Santa Rosa NRC – (Kurt Harvey Photography)
This was our debut as a full team, needless to say we were all on edge and a bit nervous to get out there and really show what we are capable of. After a week of training camp, where we all bonded SO well, a great showing at our first race was all that was needed to close out the time together in style. And what style we did it with!Pre-race instructions were given by Scott Gross, our DS. The deal for the day was that Jenny and I were to patrol the front and go for primes. Everyone was given a specific job, such as Moriah and Heather who were to watch for breaks and basically be our diesel engines in the leadout for Melissa who was our sprinter for the final. We’d worked a little on our leadout train during the week but it would be different in a race than in practice obviously.Leigh “The Machete” Valletti
Jenny TrewLeah GuloienHeather “Bambi” SborzCall up for yours truly.Moriah MacGregor digging deep.Melissa Sanborn Jane DespasGoing for primes……and got it!Jennie getting hers!Post race happiness……and hugs!

We left it all out there on the road, along the way picking up 2 of 5 primes and some good placings. In the end all of our girls finished despite Heather ending up ass first on the ground during the one crash that happened; she’s a toughie! We started off with a bang but don’t expect it to stop there, this was not a fluke. I’m so proud to be a part of this team, regardless of what some people out there think (I’ll expand on this at a later date) each one of these athletes deserve respect for her individual talent and commitment.

Cheers to 2008!
Liz

p.s. Our new kits are HAWT!!! Thanks Dave and Verge!

Another round of the Risibisi Ride in Petaluma came and went on Saturday. We did a beautiful 3hr ride out to Freestone and back. It’s been raining pretty steadily in NorCal for the past 2 weeks or so but the gods took pity on us and declared a truce, allowing us to enjoy a spectacular sunny clear day.

We left at 9am Italian time, which means 9:15, after espresso and pastries .

Stopped at the Wild Flour Bread Bakery in Freestone where I reminded myself not to gorge on bread. The note to self on my handlebars seems to work! Gotta keep that winter weight off.
Back at the restaurant we presented Luca “The Dude” Flagiello, Fabio and Jessica’s son (Fabio is the owner/head chef of Risibisi) with his own custom Vanderkitten tees. He seems thrilled, no?

Lunch was the best yet; mussels, fried calamari, eggplant sliced thin and soaked in olive oil(my fave), chicken… too much food to remember. Great food and conversation, the perfect day really!

Check out Risibisi for future ride announcements including a big one involving Vanderkitten Racing!

Cheers to you all,
Liz

BH USA to supply Vanderkitten as per Cyclingnews.com

In other sponsorship news, BH USA, the American partner of BH Bikes, has announced that it will supply the new US-based Vanderkitten National Racing Calendar squad with bikes for next year. The team had previously only sponsored a single rider, Liz Hatch, but will now expand its racing involvement to a full outfit next season.

“Vanderkitten is a great signing for BH because they go beyond the traditional race team structure of racing on the weekend and hoping for results,” said BH USA spokesman Adam Vincent. “Vanderkitten have already built a culture that is fun and funky and people are drawn to that. They are building a community around their team.”

Vanderkitten, a clothing company which caters for “women who kick ass”, announced the first of its riders for next year earlier this week.

“The women on the team understand how to promote their sponsors,” said Vincent. “They have taken the initiative to call me and say ‘we’re so excited to be working with you, what can we do to help you sell more bikes?’ I don’t know too many pro riders doing that.

“I don’t have to sit around with my fingers crossed hoping for them to win a big race and get some magazine coverage, because I know they’ll be out there everyday saying good things about BH USA,” he added.

The team will use BH’s full-carbon Connect model, which uses tube-to-tube construction and ultra-high modulus carbon to achieve a final claimed frame weight of just 890 grams. / GJ

Visit BH Bikes USA.

Pop into the Vanderkitten web store and order up some Manderkitten World Tour tees! All proceeds go to support the Vanderkitten Racing team.

Manderkitten!