THIS JUST IN... MANHATTAN BEACH GRAND PRIX- VK's Sanborn 4th!

When you start out with the statement "changing the face of women's cycling" many are quick to judge your every move. Being a Vanderkitten is not easy, and from the beginning of the season we offered that it would be a hard road on this team because we were very serious about putting together the foundation for the next super-team. We've had some riders come and go, and we've picked up hot new talent, but all the while we have stayed true to our mission, true to ourselves and our sponsors.

I was writing an email to a very strong candidate for next year's team and the thing I told her, above all else, that was needed for success in this program is SACRIFICE. There is no way for a team to be a champion or a brand to sell millions of units without everyone willing to sacrifice, even a little, for the good of the overall goal. Those who can't make the sacrifice quickly find themselves struggling to catch-up. In a first year team, where nothing is perfect, sacrifice is a wonderful companion to patience.

On that note, here is a race report from Jennifer Wilson who perfected the art of sacrifice. Jennifer has given blood and flesh for this team enduring horrific crashes and amazing triumphs. Remember, it is rare that a first-year team, with no director, can achieve anything more than an "also-ran".... but today Melissa, Liz and Jen got it done, out numbered, out financed but not out classed!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICES!!

Manhattan Beach Grand Prix 2008

Photo by Ken Conley

Thank goodness for the ocean. The weather today was hot for the beach but much cooler than the valley where I live. The Vanderkitten contingency today was Liz, Melissa and myself. We felt very confident going into the race and knew that most likely it would come down to entering the last 180 degree turn first. For being an NRC race so far from the others at this time of year there was a good turnout of about 74 riders with Tibco and Cheerwine having 4 riders each and ValueAct bringing 5 riders. The New Zealand team Jazz Apple was in attendance with quite a few riders as well with the rest of the pack being represented with local riders.

Photo by Ken Conley

It was a typical Manhattan Beach with riders attacking off the front and eventually being caught. VK rode a very smart race and was attentive to moves off the front and made smart choices depending on who was in the break. Each of us at one point found ourselves in some move or another which was excellent. Liz and I did a great job near the end of the race patrolling the front. There was one move we missed and everyone was represented and Liz did a stellar move bringing it back. There were other attacks from Cheerwine and Jazz Apple and I went with Amber Rais to bridge to them. We were down to just 6 laps to go and we did not want anything to get away without a VK in it.

Photo by Ken Conley

Melissa and I had planned to attack and go all out on the hill on the backside. Rough to do today considering the heavy headwind but you have to take chances. I was on Melissa’s wheel on the last lap and she was doing an excellent job keeping us to the front. A surge came up on the right and I went with it. Eventually this would be a bad move. As I put my head in the wind to stay near the front waiting to launch my attack a surge of riders came up the right side and blocked us in. Then like lightening, Melissa was attacking on the right and flying. She was first into the turn and ended up 4^th overall. Great job! There was great VK team work during the entire race. As always Manhattan Beach is like gambling with trying to enter into the last turn first and it was great to have such wonderful teammates so that if something happened to one there was another who could accomplish the goal. Great job ladies!

1^st – Brooke Miller (Tibco)

2^nd – Laura Van Gilder (Cheerwine)

3^rd – Jen McRae (Advil/Chapstick)

4^th – Melissa Sanborn (Vanderkitten Racing)

Photo by Ken Conley

ONE MORE WEEKEND FOR GOOVALOO!

The REVOLUTIONARY dance performance from the streets has been extended ONE MORE WEEKEND!

GROOVALOO- A story of coming to be, expressing oneself... POWERFUL, energetic, groundbreaking!

Samueli Theater, Running through June 22nd! www.groovaloos.com



Check out Vanderkitten ViP "Lady Jules", Julie Urich!

Break Dancing is BLOWING UP!

Break Dancing has never stopped growing even though it faded from the public eye in the late 80's, it made the transition to Europe and the inner-city asian cultures and continued to thrive.

In the late 90's it returned in full force, and in the new millenium we've seen dozens of movies highlighting men and women of all ethnicities, cultures from all over the world with powerful music and fantastic coreography.

