BMX Freestyle is making its Olympic Debut in Tokyo this summer, and USA Cycling has tapped Champion® Athleticwear and the Levi’s® Brand to be the official apparel providers for the BMX Freestyle National Team. As these athletes ascend to the highest platform in the sport, both Levi’s® and Champion® understand how imperative it is to bring the best design and the most innovative technology to the BMX team’s debut competition clothing.
Video By: Terrell Gordy (REEL Visuals)
Inspired by the retro style of BMX in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, the Levi’s® U.S. BMX Freestyle Team jean pays homage to the early days of the sport. Featuring classic Levi’s® dark indigo, the jeans include special trims, a “USA” logo in white above the front left pocket, and a reflective ghost “USA” logo on the back right leg above the hem. The jeans also feature a unique American flag Levi’s® back patch with “Summer 2021” printed on the bottom corner.
Of course, while the style mixes past and present, the function of the jean is pure modern innovation. As the official apparel provider of the USA Cycling BMX Freestyle Team, Levi’s® has worked closely with the riders to develop a jean that is loaded with both stretch and recovery, and that’s durable enough to take the sort of beating that BMX riders routinely dish out. Many types of stretch performance fabrics can tear easily, leaving a rider vulnerable when they fall. But the Levi’s® BMX jean is strong enough to provide protection to riders even under the most extreme of conditions. And, of course, the dark indigo color also helps hide the sweat
“We are so honored to partner with the USA Cycling BMX Freestyle Team to design these competition jeans for the athletes,” said Karyn Hillman, Chief Product Officer of Levi Strauss & Co. “It’s such a historic moment for the U.S. team as they make their debut in Tokyo this summer, and we’re thrilled that Levi’s® can be a part of it. We were inspired by the earlier days of BMX riding in the ‘80s and ‘90s for the style of the jean, but we also wanted to be sure to infuse innovation and performance into the jeans. We focused on mobility, durability, and comfort to give these athletes the best gear possible to compete in. We’re really excited to join USA Cycling in ushering BMX Freestyle onto the world’s stage.”
Champion® has carefully curated the BMX Freestyle team uniforms, creating jerseys and other accessories for both the men and women in competition. The jerseys are made from a tri-blend fabric that provides the comfort of cotton, the benefit of recycled polyester and the stretch and retention of spandex. In addition, the material is treated with wicking, Fresh-IQ and X-temp to keep the athletes cool and comfortable in competition. Each jersey is custom fit to the athlete’s preferences and constructed with sew free hems to provide zero distraction.
“Champion® is passionate about sports and has been making innovative athletic apparel since 1919,” said Jon Ram, Group President of Global Activewear for Hanesbrands Inc. “We understand the countless hours that athletes spend prepping for the world’s greatest stage, so we work hard to ensure our country’s top athletes as well as every day backyard sports enthusiasts get the dependable apparel they need. We are so excited to be a part of this historic moment, ushering BMX Freestyle to the Olympics and to support the U.S. team in their groundbreaking performance.”
The jersey designs were created in partnership with USA Cycling and were inspired by the early origins of BMX. The graphics are digitally printed, saving on water and energy used in more traditional printing methods.
BMX Freestyle will have their final Olympic qualification event June 4-8, 2021 in Montpellier, France at the UCI Urban World Championships. The contest will decide how many starting positions, one or two, the U.S. men’s team will have at the Olympic Games, along with the final roster for the men and two women. The USA Cycling BMX Freestyle team will compete at the Olympic Games on July 31-August 1, 2021 at the Ariake Urban Sports Park in Tokyo, Japan.
