The fascinating story of the only woman to ever ride the men’s Giro

Years before any women’s version of the race existed, Alfonsina Strada rode the Giro d’Italia. Born in 1891 in Italy, she broke the traditional norms of her time by venturing into a male-dominated sport – cycling. In 1924, she did something that nobody else had ever done before or since then when she became the first and only woman to compete in the race.

Mixed reactions to her racing

There were definitely mixed reactions when she decided to take part in this race. Some saw her as a pioneer fighting for women’s rights and representation. While others wondered if she could withstand such an arduous challenge like the Giro. “People thought it obscene for a woman to ride a bike,” Anna Morini, Strada’s niece said. “Alfonsina was my father’s older sister. Theirs was a very large family and the only person who worked was my grandfather, Carlo. One day, he came home with a bicycle. He thought he could use to get to work, but Alfonsina took the bike. She fell in love with it and never left it alone.”

Alfonsina Strada won 36 races against men

Strada would later receive a proper racing bike as a wedding present. She rode Il Lombardia twice, in 1917 and 1918, where she competed against renowned cyclists like Philippe Thys, a three-time Tour de France champion. She would finish 32nd and 21st, respectively.

As a result of wartime challenges, rules didn’t explicitly bar women from competing against men.

According to Michela Girardengo, an Italian cycling enthusiast, and historian, Strada was characterized as a woman who refused to be discouraged by any obstacle.

“It was in 1917 when my great grandfather Costante Girardengo and Strada met at the Giro di Lombardia. My great grandfather immediately took a shine to this brave cyclist. The only female rider in an otherwise all-male Giro,” Girardengo said. Girardengo said her great grandfather was one of the few professional cyclists to embrace her and raced alongside her.

Doing the Giro

In 1924, the Giro d’Italia struggled for numbers because some of the greats of cycling at the time refused to take part in the race. “Allowing Strada to participate was a winning idea,” she explained. “The objective was to demonstrate to people what women were capable of achieving.”

Her entry into the Giro d’Italia stemmed from a dispute between the organizer, Emilio Colombo of Gazzetta dello Sport, and the top riders, who declined participation. Mimicking the Tour de France’s approach at the time, Colombo opened spots to anyone willing to compete. They received the assurance of expenses covered by the newspaper, including accommodation and meals.

Brutal racing conditions

Her name was entered as “Alfonsin” so as to hide the fact she was a woman. Sure enough, journalists began to refer to her with the male version of the name, Alfonsino. She finished 74th on the first stage, an hour behind the leader, a respectable performance given the era’s standards, where riders could be hours apart. She placed 50th between Genoa and Florence out of 65, surviving until Naples, where adverse weather conditions caused numerous crashes, including hers, resulting in a broken handlebar, which she improvised with a broomstick provided by a spectator.

However, she ultimately finished outside the time limit. The organizer would ignore the commissaire’s directions and allow her to finish, but he would have to pay her food and accommodation for the remainder of the race.

All the way to Milan

The following day’s stage to Fiume saw Strada, despite finishing 25 minutes beyond the time limit and in tears from pain and exhaustion, lifted by a cheering crowd in triumph.

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Although she was no longer “officially” competing, she completed the race well ahead of Telesforo Benaglia, the maglia nera, the Italian version of the lanterne rouge. Only 38 riders finished, as well as Strada, who would finish 28 hours down on the winner, Giuseppe Enrici.

The evolution of the women’s Giro

It took decades before women had their own version of the race. From 1988 to 2012, the Giro d’Italia Femminile, took place, followed by the Giro Rosa (2013-2020). In 2021, it was rebranded the Giro d’Italia Donne. For 2024, it will be known as the Giro d’Italia Women. This year’s race begins July 7 and is eight stages long. In 2023, the now-retired Annemiek van Vleuten took the overall.