We had the opportunity to get to know, and are continuing to get to know, Lady Jules, who purchased a VK cycling jersey from one of our retailers and invited us into the world of Hip Hop!

Track Racing is So Hot Right Now!

Maybe it's because it's an Olympic year, or the simplicity of the fixed-gear track bicycles, or maybe because the race offer NASCAR-like action, but Track Racing is the new CycloCross. I just said it, and for those of you who have NO idea what I am talking about, it's only a few Google searches away!




One thing that may Vanderfans don't know about is Vanderkitten's presence in regional track racing. Many of our riders race, and win, at their regional track events, and Tela Crane is former 2-event Jr. National Champion. The thing I'd like to say about track racing is there are a ton of events from Sprints, to Kierins, to Miss 'N Out's, etc. It sounds like a roller rink from 1982, but it's damn fun.

This is a Video from the end of May with Michael Hernandez promoting the Friday night races at Hellyer Velodrome in San Jose, Ca. I can't imagine any other racing event having announcing that is this animated! Check out Vanderkitten Mary Maroon and Unattached race Beth Newell in racing action down in San Jose!

MORE COMING SOON!!

Coverage of Philly Week and Photos coming SOON! To get your FIXXX, check out NorCalCyclingNews.com for some awesome photography and GREAT coverage from Hernando and Sabine!!

Last minute adjustments before the gun! -S. Dukes

The last week in May the team took off for the heart of the Mid West to Tulsa Oklahoma for 3 days of Racing and 3 days of brand promoting!

Valletti, Sanborn, Oliveira, Trew, Hatch and Wilson rolled into town to contest a great series of crits, with excellent prize money in a very cool city the is going through a major rebirth! Melissa Sanborn was the only VKitten who had been to Tulsa and it was on her recommendation that we took the trip across the country... which turned out to be awesome!

We recruited Nor Cal legend in cycling, promoting and fabulousness Michael Hernandez to bring the team together and work towards our end goal- Philadelphia's Commerce Bank Liberty Cycling Classic- The largest and best race in the USA.

The girls gelled with Michael awesome coaching and guidance and worked on race tactics and other top-secret warrior drills. The goal was to represent, race together and win some money. Cheerwine had a few excellent riders, stand-out Jen McRae was in the house, and our beloved VK's from Metro VW Cycling Jen Wilhite and Shannon Koch were there with a couple of teammates, plus wonder-woman Shelly Olds of ProMan, another NorCal team with some amazing talent.

The races were great, and I encourage you to check out the rider's blogs for more. It was hot, jungle hot, with rain, sun, thunder, sun, rain, sun... steamy!! Our awesome host Brent Baker gave us the full run of his house and garage, stocked with bike tools and stand! It was ultra generous and we gave him his and her matching Team Kits!

The thing I like about hitting the road is the chance to meet VK supports, customers and friends. We had Sushi with Tulsa local and VK friend Misty... yes, Sushi in Tulsa! It was good, but I think the octopus salad didn't quite sit well with me, although delicious the night before. =)

Here are some shots from TaosActionPhotos.com that were awesome!

Leigh Valletti off the front giving a handling clinic.

Check out more photos on TaosActionPhotos.com!

Vanderkitten Team Jersey Pre-Order

*ACTUAL JERSEY GRAPHICS WILL VARY SLIGHTY

In case you missed the subtle addition to the Vanderkitten webstore, we are now accepting pre-orders for our 2008 Team jersey. The jersey will be very similar to the current team jersey, but feature a hidden zipper, removal of sponsor logos and tag lines, and have a 3/4 length zipper.

These jerseys will retail for $89.99, but the pre-order special saves you 25% for a total of $69.99 plus tax and shipping! The estimated delivery of the jerseys is early July, just when you've gotten sick and tired of all of the new kits you bought in May.

Everyone who pre-orders a jersey will have access to another, super-hot, jersey design at and even more reduced price that will arrive at the same time. We are keeping that under wraps until it's here, and it will also retail for $89.99.

Check it out here: http://store.vanderkitten.com

CHILLIN' 10th Anniversary!

