Matteo Trentin (CCC team) has unveiled a specially decorated anti-COVID-19 shoe to be used when racing resumes in the summer.

The Sidishot shoes depict a medical worker confronting a giant COVID-19 coronavirus molecule, designed by fantasy artist MJ Hiblen (opens in new tab). According to Trentin, the shoes will be auctioned at the end of the 2020 season for the "Regala un sogno" charity auction.

"Here are the new Sidi Sportshots for the last spurt of the season," Trentin wrote in an Instagram post, proudly holding up one of the shoes to show the design. [MJ Hiblen's design immediately struck a chord with the message he wanted to convey. It is also a thank you to all the medical professionals who fought on the front lines against this new enemy."

"I can't wait to use it in the race. It will be yours at the end of the season, thanks to a charity auction on regalaunsogno.org (opens in new tab).

Trentin joined the CCC team from Mitchelton Scott for 2020, and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on February 29 was his last race; he spent time with his young family in Monaco during COVID-19, but now his schedule has changed He has resumed training for the 2020 season.

Trentin will race the Tour de France and the Cobbled Classics, sharing team leadership with Greg van Avermaat. Like other CCC teammates, Trencin accepted a significant pay cut after the COVID-19 coronavirus caused the CCC chain of shoe stores to struggle to finance the team.

While Jim Ochowicz was typically upbeat last week about finding a new sponsor, Trentin is determined to do his part to keep the team alive. He has a contract that runs through 2021, but he also knows he is in the running for his own future.

"When I was first approached about sponsorship, it was like being struck by lightning, but the team is trying hard to continue and they want to continue," Trentin recently told Cycling News.

"The situation is a little sad because we are caught up in the economics of the coronavirus. The pandemic has exposed all the problems that cycling has from an economic standpoint. As a team we are dependent on our sponsors and they have thousands of outlets all over Europe.

"Right now we are focused on racing.