This year’s Rapha Women’s 100 will encourage female cyclists to recruit an ‘invisible peloton’ and ride 100km on 6 September 2020 to celebrate women in cycling.
Now in its eighth year, the worldwide group ride for women usually sees mass rides take place all over the world. However, this year, due to coronavirus, the event will take place virtually.
To inspire riders, this year’s event will encourage women to ride with their ‘invisible peloton’ and log their mileage via the Rapha Women’s 100 Strava challenge. The invisible peloton concept was coined by cyclist Emily Chappell, who is supporting Rapha’s initiative, to describe the inspirational riders she thinks of when on a gruelling solo ride.
'[It] was borne 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,' says Chappell. 'You don’t have any strength left of your own, so you start borrowing other people’s.'
Alongside Chappell, the event will also be supported by British athlete and Paralympian Kadeena Cox, Lyndsey Fraine, a producer who uses cycling to ease her endometriosis, Jools Walker, an author and presenter who champions inclusivity in cycling, and Shuhena Islam, a lawyer and cycling advocate who encourages Muslim women and people of colour to cycle.
Rapha has designed a special limited edition Women’s 100 cycling kit featuring jerseys, bib shorts, socks and a cap. It will also offer route recommendations on its website, training sessions on Zwift and, where possible, guided group rides from its Rapha Clubhouses.