10 years ago the beautiful Irene Hernandez had a vision- Turn a night club into a flea market for up and coming designers and artists to show and sell their wares in San Francisco. This wildly popular event became known as THE place to find the next hot art/design/music in San Francisco.

In the 10 years the show has moved location from 111 Minna to Mezzanine and even a huge event complete with fashion runway at Fort Mason. Vanderkitten has been part of several of these events over the years and we are now a proud sponsor of the events! This Saturday's event marks the 10th anniversary of Chillin' Productions and will be held at the awesome Mezzanine!!

60 Fashion Designers
100 Painters/Photographers/Sculptors
40 Filmmakers
Visuals by INSTA-ACTION (www.insta-action.com)
LIVE screen-printing by SAN FRANPSYCHO, bring a shirt or booty-shorts
Live Painting

Music by:
Dirtyhertz (www.dirtyhertz.com)
Taj (www.djtaj.com)
LARON (http://www.myspace.com/laronakaswan)
DJ SHON (gossip/cat club)
Russell Vargas (www.myspace.com/russellvargas)
KRIS (www.myspace.com/baydabreaks)
Dave Madix (www.kingkeymusic.com)
SCHATZ AKA Founder of Chillin' Productions
+ more

When: Saturday May 10, 2008 from 8:00pm-2:00am
Where: Mezzanine (444 Jessie Street, SF) www.mezzaninesf.com
Must be 21+ ID
Cover: $7 at the door

For more info about the show go to:
www.chillinproductions.com

I can't believe we are celebrating 10 years of working with the most
talented artists, designers, musicians and filmmakers!!!!! This show will be
incredible!!!!!!!!

Thank you to our great sponsors:
7x7 Magazine (www.7x7mag.com)
Planet Magazine (planet-mag.com)
SF Weekly (www.sfweekly.com)
UNSCENE urban navigator (www.unscene.com)
SF Station (www.sfstation.com)
Yelp (www.yelp.com)
Nitevive (www.nitevibe.com)
SAN FRANPSYCHO (www.myspace.com/sanfranpsychocrew)
Vanderkitten (www.vanderkitten.com)
Sake2me (www.sake2me.com)
Ipling (www.ipling.com)
LatinLounge.tv (www.LatinLounge.tv)
111 Minna Gallery (www.111minnagallery.com)
Spork Restaurant (sporksf.com)
Addiction Hair Salon (www.addictionhairsalon.com)
Lucid Beauty (www.lucidbeauty.com)
Hair Play (www.hairplay.com)
Access Institute for psychological services (www.accessinst.org)
The Innovative Fashion Council of San Francisco (www.ifcsf.com)
Style Industry (www.styleindustry.com)
Mosio (www.mosio.com)
Ladybrille (www.ladybrille.com)
Red Poppy Art House (www.redpoppyarthouse.org)
Mingle (www.mingleshop.com)
Mars Bar (www.marsbarsf.com)
Ovahere (www.ovahere.com)
Thread Show (www.threadshow.com)
RAG (www.ragsf.com)
Stitch Lounge (www.stitchlounge.com)
Dirtyhertz (www.dirtyhertz.com)
Primo Promotes (www.primopromotes.com)
Nofu ( www.nofu.com)
House of Dolores Moore
Hope Flight Foundation (www.hopeflightfoundation.org)
Nomadika (www.nomadika.com)
Fashionbliss (www.fashionbliss.com)
Jules Beauty (www.julesmakeupsf.com)
Blowfish Sushi (www.blowfishsushi.com)
Little Yellow Perfect (www.littleyellowperfect.com)
Porcelynne (www.porcelynne.com)

Thursday – SE Crit Series Greenwood , SC
Nothing was getting away tonight! - Melissa Sanborn

Vanderkitten was active throughout the entire race making sure that if a break went, we were in it! That was the game plan!

We drove in a little early from Beaufort , SC and were able to check into our hotel before the race. We were joined by Leigh Valletti (The Machete) and Sonja Evers and it was awesome to them! Our race start was 5:30 and the temperature was warmer and thank goodness it wasn’t going to be dark like the last couple nights! The course was fast, had a good rise to the finish, and a chicane on the back side.

