 this season, but our favorite is this green number with a mirrored heel cup.
Specialized has been selling small batches of the limited edition S-Works 6 shoes — but only one man gets the reflection of the rainbow stripes bouncing off of his shiny shoes.
4. Greg Van Avermaet's Rocket 7s
On the other end of the flashy spectrum, Greg Van Avermaet’s black and white shoes are fairly plain from a distance. But GVA appears to be more interested in go than show. The outsoles of his Rocket 7 shoes are custom molded to his feet.
Judging from his wins at the Olympics and Paris-Roubaix, among other races, the shoe does indeed seem to fit.
3. Andrew Greipel’s Gorilla Gaernes
How many G words can we string together here? Andre ‘Gorilla’ Greipel’s great Giro-grabbing Gaernes go gangbusters.
Two BOA IP1 dials and a Velcro strap lock down the fit on the G Stilo’s upper, which is made from a single piece of micro fiber.
2. Bahrain’s white-and-gold Sidi Shots
Bahrain-Merida has not yet won royally in the WorldTour, but its gold, blue and red kit does look kingly.
Although Sidi has slipped from its near total dominance upon the pro peloton’s feet, it is still a very popular shoe in the WorldTour. And, hey, GOLD.
1. Jempy Drucker’s hand-drawn Giro Empires
Every other shoe on this list features graphics and designs that were handed to a rider. Jempy Drucker hand-drew his graphics with touches from home.
On his left foot, the BMC rider has Luxembourg’s skyline and SuperJhemp, a Luxembourg comic book character.
Jempy and his wife have an English bulldog named Elvis, who stars prominently on his right foot, along with a quote from the other Elvis: "Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine."
Speaking of V8 engines, Drucker has a ’65 Mustang at home.
