Rapha brought their commitment to women’s cycling alive with the launch of the Rapha 100 – a global women’s ride of 100km.

The first ride took place in 2014 and was deemed successful enough to become an annual expedition. Thousands of women, worldwide, signed up to ride 100km on the same day.

For some, the distance was a huge challenge worthy of weeks or months of training, and for others it was a chance to celebrate the growth of women’s cycling, and support all women who ride – young, old, experienced or brand new to the scene.

Marketing manager Katie Smith said: “We chose the distance because it would be accessible, without being patronizing for anyone. The response was incredible and we had thousands of women taking part, and sharing their pictures with us.”

Everyone who took part was eligible to receive a special woven patch, to reward their achievement, or to use as a sign of their solidarity in future.

Picture sharing was a given – and social media platforms were bristling with images representing women’s cycling for days after the event – here’s a selection…

Rapha show an immense dedication to growing women’s cycling –read more about them here.