Lexicon Edit: Velominata
Without a doubt cycling is dominated by males. Stop for a second and make two lists. One list including all the male pro cyclists you can think of off the top of your head, male riding companions of yours, and other male Velominati. On the other list, jot down all the female pro cyclists you can, female riding companions of yours, and most importantly, female Velominati. Without a doubt, guaranteed, fo’ sho’ the first list you made is considerably longer than the second. Furthermore, I’m guessing your second list, the one with the names of women, has something like 5-10 names in the pro column, something less than that in the female cyclists you ride with column, and something smaller still in the female Velominati column. Far be it from me to pontificate on why this might be, although I do have my suspicions, so let’s just say it just is. But that doesn’t mean it can’t change.
That said, we’ve received some pointed feedback from the fairer sex that we’re a bit of an old boys club here at the site. Moreover, some of our female readership has taken umbrage with our use of the term Velomihottie. Upon further reflection, we can understand why. In its inception, Velomihottie was meant to convey a female Velominatus, a feminine derivation of the term which denotes a cycling disciple of the highest order. Seems simple enough, right? However, the misogynistic tone of the word “hottie” has been pointed out as something that is turning female readership and participation away. That is not something that we, the Keepers, ever intended.
Taking their feedback a step further and actually making it constructive, something women are much better at than men are, our female counterparts offered up a suggestion: Velominata. This makes perfect sense, no? It seems the correct feminine derivation of our hackneyed faux-latin masculine Velominatus. So with that we offer up an edit to the Lexicon:
Velominata: A female cycling disciple of the highest order.
So thank you to all of our female readers, no Velominata, who visit the site, lay down the V, and appreciate this place enough to actually offer up a great suggestion. You are correct, we can be a bit of an old boys club around here sometimes. But if you stick around, let your voices be heard, and tell us to HTFU often enough that can change. More importantly we want you to share your passion for cycling on these pages.
By the way, the Velominata pictured above is Katrien Van Looy. She’s Rik Van Looy’s grand daughter. If you don’t like this change to the Lexicon then talk to one of them. They’ll rip your spindly little legs off.
@Marko
“@ms30594 Stefanie? How did you find me here?”
++10^9
Interesting take on the post.
Seems like there are definite viewpoints being voiced here, all good and all have their own merit. I think that it is generally showing that most didn’t really see VMH as being sexist, just how one viewed either themself or others within the peloton. With ( not wanting to at all) a risk of opening another can of worms here, we could all do with a little less of the PC world we have become to appease a select few and HTFU.
VMH and Velominata; both are valid terms and the latter is a worthy addition to the lexicon.
@ms30594
full marks to a Velominata that quotes from Conan the Barbarian!
Nice on @Marko. And as said I always thought the Velomihottie was for my significant other, not for anyone elses cycling significant other.
+1 on Emma “Lays down significant showings of The V ” Pooley. Saw her at a Cyclo Sportif in Perth. 80km of hills and she had a team of 8 guys with her. I think she only came back with 4 in the hurt locker and none of them did any work on the Front.
@Pedale.Forchetta
Whomever that young Velominata is this pic makes it look like she’s a budding young lioness. Eyes fixed down the road seemingly not caring what the dude is doing with her bike as long as it gets fixed so she can go lay down some pain. Cool shot.
@Pedale.Forchetta
That’s a very cool photo BTW.
Love the black & white & the intensity & longing in her eyes. It’s like she’s thinking – “just hurry up with the back wheel so I can get back out there & dish out some more of the V.”
@minion
hear, hear (or is that here, here as in I’m hear and agreeing with @minion?)
And IP legend Alison Shanks
@il ciclista medio
hear who? Horton?
Classic cycle courier question for noewbies over the RT, “you’re what now where with who?”
May it beseech the Keepers: should we reconsider the term “Hardman?”
@Eightzero
There’s something wrong with “Hardwoman”? (There certainly would be with “Flahutess”, but I think we should proceed on the basis (linguistically correct or no) that “Flahute” is not gender-specific.)
@Eightzero
Let’s not get carried away
Delenda est Alberto
@Marko & Ciclista Medio
Thank you! I’ve made this photo at the Italian Championship this Summer, all the girls were really cool.
Great write up!! Huge repsect for all the Velominanta out there. Katrien is actually one of my favorite female riders; love that this petite little ‘girl next door’ looking thing could crush 99% of the male riders I know. A couple weeks back, I was out for a ride and caught onto a group of about 20 ladies and one other guy, about 40km later I had to peel of the back and find a nice place that no one could see where I could puke my guys out with as little humiliation as possible.
@ms30594
While I’d agree that I never really considered the term offensive, I can see how ladies may take umbrage at it… I mean, let’s be honest, Velominati surely sounds far more respectable and upstanding than would “Velomistud” or something similar… As for the ‘hottie’ part of it, I could care less what she looks like… If she can lay down the V, she can look like Rodney Dangerfield for all I care, she still deserves respect. Of that group of 20 ladies I rode with, maybe one would pass for a ‘hottie’ but they all damn sure buried me that day and get my respect as Velominate.
@all
Just to be perfectly clear, Velominata is actually just an addition, Velomihottie stays in the Lexicon for sure. Velominata is added as the official term for female velominatus, while Velomihottie remains the term we affectionately use to refer to a Velominata who looks as good off the bike as she does on it – as it was originally inspired by The Original Velomihottie, my one and only.
65 posts and no Liz Hatch ?
Definitely a Velominata/Velomihottie.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/international-womens-day-top-5-rides-of-2011
Stumbled upon this site
http://www.vitadimilano.com
while googling for a Campagnolo image recently. Not sure if this is actually worthy of an inclusion but I felt it is certainly worth a look. The artist, Vita Di Milano has done a series called “women and wheels”. My favourite’s are the Lady Campagnolo and Lady Shimano. Major rule violations throughout but excusable IMO.
Judging by the artist’s quote at the bottom of the page, I believe he may be a Velominatus…..
“In an ideal world there would only be bicycles, roads
smooth as silk and the wind always at your back.”
Vita 2005
This is something of a dredge but: Anna Meares has won the sprint at the latest round of the world cup, and I figured a re – up on how the Velominata are performing now the classics are underway might be a good thing.
My new favorite Kiwi (sorry, @minion).