by Anna Magrath | Mar 14, 2012
Some of the Cycling Shorts. boys and girls have got their hands on the pre release howies Men’s Brenin Cycling Jacket to put it through it’s paces.
If you’re not familiar with howies they’re an independent active clothing company based in the beautiful Cardigan Bay in Wales, UK. The company has a passion for cycling and the outdoors. They produce high quality and environmentally friendly thoughtfully designed products. howies have recently taken to sponsoring track cycling, now they are turning their attention to the road. This is the first time howies have ventured into road cycling specific clothing. Having such a good reputation we would be expecting nothing less than great… is it a tall order?!
Brenin Windstopper Jacket
The lightweight shell pack-away jacket is made from 100 percent recycled polyester. It features stretch and wicking fabric in the arms and side panels for unrestricted movement when cycling. It is being sold predominantly as a Men’s jacket but we’ve found it really works for the girls too with it’s stretch fit.
Design details include a zipped chest pocket with earphone cable slot on the inside and an internal clip to attach your keys. Reflective bars on the cuffs and hips, a reflective logo on the chest pocket, adjustable hem and soft fleece lined collar. The jacket rolls up and zips into it’s chest pocket for storage with the key clip becoming a clip to secure the jacket pouch to you while riding.
The windstopper qualities of this jacket are excellent and we love the breathable panels on the arms they allow you to stay warm without overheating. The wicking properties of the fabrics are very good. It doesn’t feel like a crisp packet as these jackets often can, the fabric actually feels very soft. Although the jacket isn’t described as being water or showerproof we were pleasantly surprised that when we got caught out in the rain the core of our bodies were totally dry and the only damp areas where our outer arms but they dried out quickly while cycling. The jacket is very easy to care for and well constructed. You can just leave mud to dry on and let it crumble off, rinse it under the tap or just pop it in the washing machine at 30 degrees. It can’t be tumble dried but it dries very quickly on it’s own and if required you can give it a warm iron….
[flagallery gid=14 name=Brenin Jacket]
Click SL (slideshow) or FS (fullscreen)
What the boys say…
Good length at the back to cover your rear and protect it from mud when on the bike. It looks good off the bike too, it’s not too obvious that you’re wearing a road cycling jacket. We love the chest pocket for you phone, MP3 or other device it has a slot on the inside to feed your headphones through from the pocket up to your ears, protecting the cable as much as possible from the elements. You can also clip your keys into the pocket. Initially we had mixed feelings on only having one pocket but the general consensus was one was fine; you have other layers that contain more than enough packets and the position of the zipped pocket is perfect. The soft fleece lining on the collar is welcome on a cold damp day and it isn’t the sort of fleece that will stick to your stubble and make you look like you’ve been intimate with a wookie. The soft shell construction means it’s ideal for days when you don’t want to carry other bulkier layers around with you. It fits neatly into your jersey back pocket like a cycling cape or gilet would.
What the girls say…
Us girls don’t get very excited when presented by men’s/unisex clothing… we have visions of looking like we’re wearing our dad’s cast offs but we were more than happy when the Brenin Jacket landed on the doorstep. We all have our own styles and we come in assorted shapes and sizes so it was going to be a challenge for the Brenin to please everyone. The biggest test was going to be the fit. First impressions out of the bag were good. Well made and nice design touches.
Sizing… well obviously the sizing is in howies men’s S,M,L and XL, this seems to translate as small being a women’s generous 10-12 and medium a 14-16 (and so on). The sizing is flexible thanks to the stretch fabric panels and it will of course depend on how many layers you intend to wear under the jacket as to which size you require.
It fits your curves thanks to it’s uniques side stretch panels that hug your body. If you’re short in the body most female (never mind unisex or mens) shell jackets are a problem as the waist often sits on your hips which means it’s too narrow to zip up comfortably and the hip part of the jacket is somewhere further down and in Anna’s case generally somewhere near her knees. With the Brenin the extra stretch accommodates curves so you don’t end up looking like you’re sporting a high tech bin liner. If the Brenin is too long you can use the adjustable hem to lift it up. Sleeve length is obviously a problem for shorter ladies on unisex clothing as they can be hanging off the ends of your hands but the elasticated cuffs and slim cut sleeve of the Brenin mean you don’t have a balloon of fabric on each arm. The cut really is great for most heights and shapes. We would like to see an XS in the range at some point… Oh and can we have more colours please?!