Vanderkitten was attentive at the front to make sure nothing would get away. Leigh brought her fresh legs and Melissa nearly got into a break with Cheatley, Powers, and a Colavita rider but unfortunately it was brought back. Jen Wilson found herself active and was twice in a good group up the road. However, nothing was going to get away tonight! Unfortunately the finish just wasn’t meant to be for Vanderkitten this evening but we persevered. Wilson with her ripped buckle was tentative to go too hard for fear that if she sprinted her foot would come out of her shoe!

As the lap cards went down, there was still a threat of a breakaway attempt since riders had gotten away late in the race last night. Jenny Trew raced an aggressive race throughout and we made an attempt to find one another at the end. Kele is recovering from her earlier crash and it was such a fast race tonight. That hill took its toll. We’re still finding our race legs but we just keep feeling better every day. Wilson, Trew, and Sanborn tried to hold good position beginning early with 7 laps to go and follow the leadout of Cheerwine but with 3 laps to go, 2 laps to go, 1 lap to go, it was a cluster in the chicane and in the end sometimes it’s just not worth it unless you are already in the top 5 at the front.

At the end of the day, we took 3 primes, sprinted our legs off, raced aggressively, and came in 14th, 15^th, and 16th. We did our best and achieved one of our goals: MAKING THE BREAK!

Tomorrow is another day and I hear the course is wild.

The Kittens Go Back to School and Beaufort Race Report- Melissa Sanborn

School visit: Question and answer about helmets and safety and why we wear such tight clothing! Those kids were super cute and I am sure that we had some influence on getting them out there tonight for the kid’s race!

Our race tonight started at 6pm on the streets of downtown Beaufort , SC. With Vanderkitten Racing having Jennifer Wilson in one of the top 5 spots she got a call to the line. There were massive attacks from the gun and it was full gas for the first 10 laps as riders tried to establish a break. Some laps in, with VK rider Kele Murdin on the attack, Melissa Sanborn countered with a prime win and a break got away.

Unfortunately, it was the decisive move which included Tina Pic, Laura Van Guilder, and Rebecca Larson. Knowing this was a dangerous breakaway, Vanderkitten went on the attack to try and bridge and/or bring it back. The course was a semi-technical course with a narrowing first turn and a hairy turn out of corner three. The wind was slight and the conditions were ideal as riders tried to play their cards in what might have been a bring-back attempt in squelching the break. The break which had almost 35 seconds at the midpoint of the race, became 10 seconds in the final 3 laps of a 50 lap, 50 kilometer race. It was frustrating to watch!

The cards were not falling for us as they would in an ideal situation! Jen Wilson was having a spasm in her left side and was out of commission for much of the race. Kele had a broken saddle which was replaced quickly in the pit. However, Jenny Trew raced an amazing race and was aggressive throughout and was always on the hunt to bridge the gap that went away. Despite some of our misfortune we still placed 2 riders in the top 10 and grabbed a couple primes. Five more days of racing and we shall git ‘er figured out!

ATHENS TWILIGHT RACE REPORT- by Jennifer Wilson

Luckily we raced at 7:45am tonight so we got to sleep in this morning. We were treated to a delicious pancake breakfast and yummy coffee thanks to Jason and Jennifer our hosts. After breakfast we hooked up with all of our teammates and went for a little spin to open the legs up. Jennifer, our host, is just getting into cycling and it was great that she went on the ride with us. We did a little out and back to Avondale Lake which is really cute. What is so cool about Decatur and adjoining towns is that there are actual little neighborhoods.

After the spin we all went home to relax as much as possible and get ready for our trip to Athens which is about 1 ½ hours from Decatur . We wanted to get to Athens early so we could get a good parking spot and eat some food. I knew the race was going to be crazy because the people were already starting to party and the streets were getting crowded. Just seeing all of the barriers being put up on the streets was starting to make me nervous.

