International 
 
 'Nude' Or Not, Women's Cycling Team Uniform Makes Waves 
 
 If one goal of the uniforms for a women's cycling team from Colombia is to attract attention, they're a smashing success. 
 
 Some observers are calling the outfits — which in photos seem to feature a swatch of flesh-tone-colored fabric in their lower region — "rude," "wrong" and a "disaster." But others are defending the uniform and the cyclists who wear it, saying the criticism is entirely sensationalized. 
 
 The uniforms made quite a splash in Italy, where the team competed in the elite women's Giro della Toscana this weekend. The race was won by American Shelley Olds — but people on social media were thrown into a tizzy by the cycling kit of team Bogota Humana. (Contrary to some reports, the team isn't the national squad. Its sponsors include the city of Bogota, and it's endorsed by Colombia's sports ministry). 
 
 A photo tweeted by Hilary Evans was retweeted more than 11,000 times — and Twitter deemed the image risque enough to warrant a warning that "The following media may contain sensitive material." 
 
 "I'm no fashion expert but even I know that the Colombia women's cycling team kit seen here is a genuine disaster," Evans wrote. 
 
 The uniform also drew the attention of UCI President Brian Cookson. 
 
 To the many who have raised the issue of a certain women's team kit, we are on the case. It is unacceptable by any standard of decency. — Brian Cookson OBE (@BrianCooksonUCI) September 14, 2014 
 
 "To the many who have raised the issue of a certain women's team kit, we are on the case," he tweeted. "It is unacceptable by any standard of decency." 
 
 The BBC's story about the uniform, and Cookson's response, included a version of the post-race photo to which a black bar had been added. 
 
 UCI weighs in on That Kit as BBC gets all modest on riders' behalf http://t.co/3oIdXIpaZE #cycling pic.twitter.com/qpa4OltfCw — road.cc (@roadcc) September 15, 2014 
 
 The controversy led Colombian cycling program Ultimo Kilometro to post a photo of a pro men's team (Footon-Servetto-Fuji) in a similar "nude" uniform, with the caption "it's cycling, not fashion." 
 
 On Monday, information emerged that answers two key questions: Who would design a cycling suit with a nude-colored section, and is the uniform really as inappropriate in person as it looks in photos? 
 
 According to the Chasing Wheels website, the section that has made some viewers do a double-take is not a "nude" color, it's gold — and "Lycra done as gold effect never photographs well. It's unfortunate, but there you are." 
 
 As for the design, it seems to have come from one of the team's members, cyclist Angie Tatiana Rojas Suarez, according to both the Spanish-language ABC.es and El Tiempo. 
 
 Rojas is an accomplished 22-year-old athlete who has won national titles in both cycling and skating, according to her online bio. She also works as a sports journalist and as the chief of communications at the vitamin company that sponsors the cycling team. 
 
 Most of Rojas' recent messages on Twitter and Facebook skirt the uniform issue, choosing instead to celebrate her team's work in Italy. 
 
 But she did retweet a comment that said, "The uniform may not be the most beautiful and we may not like it, but there's no need for certain comments." 
 
 Rojas also retweeted a message of apology from an Italian cycling website that had helped whip up controversy over the photograph. In an apology published Sunday, the website Tuttobici said it had been vulgar and disrespectful to the Colombian cyclists. ||||| 1. It’s not the national team or the national team kit 
 
 It’s the colours of IDRD-Bogotá Humana-San Mateo-Solgar, who the Colombian Federation proudly announced would be competing in the Giro Del Toscana 
 
 2. It’s not flesh or nude, it’s gold 
 
 There are numerous tweets to this effect from people who have been paying attention. Lycra done as gold effect never photographs well. It’s unfortunate, but there you are. It’s not “unacceptable by any standard of decency” as the UCI boss Brian Cookson seems to suggest. 
 
 3. They’ve apparently been wearing it for up to 9 months 
 
 Here’s a picture of it being raced to victory in Colombia in August in the Carrera de la Mujer in Bogota. The rider with the bottle in her mouth is wearing it and wins the race. Here’s the report from Las Bielas 
 
 Jono Coulter tweeted this picture of the kit in El Salvador earlier this year. 
 
 4. It seems to have been designed by one of the riders on the team 
 
 ABC.es quotes several Colombia sources in its report on the kerfuffle (via Frontier Sports) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5. There is still no minimum wage for women in professional cycling 
 
 Events deemed “Women’s Elite” – like the Giro del Toscana at which they were competing – are roughly equivalent to the top two tiers of the men’s sport. 
 
 In 2011, second tier men’s teams were required to pay a minimum around 32,000 euro, according to the Inner Ring. A woman who wins every event in their top tier World Cup Series probably would fall short of that sum in prize money. 
 
 Most women in the top tier of professional cycling aren’t even making what most countries would describe as a minimum wage. 
 
 So you can be outraged by an unflattering photo. 
 
 Or you can be outraged by the fact that the people running the sport still haven’t bought forward meaningful change to ensure that women are not on the end of enduring sexism in the sport where their right to a fair wage for a professional job is still considered less important than the design of their kit. 
 
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 When you tweet with a location, Twitter stores that location. You can switch location on/off before each Tweet and always have the option to delete your location history. Learn more ||||| 'Naked' team cycling kit unacceptable - Brian Cookson 
 
 A cycling team's kit which made the female riders look naked has been described as "unacceptable". 
 