To sum up… In the very apt words of that influential cyclist Shakira (well I’m sure she must at least own a bike), if your breasts are “small and humble” or even like some (I’m paraphrasing here) “mountainous region” this jacket will work for you… and dare I push it too far… I feel I can’t help myself… our “hips don’t lie”… ok that was too much…. but I know you were all thinking it! Thankfully that has drained my vast knowledge of Columbian songstresses lyrics… The Brenin gets top marks from the girls!… Buy one for the other half, I’m sure he won’t notice if you borrow it!
It’s the first time we can really say… one style fits all!
Jacket weight: 200g
Size when packed away: 14x12x7cms
Available in UK Men’s Sizes: S, M, L, XL
Price: £100
Available from: howies stores and howies online now!
Pros:
excellent adaptable fit for both men and women
Packs away neatly inside it’s own zipped pocket
reflective hi-vis areas
breathable
stretch panels
easy grip zip pull
excellent windstopper
lightweight
unrestricted movement
zipped pocket
internal earphone cable slot
flattering shape
adjustable hem
environmentally friendly (made from recycled materials)
extremely well constructed
responsibly manufactured
Cons:
No colour options (yet)
Doesn’t come in female specific sizes (a problem for ladies under a UK size 10).
Same problem at the other end of the scale for the more substantial gentleman.
Pricer than some other brands but you have to take into account the eco, ethical and quality standards for the product that other brands don’t necessarily meet.
The Brenin is a favourite of ours it’s earned itself one of our “Star Buy” ratings!
by Heather Bamforth | Feb 29, 2012
Marianne Britten
Interview with the Team Captain of VC St Raphael Women’s Team and lead British Cycling points scorer for Elite Women in 2010 and 2011.
How did you get into cycling?
As a youngster I grew up riding horses and used to compete in tetrathlon, that’s swimming, running, horse-riding and shooting at Pony Club. That ends when you reach 21 so I was looking for another sport similar so ended up trying triathlon. I quickly realised that cycling was the most fun out of all the disciplines and so started to focus on that with a local bike club. I quickly fell in love with the whole sport and so here I am. I never tire of striving to achieve more, cycling is a great leveller so you never quite feel like you’ve conquered everything, leaving you thirsty for more.
You work full time but still manage to be successful on the bike – how do you manage your time?
Managing my time is very difficult. Some years I have reduce my hours over the season to give myself a break but then it’s still not easy and I have raced the last 2 seasons having worked full time. I’m very lucky to work for such an understanding group of people as they are very flexible with me allowing me to work from home and flex my hours so that I can train and race. I love my job and it’s the reason why I have never tried to be a full-time bike rider, for me I have to have other things in my life other than riding the bike. My partner Jason also helps me out a great deal and is often ferrying me around to races…allowing me to sleep on the way!
You’ve won many races and have a number of National Champion jerseys – which would you say is your proudest achievement and why?
The Masters titles I have won mean a great deal to me but my proudest moments have come this year taking the sprinters jersey at the Bedford 2-day and getting on the podium at the Hillingdon GP, finally perhaps putting myself on the radar as a sprinter. I always take pleasure in doing the best I can and if a result comes from that then that’s a bonus.
What would you say to anybody who is thinking of starting racing, especially as it can be daunting getting on a start line for the first time? Any top tips?
First of all I can’t stress how important it is to develop your bunch riding skills before attempting to race, going out with a local bike club is a good way to learn some of these skills and gain confidence of riding with people around you and at speeds you wouldn’t by yourself. There are also a few Women’s training sessions that you can attend which are excellent. Then when you are confident, try to pick races that are within your reach to start with, perhaps local women’s races, don’t try to take on too much too soon as you can easily find yourself out of your depth both in terms of speed and technique. Always be realistic about your ability and recognise your strengths, some riders are better over hilly terrain and some are better at sprinting. Recognising these and targeting races to suit you will mean you will have positive experiences and enjoy the sport more. Don’t be swayed to do every race on the calendar just because everyone else is, be confident in your own training and race plan and stick with it. Most importantly it’s about your sport being fun.
Is there any advice in particular that you have been given over the years which has helped you to succeed that you could share with us?