Since I flew here I do not have a trainer but the guys from Kelly Benefits were kind enough to lend us a couple as our race started way before theirs, sweet! The SRAM guys were there for neutral support and I immediately took my bike over to Jeremy who I was told is a whiz with the zero gravity brakes. My rear brake was not re-centering itself and was rubbing the rim. He was the “man” and hooked me up with a quick fix of re-cutting my cable. I love those SRAM guys. Back to the car for the pre-race readiness and to start getting warm as if the hot humid air was not enough. When I finally got on the trainer I noticed that my headset screw had dropped down. My headset did not feel loose but Mandy (a friend of Vanderkitten) kindly took my bike to the SRAM guys again. They checked it out and I was good to go. At this point I was just trying to remain calm and relaxed. I did a quick warm up and then it was time to go to staging. I must say that coming from California it is weird to see so many people smoking and I found myself searching for fresh air while we waiting and watched the 5K runner’s race that was going on.

Finally it was our turn to go and as usual the typical fight to get to the front of the pack for the start. Each time we moved up a bit I seemed to find myself further back. I decided not to focus on this and just on the race. The whistle blew and we were off. The town was completely crazy and people were screaming. The pace was hot from the gun and as usual it seemed like it would never let up. Each turn was a learning experience as I was on my new BH. Since I now have a normal size stem I had to readjust where I put my weight in the turns. Quickly enough though I felt like I was one with my bike. I love the BH!

Jen Wilson taking a pull at the front- Photo: ThePicMan

Kele Murdin who is riding with us as a guest rider was aggressive from the start and got herself in a good break. They were working well together and then I looked ahead and saw Kele hit the pavement. Ouch! The pace picked up in the pack and we quickly caught the break just around the next 2 turns. I knew that another move was going to go and even though I was hurting I was being attentive. Soon enough on the back side, Rebecca Larson (Aaron’s Pro Cycling) took off. I was able to fight my way to Tiffany Cromwell’s (Colavita) wheel. There were five of us that made this group with Catherine Cheatley (Cheerwine) right on Rebecca Larson and Jacquelyn Crowell (Team Kenda Tire) joining. Once we realized who was there heads went down and off we went as the right teams were represented. Everyone was pulling hard and working together. There was a slight mix up with Kele Murdin and another rider getting put back into our break. Last that Kele knew she was in the break. She had no idea that the break she was in got caught when she went to the pits after her crash. The referees made a slight error in putting her in our break which did cause some confusion amongst us in the break. Kele did not work or do anything to help me in the break and just sat on the back which was the smart thing to do considering the situation. We definitely got clear pretty quickly from the pack as we were all pushing the pace. I was suffering but tried to pull as much as possible knowing that you have to pay to play. I knew too that it was only going to get harder as the laps trickled down from the 23 (?) to go when we got away to the finish. The crowds were going crazy and I was getting sprayed by beer several times as I went through the start finish because we would slightly hug the barriers. I knew at anytime that anyone of these girls could attack and I was just trying to be very attentive. Liz Hatch (Vanderkitten) was on the radio and was very helpful in boosting my confidence. With 5 laps to go my legs were screaming and I started to think of the finish. The girls kept rotating through and I knew it was going to be tough. Entering the last lap my heart was pounding and I wanted to do the best I could for the team. Right after the slight climb on the back side Rebecca took off with Catherine on her wheel. I booked it up the inside and was on Tiffany’s wheel through the last turn. I took the turn tighter than her and gave it everything I could in the sprint. I came in third and couldn’t believe it. I really wanted the win and in hindsight felt that I should have gone earlier. Every race for me is a learning experience and I consider this a huge one. I was very excited to get on the podium being the first podium finish for me in a pro race. Also, Athens is such a prestigious race so I was super excited for the team!!!

Divasonic Oakland, CA, US Electronica/Dance / Alternative / Pop Members: Lynda Arnold - Vocals, Flute, Keys, Programming; Dave Grossman - Bass; Jetman - Drums; Bekka Fink & Atiim Chenzira - Voc PLAY SONGS SHARE SONGS

CLICK HERE FOR AN EXCLUSIVE FROM DIVASONIC

-Divasonic
http://www.reverbnation.com/divasonic

Hello Everyone!

I'm excited to announce that the latest Divasonic release, 'Girationz, Luv & High - The Remixes' is available now on Itunes, Emusic, Rhapsody, 'Changing Wind' SNOCAP Player and more.

