At the end of every season, professional cycling’s design teams are hard at work refreshing their look for the upcoming year. Human Powered Health™ is no exception and has once again joined forces with Pactimo to create a design that complements both the vision and rich history of the programme.
Featuring a brand-first approach that the team has nicknamed “Boltman”, the new logo takes prominence on the back of the kit and is sure to stand out as the team enters the Women’s WorldTour.
As the first jersey for the newly-christened Human Powered Health team, it was pivotal that the 2022 design, proudly modeled by Kaia Schmid and Gavin Mannion, did more than just look good, it also had to carry a message.
- Official personalised health solutions partner Thorne play a starring role on the New Jersey.
- Gavin Mannion shows off the finished kit in all its glory.
“We hope it paints a picture of what Human Powered Health stands for,” said chief creative officer Sam Wiebe. “It’s not just about being physically fit – it’s about inspiring people of all fitness levels and walks of life that a little movement of the body and care for our mind can change our lives.”
Art director Emily Saint.Onge was at the forefront of taking the jersey from words on a page to the Pactimo canvas, and crafted many iterations as part of the process.
“We looked at every angle to find designs that were cohesive all across the Human Powered Health brand we were developing at that time,” says Saint.Onge. “Once the brand identity itself was looking more finished, it was then when I started branching off on different ideas for the jersey.”
For the first time ever, a professional racing team undertook the unique task of building a brand from the ground up. More than a “collection of logos on a jersey”, the “Boltman” meant breaking new ground for the team at Circuit Sport.
“We collaborated with some great artists on the identity itself,” said Wiebe. “Originally, Justin Wambolt-Reynolds and I played with ideas around this concept of “powering up” with energy and lightning. Then, we consulted with an old friend and super-designer Ross Bruggink in Minneapolis. He really brought Justin and our ideas fully to life.”
Having settled on an orange base to continue the team’s lineage since 2012, with “orange” tinted sponsors Optum and Rally, the art team then looked at complimentary colours that would invoke the soul of Human Powered Health.
“We knew what we wanted it to be, fun and encouraging to everyone trying to have better healthier lives whether it’s physical or mental wellness,” added Wiebe. “That’s how the purple came in – it felt very holistic and wellness related when matched with orange and yellow. From there we started picking colours in that spectrum for the final jersey. We then added a dark blue for contrast to make the jersey even more striking.”
Saint.Onge then cracked how these colours would represent the full spectrum of wellness, a heat map style gradient in the style of a thumb print.
“The gradient felt more human and personal,” Saint.Onge explains. “As humans we aren’t perfect and we try not to be too rigid, so that spilled into our design and how the colors work together.
“We put a lot of time and effort into the design but also the colors and testing to see if they transition smoothly. Sam and I spent many hours going over fabric tests with different oranges, fuschia/reds, purples, and blues, fine-tuning a colour palette for the gradient.”
Now the jersey has been shown to the public, Saint.Onge can reflect on the countless hours that went into its creation.
“This is a great first jersey to show the public and fans what Human Powered Health is about. I’m really proud of how it turned out.”
The new kit debuts at the January training camp in Portugal before first being raced in by the men at the Clásica de Almeria in February and by the women at the Strade Bianche in March. This stunning design is sure to help the team stand out in a technicoloured peloton.