I read a book once by Lance Armstrong, one of his quotes was that “pain is in the moment but failure is forever”. That’s something that has stayed with me and I try to remember when I am racing. Being the best that I can be is what I strive for so I train hard to save myself from disappointment.
Do you have any sporting heroes? Do you see anything in them that you could model yourself on?
I did a bike race a few years ago where a certain Lizzie Armistead rode and lapped the field twice. I witnessed first hand something special that day and hopefully she will pull on a rainbow jersey one day. I’d like to think like her I have some steely determination and a bit of a sprint at the end….just a little less of her talent!
Do you have a favourite event or circuit? What about the event/circuit do you like so much?
My favourite circuit has to be one local to me, at Thruxton Motor circuit. I love the circuit because it’s tough with the rise before the finish and can be very fast in places. When I heard that the National Master Road Race was being held there instead of the original road circuit I knew I was in with a chance at winning the title I’d been after for 4years, which I did and was delighted.
You have recently become the official Team Captain to the VC St Raphael Women’s Team, which in itself is one of the new kids on the block. How do you see the team evolving?
I’m excited and honoured at taking on that role, other teams have asked me to captain them over the last few years but I’ve not felt ready until now. I hope that I can lead the team to work together and get results. We now have a strong mix of riders covering track, road and time trials. It is a great mix of youth and experience and we have some exciting new talent joining the team as well as the hard core from last year. Having had 2 excellent training weekends over the winter I think we are ready to test our legs and get working together as a team, Cheshire Classic will be our first event.
Do you have any aspirations for the 2012 season?
Mainly I want the team to get some results and work together, a result for a teammate means just as much. I’d like to defend my National titles and perhaps the sprinters jersey at Bedford 2-day again.
Where would you like to be in two years’ time?
I’d like to be still riding my bike and enjoying it, perhaps with a World or European Masters title to my name.
by Darryl Kotyk | Feb 27, 2012
The Race Across America (RAAM) is one of the most challenging and rewarding races in the world. It’s something that many cyclists aspire to achieve and I know it’s on the mind of at least a few of you right now.
This photo from last year’s Race Across America is one of my favorite cycling photos ever. Not only did I have to share it with all of you, I wanted to let you know more about the photographer, location, and rider pictured in it as well. It’s a beautiful cycling photo, but just might serve as motivation for you as well.
Dex Tooke in Monument Valley RAAM 2011 – Photo by Dan Joder
Photo Details:
Date: June 17, 2011
Camera: Nikon D90, f/11, 1/125, ISO200, 70-300 Nikkor zoom at 100mm
Description of photo by Dan Joder:
This is a classic image of RAAM–the solo rider climbing a long grade in the spectacular Monument Valley. Although there was almost no traffic in the area, there were two or three cars on the road in the far distance as Dex approached my lens–I had hoped to have a completely clear highway to emphasize the feeling of emptiness and space. The clone tool in Photoshop took care of the motor vehicle problem and turned the image into what I felt and saw when I was there. I also experimented with various versions of this image from B&W to different special effects as Dex was, at one time, considering the image for the cover of his book.
Dan Joder
Although Dan has spent the past 25 years of his life as a Cat 3 (and presently a Masters) bike racer, he doesn’t consider his photography to be focused on cycling. Generally his photos are of nature, landscapes, and streets. But when he crewed for his friend, Dex Tooke, in the 2011 Race Across America that all changed.
During last year’s RAAM, Dan’s official job was taking a shift as one of the “Navigators” in the follow van, but whenever his hands were free, he was shooting photos of Dex and the scenery around him.
Going coast to coast at 15mph is a great way to see the country! If you don’t know much about RAAM though, rest assured, it is most certainly the Mt. Everest of competitive ultra cycling. For these riders, the competition is much more an internal, psychological affair than a battle against one another. All, from the fastest to the slowest, deal with fatigue, saddle sores, hallucinations, sleep deprivation, wind, hail, heat, traffic, crew conflicts, navigation errors, mechanical issues and more in their 3000-mile crossing of America.
If you get a chance to crew for a RAAM rider–DO IT!