Hear new interpretations of Processing...Luv, Girationz and I Feel High from Divasonic, Return to Mono, DJ F - Breakshop Studios, Harry O, Jaswho?, The Tunemaster (Dave Jones), Timmy Matrixx/Dappa Don and Gothboy. These mixes represent a wide range of tastes and styles - truly reflective of the Changing Wind album.

Processing...Luv (Diva's Respect Mix)
Processing...Luv (Return to Mono Mix)
Girationz (DJ F Mix)
Girationz (Harry O Mix)
I Feel High (Higher Gothboy Mix)
Girationz (Tunemaster Mix)
Processing...Luv (Jaswho? Thick Synth Mix)
Processing...Luv (Jaswho? Broken Soul Mix)
Processing...Luv (Timmy Matrixx/Dappa Don Epic Techno Mix)

There are samples of the tracks in the Divasonic Reverbnation player and a Fan Exclusive Download of 'Processing...Luv (Diva's Respect Mix)' Just for You.

Download it now!
Street Team: Tell Your Friends!

Click here to put our songs on your Facebook profile.

Upcoming Shows for Divasonic
04/30/2008 07:30 PM	New York, NY, US	Googie's Lounge (Living Room upstairs)
05/17/2008 09:00 PM	San Francisco, CA, US	Fat City
07/31/2008 08:00 PM	San Francisco, CA, US	The Retox Lounge

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Physical inquires can be sent to: 501 Washington St. Suite J, Durham, NC, 27701, USA

2009 Products to Include Active Wear and Cycling Lines

Vanderkitten has just released a product overview for what to expect in 2009 from the hottest brand in cycling- ACTIVE WEAR. In addition to hot new jersey designs and our top quality casual wear, Vanderkitten will be adding jackets, hoodies, and performance athletic apparel suitable for B-girls, Yoginis, runners and outdoors enthusiasts.

"Our product development is focused on causal apparel with technical properties and exotic fibers including carbon, bamboo and recycled cotton and polyester. We will offer styles that will truly take you from the bike to the cafe to the mountains and perform under all demands," announced Vanderkitten's creator, David Verrecchia. "From natural, odor-neutralizing properties, to reduction of natural and man-made resources, to better performing and fitting garments, the 2009 Vanderkitten line will support active, feminine, fashion-forward lifestyles."

Our product-tester program will enable us to make garments for the future that fit a wide range of needs from mountain biking to yoga to dance. We will strive to add functionality to every garment we can without compromising style or wear-ability.

Also in development is a revolutionary cycling short design that will "greatly improve the fit and comfort of cycling shorts for women." If testing is successful, look for this feature to be an exclusive on all Vanderkitten shorts and related garments in the near future. "We still have a lot of development to do, but initial designs have us moving in the right direction" adds David.

Vanderkitten Leads Speed Week Team Standings

Vanderkitten Racing leads the Speedweek team standings by over 100 points after Athens, GA. The current points standings are: 1st- Vanderkitten- 937 Points, 2nd- Cheerwine with 826 Points, 3rd- Aaron's with 794, 4th- Colvavita/Home Sutter with 627 and 5th is Team Kenda Tire with 562 points.

Tonight's Race- Beaufort Memorial Cycling Classic- Beaufort, SC

Check out the Speed Week site for more!

Vanderkitten Grabs Podium Spot at Athens!

After a strong reorganization of the road team, a change in focus and the addition of Jennifer Wilson from Southern California, Vanderkitten Racing set it's sights on the Southeast Crit Series, dropping out of the long, lonely, Tour de Gila.

Of course, whenever a big change is made, the talk is always that the team is for one reason or another not going to make it, etc... well, guess again.

After a long, VERY FAST Athens Twilight, Vanderkitten Jennifer Wilson sprinted to a 3rd place finish in front of 30,000+ spectators! The first podium came after very hard work from Leigh Valletti, Melissa Sanborn, Kele Murdin and Jenny Trew! Liz was wo-manning the radio on the sidelines and Mandy Lozano was cheering on her girls!

Congrats to the team for throwin' down!!!

