Ninth komoot Women’s Rally: 60 adventurers will discover Montenegro, starting late April. Applications open now.

• Under the theme "Montenegro Madness" world-record cyclist Lael Wilcox and komoot are organizing a bikepacking rally that starts and ends in Podgorica.
• Interested riders can apply between February 17th and February 24th, with participation determined by a random ballot.
• The route has been scouted by a community member and starts in Montenegro’s mountains, traversing vast landscapes, ending along the Adriatic coast.
• Route details: April 26th to May 3rd, 2025, ~680 km distance, ~13,500 m elevation gain, terrain: paved, unpaved, and gravel — ideal for gravel or mountain bikes.

For Immediate Release

Potsdam, February 17th, 2025 – As the ninth event in five years, the komoot Women's Montenegro Madness Rally 2025 will take place from April 26th to May 3rd, 2025, organized by komoot and Lael Wilcox. The komoot Women’s Rally event series aims to inspire women, trans, and non-binary cyclists to experience exceptional bikepacking routes while fostering community connections.

Lael shares her perspective:

Following in the spirit of the komoot Women's Slovenia Rally 2023 — supporting female route builders — this year's route in Montenegro was scouted by Italian rider Beatrice Mezzene Lona (known as Bea). The route draws inspiration from Bea’s Montenegro Mountain Madness bikepacking adventure. While Bea scouted the course, Lael remains the rally’s founder and host, and komoot is the go-to for all organizational matters. The event welcomes participants from around the world.

Lael Wilcox: "Bea combines a unique mix of passion and precision that makes her a great route planner and event organizer. She pieces together every part of the puzzle — the details, the requirements, and the logistics matter, but so do the storytelling, the romance, and the beauty of the landscape."

The komoot Women’s Montenegro Madness Rally 2025 begins and ends in Podgorica. Riders will traverse a remote, 680 km route from the mountains to the coast, shaped by Bea’s local expertise.

Bea reflects on the route:

For this ninth komoot Women’s Rally, Bea adapted her original route to showcase even more of what makes Montenegro so special. The result is a ~680 km route on a mix of paved and off-road terrain, suitable for gravel and mountain bikes.

"They’ll love the landscapes of the Komovi Nature Park: expansive views, diverse scenery, and the feeling of being in another world. The highest sections of the route take you through the highlands of Kolašin, which resemble the wilderness of Mongolia. We’ll cross the Tara River’s canyons and ride through one of my favorite spots — Durmitor National Park. After the mountains, we’ll finish with stunning views along the Adriatic coast." — Bea, route builder

To maintain an intimate experience and protect small communities along the way, the rally will be limited to around 60 participants.

Applications for the komoot Women’s Montenegro Madness Rally 2025 are open from February 17th to February 24th at 11:59 PM (CET). Successful applicants will be notified by email on February 28th.

Find more details about the route and the application process in the komoot Collection:

The first komoot Women’s Rally was launched in 2021 as an initiative to create an inclusive space for women in cycling. The rallies aim to connect, unite, and break down barriers in the sport by making bikepacking adventures accessible to women from all backgrounds. The focus is on learning, sharing knowledge, and above all, having fun.

So far, over 400 women from 23+ countries — ranging in age from 21 to 68 — have taken part in komoot Women’s Rallies. Past events across Europe have featured iconic bikepacking routes, such as the:

• Turin-Nice Rally, spanning Italy and France
• Montañas Vacías route in Spain
• GranGuanche Gravel Route across the Canary Islands
• Badlands Gravel Route in Spain, traversing the Gorafe Desert, Tabernas Desert, and Cabo de Gata Natural Park.

This year's komoot Women's Rallies mark a special milestone: Both events will take place on a route designed by women from the bikepacking community. The second 2025 komoot Women's Rally will also take place in Europe — further information will be announced in the following months.

Follow the Women’s Rally profile on komoot, @komoot on Instagram, and visit the komoot Adventure Hub to stay updated on future events and registration details.

##ENDS##

Media Kit including the komoot route map for the komoot Women’s Montenegro Madness Rally 2025: https://newsroom.komoot.com/media_kits/235290

Photo credits: exploro.cc / Ashley Gruber

Logo Designer: emilykatehamnett

How to embed a komoot route online:
https://www.komoot.com/b2b/embed