– Dan Joder
Dex Tooke:
Last year,
Dex Tooke was on his second attempt to tame the Beast that is RAAM. You could say he had some “unfinished business” (his slogan and the likely title of his upcoming book) because, in 2010, he was forced to withdraw just 180 miles short of the finish line in Annapolis. In 2011, he was successful, crossing the finish less than three hours before the time cut-off. By doing so, he became just the sixth rider over 60 years of age to complete the event. To put this in even greater perspective, ten
times more people have climbed Mt. Everest than have successfully finished RAAM as a solo racer.
by Heather Bamforth | Feb 23, 2012
With the National Road Series for Women being open to E/1/2/3 only, with no room at the inn for 4th category riders, British Cycling are working hard to engage with women who are new to bike racing. From the circuit races that are being held at Saltaire, Lancaster, to the training sessions held at Tameside Cycling Circuit, which are complimented with the Tameside Season Starter races at the same circuit, British Cycling are obviously keen to develop women’s riding skills, which Jenny Gretton, North West Regional Event Officer, has been working hard to promote.
You may be forgiven for thinking that these events are just happening in the North West, however this is not the case. There are events across the country, from the North East, to the Midlands, to London and the South West. The purpose of these events is to get women used to riding in a bunch, on closed circuits, where it is safe to learn, without the added fear of some random motorist driving headlong into the bunch, which happened last year on one of the National Road Race Series races.
The majority of these events seem to be in March and April, though, which leaves a gap for the rest of the season. Hopefully, the theory is that the women riding these events will pick up sufficient points to become fledgling third category riders, who are then able to ride the National Road Series.
For those of you who are keen to get on the road though, as opposed to closed circuit races, the Team Series events may be just what you are looking for. These events are put on with the idea of promoting women’s racing, without putting anybody off, so the courses are not necessarily too difficult, more “manageable”. Their popularity has grown over the years, with more and more women entering them – the Bedford 2 Day being one of the most coveted wins in the Series!
But don’t despair if you are looking for an event that caters for everybody later on in the year! That is where Andrew Parker, South West Regional Events Officer at British Cycling can help you. He is organising a three stage, one day event on 15 July 2012 for women, and he is encouraging women who aren’t members of BC to come along and have a go, with the idea that the South West Road Race Work Group will cover the cost of a day licence.
Andrew’s reasoning for the event is as follows: “I think a lot of women’s events tend to be shoehorned into a busy day’s racing and the competitors aren’t given the recognition they are due. I thought it would be good to have a dedicated days racing which can showcase the sport. The format is based on an omnium, with points awarded for each stages placings instead of time, the overall winner will have the least amount of points. I’m hoping that it will be really successful and not only encourage more local women to take up racing but also draw in riders from outside the region.”
The event will include a time trial, handicap road race and a circuit race, and you won’t need to worry about staying over as it is all done on the same day. If you would like any more information, please contact Andrew on [email protected]
Click here to be taken to the stage race webpage.
So there’s even less excuses to ride a stage race now – you don’t even need a racing licence! What more could you need? Get your entries in, it is bound to be popular!
by John Allen | Feb 22, 2012
[flagallery gid=13 name=Gallery]
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London UCI Track Cycling World Cup Gallery
Images ©Copyright John Allen Words by Anna Magrath.
It appears the Olympic Test Event; the UCI Track World Cup Final Round was a great success. There were supposedly minor grumbles from cyclists track centre who would have preferred not to have to trek so far for toilet facilities but everything else seems to have had the thumbs up. It seems the venue has been embraced by the majority of the cycling community in attendance. The track and closely controlled temperature seem to have enabled the athletes to achieve some very fast times with a number of new world records being set.
Team GB came out fighting providing a haul of medals and encouragingly for Team GB they are in areas that will count come the London Olympics. The international cyclists seemed to treat the event as a mini Olympics or World Championships. The times are looking very close amongst the top teams. In the men’s sprinting the German team looked to have breadth and depth, the French and Australian’s too were looking on course for a peak later in the season. The Women’s GB endurance riders seem to be on top form with only minor tinkering needed before the major events of the season. The Men’s endurance team look like they need a little more work but they had a great result (taking silver) with admittedly less time than they would have liked to train together, but they will no doubt be addressing that in the coming months. They seemed very relaxed and happy with their performance so I think we can expect more.
I can’t wait to see the cream of the worlds track cyclists battle it out in Australia for the World Championships, it’s going to be a wonderful summer of competitive cycling. Track cycling is in rude health and it’s a great example to other sports particularly for the camaraderie and respect between teams.
Bring on the World Champs!