 Photos of the Colombian team's outfit for a race in Italy showed what seemed to be a skin-coloured fabric around their waist and hips. 
 
 Brian Cookson, president of the International Cycling Union (UCI), said: "It is unacceptable by any standard of decency." 
 
 The UCI said it would remind the team of their responsibilities. 
 
 Photos of the six IDRD-Bogota Humana-San Mateo-Solgar cyclists - shown above with a slight alteration - were taken at the Giro della Toscana in Tuscany and caused controversy on social media at the weekend. 
 
 However, reports in Colombia have suggested the kit was designed by one of the female riders, approved by her team-mates and has been worn for several months. 
 
 What cycling's governing body said "The UCI will be sending a letter to the Colombian Federation reminding them of their responsibility regarding article 1.3.046 in the control of regional and club team kits that compete in international events." 
 
 "One of the riders appears to have designed it without the intent on making it look as though they were partially nude," Colombian cycling journalist Klaus Bellon told BBC World Service. 
 
 "People in Colombia have tried to protect and stand up for the women who are being made fun of for something that wasn't intended at all." 
 
 The mainly red and yellow outfit appears to be largely ordinary from the midriff up, with the exception of what looks like a flesh-coloured band across the torso. 
 
 Some observers have suggested the strip across the waist is gold coloured but appeared lighter in photographs. 
 
 Cookson wrote on Twitter on Sunday: "To the many who have raised the issue of a certain women's team kit, we are on the case." 
 
 Former British Olympic champion Nicole Cooke said: "This has turned the sport into a joke. Girls stand up for yourselves - say no." ||||| Cycling 
 
 Controversy: The uniform with the flesh-coloured fabric. 
 
 BOGOTA: The designer of outfits for a Colombian women's cycling team defended the uniforms on Monday against complaints by cycling authorities that the clothing was inappropriate. 
 
 The team, IDRD-Bogota Humana-San Mateo-Solgar caused a stir over the weekend at the Tour of Tuscany with a skin-tight maillot, which is flesh-coloured across the cyclists' thighs and abdomen, at first glance making team members look naked across the pelvic area. 
 
 "It is based on sponsors' colours. It is in no way grotesque or scandalous," cyclist-designer Angie Ariza posted on Twitter. 
 
 The uniform in a more favourable light. 
 
 Brian Cookson, president of the International Cycling Federation (UCI), described the outfits as as "unacceptable," after a team picture went viral on the internet. 
 
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 "To the many who have raised the issue of a certain women's team kit, we are on the case. It is unacceptable by any standard of decency," Cookson wrote Sunday on Twitter. 
 
 The team's six cyclists were expected back Tuesday in Colombia for a planned press conference to explain their views. They have reportedly been wearing the outfits since January. 
 
 DPA ||||| The design of a new flesh-coloured kit that makes a Colombian women’s cycling team look naked below the waist has been described as unacceptable by Brian Cookson, the president of the UCI. 
 
 Photographs of the Bogota Humana team were taken at the Tour of Tuscany, showing six women wearing red and yellow kit with flesh-coloured material immediately above and below the waist. It is unclear if the team intend to wear a similar uniform next week while representing Colombia at the road world championships in Ponferrada, Spain. 
 
 After the pictures went viral on social media, Cookson tweeted: “To the many who have raised the issue of a certain women’s team kit, we are on the case. It is unacceptable by any standards of decency.” 
 
 Cycling’s governing body later confirmed that it was investigating the issue. “The UCI will be sending a letter to the Colombian federation reminding them of their responsibility … in the control of regional and club team kits that compete in international events,” read a statement. 
 
 Among some of the leading riders criticising the outfits was the former Commonwealth, Olympic and world road race champion Nicole Cooke, who tweeted: “This has turned the sport into a joke. Girls stand up for yourselves – say no.” 
 
 Nicole Cooke (@NicoleCooke2012) This has turned the sport into a joke. Girls stand up for yourselves - say no pic.twitter.com/Jpt1Vo9Xog 
 
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– If the Bogota Humana Colombian women's cycling team walked by you on the street, you might do a double-take at their uniforms. The outfits start out red and gold, then transform to a flesh tone below the waist—making it appear to some as if they're not wearing anything down there, the Guardian reports. Photos showing the odd attire have recently gone viral, rankling fashionistas and cycling officials, including Union Cycliste Internationale President Brian Cookson, who tweeted that the uniform is "unacceptable by any standard of decency" and that his governing organization is "on the case." The UCI says it's contacting the Colombian bicycling federation to remind it to keep tabs on uniforms, and former road-race champion Nicole Cooke tweeted, "This has turned the sport into a joke. Girls stand up for yourselves—say no." But reports indicate one of the team members designed the uniform, got the thumbs-up from her teammates, and wasn't trying to go for the nude look, a cycling journalist tells the BBC. Via NPR, the Chasing Wheels biking blog adds that the questionable band of fabric is actually gold—not flesh-colored—and says, "Lycra done as gold effect never photographs well." The designer, identified by the Sydney Morning Herald as cyclist Angie Ariza, says, "It is based on sponsors' colors. It is in no way grotesque or scandalous."