Launch of 2nd Women’s bike-packing event promotes inclusivity and accessibility for female adventure cyclists
Potsdam 27th April - On the 29th of April 2022, komoot will host its second women’s bike-packing event: the Komoot Women’s Montañas Vacías Rally. Open to 50 women, non-binary and trans riders, the rally follows the newly established Montañas Vacías route – 680 kilometers through Spanish Lapland’s “Empty Mountains” in the Southwestern region of Aragon. Like the inaugural Komoot Women’s Torino Nice Rally last year, this event aims to connect, unite and break down the barriers in adventure cycling: making adventures by bike more accessible to women of all backgrounds.
The brainchild of komoot ambassador Lael Wilcox, twenty-six women lined up at the start line of the komoot Women’s Torino Nice Rally (WTNR) last year. The goal was simple: to ride a challenging route through the mountains from Italy to Nice, carrying everything needed to get from the start to the finish without extra support. Riders don’t race these rally events, instead they ride as companions in a supportive environment with an emphasis on sharing knowledge, learning-by-doing and having fun.
Many of us didn’t know one another before the ride. A week of adventure – riding over mountain passes, finding shelter in storms, camping under the stars, fixing mechanicals – made us lifelong friends. Even before the week was up, we knew we’d have to do it again. Hence the Montañas Vacías edition of 2022!
After the success of the WTNR, komoot is taking the women’s bikepacking rally concept to Spain in 2022. This year’s rally follows the Montañas Vacías route which was devised by local cyclist Ernesto Pastor, and inspired by his own experience of the Torino Nice Rally. With 680 kilometers and 13,000 meters of climbing on mostly dirt roads, Pastor’s aim was to create a route that brings cyclists to the area, and connects the cycling community to locals and places by stashing repair equipment along the route for those who may need it. Women taking part in this year’s rally are encouraged to donate spares too.
Entries for this year’s event are closed, having sold out within days. Check out the route on Lael's profile here. To follow the adventures of the group of women riding in this year’s rally visit the social media profiles of the following riders:
Lael Wilcox: https://www.instagram.com/laelwilcox/
Rue Kaladyte : http://www.instagram.com/rugilekaladyte/
Sami Sauri : https://www.instagram.com/samisauri/
Gaby Thompson : https://www.instagram.com/gofastergaby/
Devin Cowens: https://www.instagram.com/dev_rox/
Josie Fouts: https://www.instagram.com/ms.stubbornness/
Johanna Jahnke: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMIsoQ9F044/
Imagery: dropbox updated daily with images from Rue Kaladyte and Sami Sauri (please credit accordingly)
About Komoot
Komoot is a thriving digital platform for adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts around the world. It’s driven by a simple goal: to help people explore more of the outdoors wherever and however they want.
Komoot’s mobile apps and platform provide advanced route planning and navigation tools. At the same time, a content-rich feed of unique stories and adventures inspires its community of over 45 million users to explore and share their outdoor experiences and recommendations.
Founded in 2010 by six friends from Germany and the Austrian Alps, the team now numbers over 100 people, all working together to enable great outdoors adventures for its growing community.
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