RESULTS
MEN’S TEAM PURSUIT
1 AUS Australia 3:54.615
BOBRIDGE Jack
DENNIS Rohan
EDMONDSON Alexander
HEPBURN Michael
2 GBR Great Britain 3:56.330
BURKE Steven
CLANCY Edward
KENNAUGH Peter
THOMAS Geraint
3 NZL New Zealand 3:59.242
BEWLEY Sam
GATE Aaron
GOUGH Westley
RYAN Marc
4 BEL Belgium
DE POORTERE Ingmar
CORNU Dominique
DE KETELE Kenny
DUFRASNE Jonathan
5 RUS Russia
6 NED Netherlands
7 COL Colombia
8 LOK LOKOSPHINX
9 CHI Chile
10 DEN Denmark
Final World Cup Standings
1 AUSTRALIA AUS 42pts
2 NEW ZEALAND NZL 28pts
3 RUSVELO RVL 24pts
4 GREAT BRITAIN GBR 17pts
5 BELGIUM BEL 17pts
6 DENMARK DEN 16pts
7 NETHERLANDS NED 16pts
8 GERMANY GER 14pts
9 COLOMBIA COL 11pts
10 LOKOSPHINX LOK 11pts
MEN’S SPRINT
200m TT
1 HOY Chris GBR 9.932
2 SIREAU Kevin FRA 10.026
3 LEVY Maximilian GER 10.096
4 FÖRSTEMANN Robert GER 10.144
5 NJISANE Phillip TRI 10.148
6 KENNY Jason GBR 10.153
7 PERKINS Shane AUS 10.162
8 BAUGE Gregory FRA 10.217
9 BOTTICHER Stefan ERD 10.218
10 CRAMPTON Matthew SKY 10.234
11 SUNDERLAND Scott AUS 10.250
12 WATANABE Kazunari JPN 10.257
13 DAWKINS Edward NZL 10.272
14 ZHANG Miao CHN 10.277
15 PUERTA ZAPATA Fabian Hernando COL 10.278
16 NAKAGAWA Seiichiro JPN 10.279
1/8 Finals
Heat 1
1 HOY Chris GBR 10.526
2 NAKAGAWA Seiichiro JPN
Heat 2
1 SIREAU Kevin FRA 10.466
2 PUERTA ZAPATA Fabian Hernando COL
Heat 3
1 LEVY Maximilian GER 10.685
2 ZHANG Miao CHN
Heat 4
1 FÖRSTEMANN Robert GER 10.695
2 DAWKINS Edward NZL
Heat 5
1 WATANABE Kazunari JPN 10.538
2 NJISANE Phillip TRI
Heat 6
1 KENNY Jason GBR 10.476
2 SUNDERLAND Scott AUS
Heat 7
1 CRAMPTON Matthew SKY 11.517
2 PERKINS Shane AUS REL
Heat 8
1 BAUGE Gregory FRA 10.577
2 BOTTICHER Stefan ERD
5th to 8th Final
5 KENNY Jason GBR 10.848
6 CRAMPTON Matthew SKY
7 WATANABE Kazunari JPN
8 BAUGE Gregory FRA
1/4 Finals
Heat 1 HOY Chris GBR beat BAUGE Gregory FRA 2-1
Heat 2 SIREAU Kevin FRA beat CRAMPTON Matthew SKY 2-0
Heat 3 LEVY Maximilian GER beat KENNY Jason GBR 2-0
Heat 4 FÖRSTEMANN Robert GER beat WATANABE Kazunari JPN 2-0
Semi Finals
Semi 1 HOY Chris GBR 10.293 beats FÖRSTEMANN Robert GER 2-0
Semi 2 LEVY Maximilian GER beats SIREAU Kevin FRA 2-0
Finals
GOLD HOY Chris GBR beats LEVY Maximillian 2-0
BRONZE FORSTEMANN Robert GER beat SIREAU Kevin FRA 2-1
Final World Cup Standings
1 HOY Chris SKY 24pts
2 LEVY Maximilian GER 20pts
3 DMITRIEV Denis MTT 18pts
4 FORSTEMANN Robert ERD 15pts
5 NJISANE Phillip TRI 14pts
6 CONORD Charlie FRA 12pts
7 BOTTICHER Stefan ERD 12pts
8 SIREAU Kevin FRA 12pts
9 ZHANG Lei CHN 10pts
10 ENDERS Rene GER 9pts
11 CRAMPTON Matthew GBR 9pts
16 KENNY Jason GBR 7pts
WOMEN’S KEIRIN
1st Round (first rider to 1/4 finals, rest to repechage)