Freeride Foundation.com's Owner- Jackie Baker

Sea Otter Smiles on Vanderkitten

Vanderkitten arrived on scene at Sea Otter to showcase our new clothing, cycling team wear and support our Adventure Racing teams, Mountain Bike team and Road Team. Most people are unaware that our sponsorships run sie wide in the sport of cycling, but if you're gonna change the face of the sport, you need to do it on every front.

The weekend began under sunny, warm skies in Salinas and we were selling out of shirts the first day! By the end of the second day, it was back to Berkeley for a healthy restocking for Saturday's rush. In the women's pro short track, Patty Buerkle battled hard before being pulled just laps from the end. Lost Coast Brewery's Maureen Kunz, 3x 2007 National Expert Champ for Vanderkitten, rounded out the finishing field in 15th, the top Vanderkitten sponsored athlete.

The Adventure racing Team Racing With Giants/Vanderkitten swept the podium and gave us our first appearance of the weekend. That would be followed up by Amanda Miller's decisive victory for Vanderkitten in the 19-29 Women's Expert catagory finishing nearly 3 minutes ahead of 2nd place, with Emma Worldpeace of Lost Coast Brewery coming in a strong 5th.

The Road team was in town to promote our sponsors and work out the kinks leading into mid season. A tough, extrememly cold and windy race got the better of the Vanderkitten team, but redemption was just a week a week away in Athens at the twilight Crit...

Vanderkitten Racing in Athens and Ready for a Fight!

With some excellent training under their belts from Redlands and Sea Otter, Vanderkitten's sprinters have descended upon Athens, GA today for the Twilight Crit, part of the USA Crit Speed Week series in the southeast.

Liz Hatch, still recovering from a bad accident in Visalia, will not be racing for Vanderkitten this week in the Southeast, where she has a huge fan base. "Disappointed does not even come close to how I feel right now. The majority of my training has been focused on coming down here and doing well. The injury to my hip and lower back are worse than originally thought, so I am heading back to the Bay Area on Sunday for more treatment from Dr. Kano."

The remainder of the Vanderkitten Squad includes Leigh Valletti, Melissa Sanborn, Jenny Trew, Jen Wilson and guest rider Kele Murdin. The team will be contesting the Southeast Crits and look forward to a race report later this weekend from Athens!

TEAM JERSEY PRE-ORDER SALE

"The hottest kit in cycling" is available for pre-order on the Vanderkitten store RIGHT NOW! Save $20 (25%) for pre-ordering the jersey and be the first on your ride to sport this racey, fashion-forward look. The actual jersey will vary slightly from photos- No additional sponsor logos, hidden zipper, vented side panels at the arm pits. This kit will rock! Retail $89.99, Pre-Order- $69.99 Limited production run worldwide, this WILL sell out.

Jerseys will be available in 6 - 8 weeks. Fit will be slim/race style cut.

DRIVEN to Be Better

It only makes sense that the newest company in cycling partners with the newest component group in cycling: Driven.

Truly Champagne on an Belgian Beer budget, lot's of carbon, crisp shifting, light weight, ceramic bearings and price that will make Dura Ace owners feel like they got taken, Driven's initial offering of components have been used and abused and are hanging tough.

Oh, JORDAN!!!

Here is a pic of the full group (below, not above). Notice the gold anodized bits for a "Chi Chi", "Bling Bling" or "Straight Pimpin" look. Click on the pic to be jet-setted to Driven's parent company's new site.

That's as good as money, sir. Those are I.O.U.'s.

Damn do I feel like Lloyd. It pains me to not make things happen on time and in the certain terms we've agreed upon. We're running low on inventory and we owe our good friends across the pond a boat load of Vanderkitten apparel... heck, they're winning BIG races with our logo on their kit, then left hanging in Apres-Bike wear!



CONGRATULATIONS TO EMMA POOLEY



CONGRATUALTIONS TO EMMA POOLEY, winner of the first UCI Women's World Cup race for Specialized Designs for Women Team. (photo- Cyclingnews.com)

Thank you all of the wonderful ladies on the team for choosing Vanderkitten for your off-the-bike wear and thank you for have patience and faith in our tiny little company to deliver over the top casual wear.

The track suits are about to leave for Europe!