Rapha has launched the latest Women’s 100 collection, fronted by five female ambassadors, including Transcontinental winner Emily Chappell, in preparation for the eighth edition of the brand’s annual 100km ride on 6 September.
This year’s limited-edition kit was inspired by the ‘invisible peloton’, as described by bike messenger turned ultra-endurance rider Chappell in her book, Where There’s a Will.
The Invisible Peloton was born of that desperation you feel when you reach the bottom of the tank, realise you still have much further to go, and start frantically grasping at anything that might possibly keep you going, just a bit longer. You don’t have any strength left of your own, so you start borrowing other people’s.
Emily Chappell
Those words may be more poignant now than ever, with pandemic restrictions meaning more people have been riding solo than ever before.
Group rides in the name of the Women’s 100 may be put on hold in some parts of the world, but the opportunity to welcome, encourage and celebrate women in the sport certainly will not.
In previous years, the kit has been showcased by the Canyon//SRAM professional cycling team during the Women’s Tour stage race. This year, the Women’s 100 campaign is fronted by a formidable line-up of five riders, described by Rapha as “wildly inspiring women who stand tall in aid of diversity and inclusion within cycling communities and beyond.”
The kit is modelled by Chappell, who was the first woman across the line in the 2016 Transcontinental race; Shuhena Islam, a lawyer and cycling enthusiast advocating for more Muslim women to enjoy cycling; author and presenter Jools Walker; Kadeena Cox, a Paralympic medallist and track world champion; and Lyndsey Fraine, a producer who also works to raise awareness of endometriosis.
The 2020 Women’s 100 launch comes a few weeks after Rapha launched its commitment to diversity, inclusion and greater equality, pledging to spend 50 per cent of its 2021 athlete sponsorship on riders from underrepresented groups, including Black, Asian, minority ethnic (BAME) and LGBTQ+ cyclists and female teams and riders.
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The 2020 Rapha Women’s 100 Collection
Rapha has used geometric shapes in aqua blue, coral and pale pink contrast against royal blue to create a striking design for this year’s Women’s 100 kit.
Two different jerseys are on offer: the performance-led Pro Team Aero Jersey (RRP £145 / €175 / $195) and the entry-level Core Jersey, with a more relaxed but still tailored fit (RRP £60 / €70 / $80).
The Women’s 100 Core Bib Shorts are designed with day-long comfort in mind and include a women’s-specific chamois and wide leg grippers.
The detailing on these are subtle, with the pink and blue design on one leg cuff, plus the Women’s 100 logo on the thigh (RRP £85 / €100 / $115).
Accessories include socks – predominantly white with flashes of colour, based on Rapha’s quality Pro Team Socks (RRP £15 / €17.50 / $20) – and a cycling cap, in the same bold colourway as the jerseys (RRP £20 / €25 / $30).
- Buy the Women's 100 kit from Rapha
How to get involved in the Rapha Women’s 100
The Rapha Women’s 100 encourages women around the world to ride 100km on Sunday 6 September.
You can now sign up to the Rapha Women's 100 Strava Challenge and can keep an eye out for weekly riders’ workshops leading up to the event on Rapha's Women's 100 page.
Group and training rides will be hosted where restrictions allow, with route recommendations from all regional teams and Rapha Clubhouses.