Heat 1
1 KRUPECKAITE Simona LTU
2 MCCULLOCH Kaarle AUS
3 PENDLETON Victoria GBR
4 BREZHNIVA Elena PHL
5 HIJGENAAR Yvonne NED
6 LEE Eunji KOR
7 DIEZ Alba CAT
Heat 2
1 JUNHONG Lin GPC
2 GNIDENKO Ekaterina PHL
3 CASAS ROIGE Helena ESP
4 MUSTAPA Fatehah YSD
5 HANSEN Natasha NZL
6 VILERA Mariesthela VEN
7 ALANGO Monika EST
Heat 3
1 VOGEL Kristina GER
2 JANKUTE Gabriele LTU
3 GAVIRIA RENDON Juliana COL
4 MEARES Anna AUS
5 VOYNOVA Anastasiya RUS
6 KANIS Willy NED
7 EL BUSTO ARTEAGA Ainara NAV
Heat 4
1 VARNISH Jess GBR
2 LARREAL Daniela VEN
3 GODBY Madalyn USA
4 WELTE Miriam GER
5 ISHII Hiroko JPN
6 STRELTSOVA Olga MTT
7 DYLKO Alena BLR
Heat 5
1 SANCHEZ Clara FRA
2 ZHONG Tianshi GPC
3 GUERRA RODRIGUEZ Lisandra CUB
4 LOHVINAVA Maryia BLR
5 WALKER Cristin USA
6 HUANG Ting Ying TPE
Heat 6
1 LEE Wai Sze HKG
2 GUO Shuang CHN
3 LEE Hyejin KOR
4 BARANOVA Viktoria RUS
5 CALVO BARBERO Tania ESP
6 SCHOFIELD Katie NZL
1st Round Repechage (first two progress to 1/4 final)
Heat 1
1 SULLIVAN Monique CAN
2 KANIS Willy NED
3 MCCULLOCH Kaarle AUS
4 LEE Hyejin KOR
5 LOHVINAVA Maryia BLR
6 ISHII Hiroko JPN
Heat 2
1 PENDLETON Victoria GBR
2 SHULIKA Lyubov UKR
3 BARANOVA Viktoria RUS
4 WALKER Cristin USA
5 STRELTSOVA Olga MTT
6 GNIDENKO Ekaterina PHL
7 EL BUSTO ARTEAGA Ainara NAV
Heat 3
1 CALVO BARBERO Tania ESP
2 JANKUTE Gabriele LTU
3 BREZHNIVA Elena PHL
4 CASAS ROIGE Helena ESP
5 HUANG Ting Ying TPE
6 MAEDA Kayono JPN
7 DYLKO Alena BLR
Heat 4
1 LARREAL Daniela VEN
2 SCHOFIELD Katie NZL
3 RIBEIRO Sumaia BRA
4 MUSTAPA Fatehah YSD
5 HIJGENAAR Yvonne NED
6 GAVIRIA RENDON Juliana COL
Heat 5
1 MEARES Anna AUS
2 ZHONG Tianshi GPC
3 HANSEN Natasha NZL
4 GARCIA Diana Maria COL
5 LEE Eunji KOR
6 GODBY Madalyn USA
Heat 6
1 GUO Shuang CHN
2 GUERRA RODRIGUEZ Lisandra CUB
3 WELTE Miriam GER
4 VILERA Mariesthela VEN
5 VOYNOVA Anastasiya RUS
6 DIEZ Alba CAT
1/4 Finals (first two to semis, rest to 1/4 final repechage)
Heat 1
1 SHULIKA Lyubov UKR
2 MEARES Anna AUS
3 KRUPECKAITE Simona LTU
4 KANIS Willy NED
5 CLAIR Sandie FRA
6 GUO Shuang CHN
7 212 LEE Wai Sze HKG
Heat 2
1 SANCHEZ Clara FRA
2 SULLIVAN Monique CAN
3 GUERRA RODRIGUEZ Lisandra CUB
4 JUNHONG Lin GPC
5 JANKUTE Gabriele LTU
6 LARREAL Daniela VEN
Heat 3
1 PENDLETON Victoria GBR
2 VARNISH Jess GBR
3 SCHOFIELD Katie NZL
4 ZHONG Tianshi GPC
5 VOGEL Kristina GER REL
CALVO BARBERO Tania ESP DNS
Semi Finals
Heat 1
1 SHULIKA Lyubov UKR
2 GUO Shuang CHN
3 KRUPECKAITE Simona LTU
4 VARNISH Jess GBR
5 SULLIVAN Monique CAN
6 JUNHONG Lin GPC
Heat 2
1 PENDLETON Victoria GBR
2 MEARES Anna AUS
3 LEE Wai Sze HKG
4 SANCHEZ Clara FRA
5 CLAIR Sandie FRA
