📸 Alpecin-Deceuninck unveils special "Poupou" jersey on rest day to honor Poulidor's Ventoux victory

The campaign, launched five years ago, was part of the Merci Poupou initiative. This charity aims to provide children from all backgrounds with the opportunity to participate in sports and physical activity. The jersey that Alpecin-Fenix wore at the time was based on the Mercier-Hutchinson outfit that Poulidor himself wore. The purple and yellow jersey immediately became a classic. In the years that followed, the team devised a new tribute every year, and this year is no exception. The colors of Team Gan-Mercier-Hutchinson are back, and there's a reason for that.

“This year's edition is extra important because it marks the fifth anniversary of the start of the campaign, but also the 60th anniversary of Raymond Poulidor's historic victory on top of Mont Ventoux in 1965,” the team said in a press release. To celebrate the two anniversaries, Alpecin-Deceuninck is unveiling a jersey that the team will wear on the rest day. The kit is dark blue with light blue shoulders, a white stripe across the chest, and pink sleeves.

Because the Tour de France will finish atop the Ventoux on Tuesday, the jersey is especially symbolic. The release of the shirt is being combined with a fundraising campaign. This includes an auction and the sale of the special shirts. A special CANYON bike can also be won via Vive le Vélo. So far, the Merci Poupou campaign has raised more than €500,000.