“If you rep your country and your country reps you at the same time, pride goes both ways. We want athletes to feel like we are proud of them, and that what they do is important and deserves to be recognized.”
– Samuel Clairoux, Argon 18 Product Graphic Designer
A World Championship on home soil, one year after Magdeleine captured gold, twenty-three years since Canada last hosted, and twelve weeks until the first rainbow stripes are handed out offers a rare opportunity to define what it means to wear the maple leaf. For us, this moment demanded something special. It called for a design that honoured our athletes, celebrates Montréal, and reflects the pride and legacy of this transformative moment for Canadian Cyclists.
From the beginning, the brief was clear. Canadian pride and the maple leaf were the tentpoles for the greater concept. Nick Monette and Samuel Clairoux from Jakroo and Argon 18 respectively took the reins on the design and began shaping that vision in 2025. Jakroo and Argon 18 each play a crucial role in shaping the high‑performance gear that helps our athletes excel, so having them lead this project was critical. Through months of conversations, working through multiple design concepts, and a drive to make our athletes proud, the team produced the Canadian National Team jersey and commemorative kit, exclusively for MTL 2026, a design that we are beyond proud to share with Canada.
The first theme that anchored the design was Canadian pride. 2025 proved something the team already believed: when Canadian athletes win, the whole country feels it. We wanted this kit to carry that energy, and more so we wanted our athletes to feel that they earned that when they put it on.
The second theme pulled on Montréal itself. If you’ve ever visited the city during a Habs playoff run or F1 weekend, you know how they become enmeshed in the city’s fabric. This embrace of big events and the city’s love for its home teams guided the visual elements in the jerseys.
It’s a city known worldwide as an arts and culture capital as well. From global exports like Cirque du Soleil and Celine Dion to weekly drum circles at the World Championship start line on Parc Avenue. Sport and art are never far apart in this city. A dip into any of the weekly group rides in the city will make it clear that Montreal’s fashion sense bleeds into its bike scene. Whether that’s early mornings, at the foot of the mountain where the locals try to hit Strava PRs or gathering under the bridge for after work social rides. Montreal’s riders are always on the cutting edge of kit design. We knew that if we wanted to do something special, we had to push the boundaries of what we’d done in the past.
You’ll see classic design elements from the city’s sporting past and a home and away concept drawn from the ice. A red racing jersey and a grey training jersey, inspired by the 2026 Olympic hockey teams.
Chequered Grand Prix flags appear as a reference to the city’s motorsport soul.
And the shapes and geometry throughout draw from the funky patterns of the MTL Expo 67 design, weaving vintage inspiration from International Competitions Montréal 1975 Worlds, into something that feels entirely modern. The result is a jersey that feels unmistakably Montréal: bold, proud, and rooted in heritage.
The kit also grew out of our Made in Canada campaign, reflecting the journey of Canadian cyclists at every level of the sport. Canada has a long history of turning heads with its Olympic parade gear and we wanted to continue that tradition. The deep, confident red of the home jersey was chosen with intention, bold enough to stand out on a world stage.
Argon 18’s commemorative Montréal 2026 bike was built to complete the story. Its proud red Canadian colouring, and subtle nods to the city’s sporting culture make it the perfect match to the jersey, giving our athletes a cohesive visual identity that feels intentional and distinctly Canadian.
Only a handful of these custom designed bikes exist—and for a limited time, four of them will be made available to the public for bid. These are not replicas—they are official Team Canada race spares, destined for use at Road Worlds before being released to the highest bidders.
click here FOR MORE INFORMATION ON the NITROGEN PRO SILENT auction
At its core, this kit is about recognition. As Samuel Clairoux puts it, “If an athlete puts this on and feels that their country sees them, that their work matters, that they are celebrated, then my job is done.”
When our athletes are on the start line this September, we hope they feel every bit of pride that went into making this kit. And above all, we hope that they know the entire country is behind them.
You can shop the Montréal 2026 Commemorative Kit now, whether you rep the home or away kit, by visiting the Cycling Canada Shop or in store/online at Bici.cc.