6 KANIS Willy NED
Finals
Final 1-6
1 KRUPECKAITE Simona LTU
2 LEE Wai Sze HKG
3 GUO Shuang CHN
4 SHULIKA Lyubov UKR
5 PENDLETON Victoria GBR
6 MEARES Anna AUS
Final 7-12
7 SANCHEZ Clara FRA
8 JUNHONG Lin GPC
9 KANIS Willy NED
10 CLAIR Sandie FRA
11 SULLIVAN Monique CAN
12 VARNISH Jess GBR
Final World Cup Standings
1 KRUPECKAITE Simona LTU 38pts
2 GNIDENKO Ekaterina RUS 21pts
3 SHULIKA Lyubov UKR 21pts
4 GUO Shuang CHN 20pts
5 VOGEL Kristina GER 20pts
6 SANCHEZ Clara FRA 16pts
7 LEE Wai Sze HKG 10pts
8 MEARES Anna AUS 10pts
9 LARREAL Daniela VEN 8pts
10 CUEFF Virginie FRA 8pts
11 PENDLETON Victoria GBR 6pts
25 JAMES Rebecca GBR 2pts
WOMEN’S OMNIUM
Individual Pursuit
1 WHITTEN Tara CAN 3:31.604
2 TROTT Laura GBR 3:35.388
3 HAMMER Sarah USA 3:38.553
4 WILD Kirsten NED 3:40.992
5 EDMONDSON Annette AUS 3:41.357
6 GALYUK Svitlana UKR 3:41.536
7 KIESANOWSKI Joanne NZL 3:41.887
8 SHARAKOVA Tatsiana BLR 3:41.973
9 HUANG Li CHN 3:42.970
10 OLABERRIA DORRONSORO Leire ESP 3:43.586
Omnium Scratch
1 SHARAKOVA Tatsiana BLR
2 HAMMER Sarah USA -1lap
3 HUANG Li CHN -1lap
4 D’HOORE Jolien BEL -1lap
5 KIESANOWSKI Joanne NZL -1lap
6 EDMONDSON Annette AUS -1lap
7 WILD Kirsten NED -1lap
8 JEULAND Pascale FRA -1lap
9 TROTT Laura GBR -1lap
10 ROMANYUTA Evgenia RVL -1lap
500m TT
1 TROTT Laura GBR 35.642
2 SHARAKOVA Tatsiana BLR 35.645
3 EDMONDSON Annette AUS 35.718
4 WHITTEN Tara CAN 35.805
5 HAMMER Sarah USA 36.288
6 TREBAITE Ausrine LTU 36.420
7 LEE Min Hye KOR 36.579
8 HUANG Li CHN 36.583
9 D’HOORE Jolien BEL 36.638
10 KIESANOWSKI Joanne NZL 36.752
Final Omnium Standings
GOLD HAMMER Sarah USA 30pts
SILVER EDMONDSON Annette AUS 30pts
BRONZE TROTT Laura GBR 32pts
4 WHITTEN Tara CAN 34pts
5 SHARAKOVA Tatsiana BLR 41pts
6 WILD Kirsten NED 45pts
7 HUANG Li CHN 55pts
8 TREBAITE Ausrine LTU 57pts
9 D’HOORE Jolien BEL 58pts
10 KIESANOWSKI Joanne NZL 62pts
Final World Cup Standings
1 HUANG Li CHN 28pts
2 HAMMER Sarah USA 24pts
3 ROMANYUTA Evgeniya RVL 24pts
4 WHITTEN Tara CAN 17pts
5 TROTT Laura GBR 16pts
6 TREBAITE Ausrine LTU 15pts
7 WOJTYRA Malgorzata POL 12pts
8 WILD Kirsten NED 11pts
9 EDMONDSON Annette AUS 10pts
10 KING Dani GBR 10pts
by Anna Magrath | Feb 15, 2012
Nancy & Anna Review the Ana Nichoola Snow Cat Jacket
Between us we use the full range of Ana Nichoola clothing and have been fans since the arrival of “Bo Peep” Gloves. We are both always at the front of the queue to purchase our next item. Ana Nichoola has now ventured into clothing with the Snow Cat Jacket and what a triumph it is. Below are our thoughts on it and links to our reviews of other products in the range we have purchased.
