Komoot Women's Torino-Nice Rally 2021

On the 24th of September, 50 women and I will set off to tackle the Torino-Nice Rally route. The ride will be self-supported: sleep and eat when and where you’d like. Ride with friends. Ride solo. Choose your own adventure. It's just an incredible opportunity. The riding looks magnificent. It’s 700km long and the goal is to finish within a week. Ride fast, ride long, take breaks, take pictures, meet people, make it personal.

As women, we’re individuals that prove what’s possible and that things are changing. I’ve been told that it’s impossible for women to travel long distances, to climb mountains, to ride through remote country. I’ve been told that I could never win a race overall, beating all the men, but I have! Ultimately, I ride because I love it, but I’m very motivated to prove that women are as capable in the world of ultra-distance cycling as men.

I heard about the Torino-Nice Rally years ago and have wanted to ride the route ever since. I first wrote to James Olsen, the TNR route designer, and event organizer, in 2018 and started studying the tracks, imagining the riding and camping and resupplying. I’ve always been drawn to mountain routes and I particularly love riding in the Alps. As an Alaskan, it's paradise to have such complex networks of small roads, options for routing, and the feel of riding through history. I’ve never ridden in Italy and I have dreamed of riding from town to town, eating pasta and pizza, making quick stops for espresso, and riding huge days without the worry of resupply.

I love that this women’s only version of the Komoot Torino-Nice Rally is a challenge and not a race. It’s hard, but not competitive. There’s so much camaraderie in taking on challenges with other members of your community. You share struggles and experiences and overcome obstacles together. You share stories— funny, hard and meaningful. These create bonds and understanding. We all have different backgrounds and different approaches, but we will come together for adventure.

We will set off together on the morning of the 24th from Turin then go on our own journeys crossing paths along the way. You can ride solo, together or a mix. Camp, bivi or find accommodation along the way the adventure is yours. A week later on Friday, 1st October we will host a get together where we can share our stories from the road and celebrate our rides.

Here we've pulled together the official track for the week, using some of James Olsen's route options (2.2,4.2,5.2). These stages are split not into suggested days, but rather begin and end where there are route option choices to be made in the original Torino-Nice Rally route. Here are the stages put together into one Tour: komoot.com/tour/466623423

Check out the official Komoot Torino-Nice Rally Collection with all the shortcuts and route options here: komoot.com/collection/1234066/-the-komoot-torino-nice-rally

- Lael Wilcox