Van der Poel now fully dressed by Kalas: after Alpecin-Deceuninck, KNWU also joins the partnership

Great news for the KNWU: the Dutch Cycling Union announced Thursday that Kalas will provide the clothing for the orange selections until at least 2028. They have worked with the Dutch cycling clothing company AGU in recent years, but that partnership is ending.

For one rider, the Kalas clothing will feel familiar: Mathieu van der Poel at Alpecin-Deceuninck has been riding in the Czech brand's clothing for some time. Earlier this year, he gave Kalas another boost by becoming the cyclo-cross world champion in Tabor, the brand's homeland.

They are also delighted at the KNWU. "The cooperation with Kalas reflects the ambition of the KNWU to work only with the very best partners in the field of performance. Kalas is known for its technological innovations and clothing designs that take athletes' performance to the next level. Moreover, Kalas is committed to sustainable production processes and corporate social responsibility," it sounds.

Daniel Heijne, Chief Commercial Officer of the KNWU, speaks on behalf of the Cycling Union. "With Kalas, we have found a partner that perfectly matches our values and objectives in the fields of top sport, recreational sport, and sustainability. We look forward to collaborating and providing our riders with the best performance clothing during international competitions and the LA 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, where we want to excel both on and off the bike."

The brand is also pleased. "We are excited about the cooperation with the KNWU and dedicated to strengthening the national selections with our expertise in cycling clothing," says Josef Filip, CEO of the company. "This partnership allows us to work with one of the best-performing cycling federations in the world. We share a passion for innovation and delivering top performance while providing the best possible service to all riders and members."

So, Kalas is not new at the highest level. "Our experience with similar collaborations, such as with the UCI WorldTeam Alpecin-Deceuninck and the Czech Cycling Federation, as well as our role as official supplier of the Great Britain Cycling Team for the past eight years, makes us proud to add the KNWU to this impressive list of partners," it sounds.

One day earlier, KNWU said goodbye to AGU as a partner. "Thanks to the increasing possibilities that innovation processes offer us in optimizing aerodynamics, we have made a big step forward with AGU. Especially in the sprint sections, this can make the difference between winning and losing. Meeting the needs of all the different cycling disciplines is a mammoth task. I would, therefore, like to thank AGU for all its efforts in recent years and wish the entire team all the best for the future," Heijne said.

Marijn Romer, CEO at previously ailing AGU, also reflected on the cooperation with joy. "We have had the pleasure of providing the Dutch selection with the best and fastest clothing, which is also available to all cyclists in our collections.' Both parties are entering the next phase, and we are ending the cooperation by mutual agreement. We want to thank the KNWU for the wonderful collaboration."