Cycling is a sport that’s dominated by men and all the equipment is made for them but with the new Ana Nichoola collection that will change! No more boring design, no more jackets and warmers that never fit… You can actually look girlie and stylish while riding your bike.
The brand is created by female bike rider Anna Glowinski, who better than a woman to understand the needs of women in the sport. Ana Nichoola has an innovating line of accessories with very cool designs; each piece has little details that make a simple item look extraordinary.
Apart from the good looks, the quality of the products is exceptionally high. Both of us agree we haven’t seen anything for female cyclists this good!
We agree our most favorite item is the “Snow Cat Jacket”, no other jacket on the market gets close to this one, it’s a warm jacket perfect for your cold winter rides, a great windstopper and like the arm warmers it fits amazingly well, tailored for a women’s body. The fabrics are of the best quality with a mix of reflective fabrics, sweat wicking, stretchy, soft and warm.
The collar is a double layer with a lovely soft polar fleece lining at the neck, the outer collar is a stand up mandarin style collar with a press stud fastening in a pale duck egg blue colour. The top sculpted part of the jacket and sleeves is made from a gorgeous white waffle textured fabric with tiny flecks of shiny thread woven into it (you can see the flecks in the blue collar too), it looks like snow glistening in the moonlight. The top lining is a lovely soft fleece. There’s a pair of embroidered circles on the shoulder in pastel pink and blue providing just enough embellishment to bring an elegant feel to the garment, this is repeated further down on the left hip. The top half is all about keeping your chest warm. The lines of the jacket are very sympathetic to the female form and rather than having a horizontal band or line between the two fabrics (as you find on most male or unisex cycling jerseys) it has a swooping blue stitched edge between the white of the top and the grey of the bottom. The bottom half of the jacket is a thinner fabric enabling more movement, it has a grey and dark charcoal horizontal stripe pattern. On the front at the left hip there’s the Ana Nichoola logo and just above it there’s an secure zipped pocket. On the back of the jacket there are two large pockets like all good cycling jerseys should have, but these pockets are again sympathetically styled to echo female curves. The pockets are stretchy and also have press-stud closures, there is a smaller pocket nestled inside the right pocket; ideal for a snack bar or a mini pump. Centre back of the jacket upper is a golden embroidered circle between your shoulder blades. The cuffs are finished with a matt silver reflective fabric. Running down the sides of the body and under the arms on the sleeves is a black lycra wicking fabric for a better contouring fit and to make your ride a comfortable one. Overall it provides an extremely flattering silhouette. You can tell a lot of thought and effort has gone in to designing this jacket.
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Click SL (slideshow) or FS (fullscreen)
This jacket has provided more protection from the wind and wintery weather than any other cycling jacket of it’s kind we’ve owned and it looks great off the bike too. We’ve both had loads of compliments and questions while out and about… plenty of jacket envy. It’s easy to clean. The price is premium but lets be clear this jacket is premium quality and there are many jackets in this price bracket that aren’t near this quality. The stitching and finishing is excellent along 
with the fabric quality. The sizing is quite accurate, we would say that buying your true size will give you a good fitting jacket, the size range is a UK6 to UK14, bustier ladies may be disappointed that larger sizes aren’t available, but maybe that will change when the brand grows. We’ve seen a sneak peek of the Spring/Summer collection and the clothing range is increasing, you won’t be disappointed no matter what type of bike you ride you’ll want to get your hands on something from the collection!
Ana Nichoola also has gloves, neck warmers and ear warmers in the range so you should take a look at the Ana Nichoola website and read our reviews of the rest of the product range.
Come on girls, what are you waiting for… Style Your Ride!
Nancy & Anna.
Price: £159.99
Available from www.ananichoola.co.uk
Price: £100
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