So I was watching the 2003 Paris Roubaix, and the current World Champ (Peter Van Petegem)was wearing a striped jersey with the W.C. stripes, however they were yellow,orange, red, purple, aqua and blue instead of the classic yellow, green, black, red and blue.
Is this is only for certain races?
When did they change the colours?
Can anybody tell me what's up?

That was for being the leader of the UCI World Cup, rather than winning the World Championships. The World Championship Road Race is a one day race held in the fall, and the winner gets to wear the rainbow jersey for the next year. That jersey usually has horizontal stripes.

The World Cup was a series of ten one-day races spread throughout the season with five in the spring, and five in the late summer / fall if I recall correctly. Riders would get points for their placings in each race, and the rider with the highest cumulative total would wear the leader's jersey. This jersey was a little different from the World Champion's jersey because it had the rainbow stripes oriented vertically. 2004 was the last year the World Cup competition was held, as it has been phased out with the introduction of the UCI Pro Tour. Paolo Bettini was a great competitor in the World Cup series, and if memory serves correctly, he won the overall title 3 times.

Thanks HG,
one more q. while wearing the world cup jersey is peter van p the current season's points leader (of the races to date) or the previous season's cumulative winner?

If I am not mistaken, the 'Zwarte van Brakel' (van P's nickname) is wearing that jersey as that particular season's points leader. Similar to the yellow jersey in the Tour de France.

I know that World Champions retain their rainbow stripes throughout their career (one season in full effect; later on in a less visible fashion). I don't know what the World Cup Winners do and don't do with their decorations.

That is correct. The jersey can change hands several times during the season.

Correct about the Rainbow Stripes. Only a reigning or former World Champion can display them on their uniform. It bothers me to see Lance wearing a normal kit without the stripes on his sleeve.

Similarly, only a current or former U.S.National Champion can display the stars and stripes on their jersey.
Or at least that was the case a few years ago. Not sure if it's still valid. The USCF sometimes makes stupid changes without apparent reason.

IMO, the World Cup stripes look like something from That 70s Show.

I gotta say that the U.S. champion jersey is by far the ugliest jersey in the peloton. Triple yuck!

How many years has the US national champion jersey been seen in the European peloton?

One thing that has been debated is whether or not riders who have been World Champion in non road events should be allowed to wear their stripes while on the road. For example, should Michael Rasmussen wear his mountain biking champion stripes now that he's a road racer?

I think the US national champion's jersey is kind of hard to pull off. Is there a version that you like in particular. I've tried finding one that "looked right," but haven't yet.

Quick question: have any of you WON a National Championship?

Doesn't the meaning of the jersey far outweigh the design?

If ugly is illegal, we're all going to jail.

I think there is a Moorish gypsy in his genealogy.

Interesting... I never noticed that he doesn't.

BTW, the stripes rule seems to apply to amateurs as well. My club has a guy who has WC stripes on his club jersey (he was a Masters WC on the track).

He did wear them for a while on his usps kit... so did Ekimov

Here's some examples I found.

okay, now that we have covered wc stripes on unis, what about 'arc-en-ciel' stripes on bikes? What does that mean, and how, if they are merely not decoration, does a bike frame attain these? And do the stripes, if they indeed have to be earned, apply to just one frame or a frame manufcaturer or what?

Some riders really want you to know that they were WC.



This rider also has stripes on his gloves.

Who's that guy? just kidding.
Tho, feel bad for all those who bought his zebra AND wc striped BIKE 2 years ago. Good luck hawking that on eBay. Personnally, while the colours are classic, I would feel like a bit of a twit in a WC jersey. My same feelings about wearing a yellow jersey. It kinda screams, "Go number one! (I have no clue who or what, but it must be good, it's winning)"

Regarding the "Olympic Bands" as they're called, I own 3 "banded" bikes, 2 of which I'm sure has never had a rider on it anywhere near a postal code where the world champs was ever held. So I think the rules are pretty loosey goosey. I gather it was a pretty common aesthetic/design element in the 70's & 80's that any builder could order the waterslide decals and slap em on.

2002 bianchi: brand-yes for sure, my particular frame, vigorelli-no way
1984 marinoni: i think merckx and lance rode one in the champs- right
1976 le croco: nada chance

BTW thanks everyone for the posts and clearing up the jersey issue...

I'm not sure how relevant this is, but this is my favorite of the stripe paint jobs:
https://www.velonews.com/images/report/7211.9689.f.jpg

That's the Tammy Fea Baker of paint schemes.

Hehe I have no idea what that means

Do you mean for you? It's not available for the public.

A friend has a masters rainbow for women's XC. She showed me the rules she has to abide by ... who what when where how.

really? kinda gawdy ...right? too many colors ...just like her makeup. hee hee