Komoot announces women’s only bike–packing event: Montañas Vacías Rally

Komoot announces women’s only bike–packing event: Montañas Vacías Rally

Aiming to make adventure cycling more accessible to women of all backgrounds, the route will cover 680km in the Southwestern region of Aragon

Explore Words: Rachel Jary

On the 29th of April, 50 women will set off on a 680km journey around the “empty mountains” in Spain. The route will begin in Teruel, a town nested high in the mountainous region of Aragon, and it will cover 13,000 metres of climbing on mostly dirt roads. Held by route planning app Komoot, the event aims to unite women and break down the barriers to entry in adventure cycling.

Komoot had space for 50 participants on the ride, and it sold out within days. The event is open to women, non-binary and trans riders and was inspired by Komoot’s Women’s Torino Nice Rally (WTNR) which took place last year. The event in 2021 took on a challenging route through the mountains from Italy to Nice, with riders carrying all spares, camping equipment and food on a completely unsupported journey. Rather than races, these events are a learning process for riders as they are encouraged to share knowledge and help each other.

Ultra-endurance challenges often serve as a key opportunity to bring riders together, encouraging friendship through even the toughest moments. In 2021, the 26 riders that took part in the WTNR became lifelong friends after helping each other through 700km of tough bike riding. Komoot hope to encourage a similar result with the Montañas Vacías Rally in 2022, as 50 women take on the 680km route designed by Ernesto Pastor.

A local cyclist in the area, Pastor aims to bring more riders to the area with his route, even stashing repair equipment along the way to connect the cycling community with local people. At the same time, the event aims to encourage more people to ride in the stunning Montañas Vacías. 

Seasoned ultra-endurance cyclist, Lael Wilcox, is the pioneer behind Komoot’s women’s bike-packing events, leading the way during the WTNR in 2021 and back to do the same in the Spanish mountains this year. “Sleep under the stars or under the shelter of refugios. Ride forest roads and doubletrack between mediaeval villages. Be part of the rolling community of women,” wrote Wilcox on her Komoot page, promoting the Montañas Vacías Rally.

The route will largely be on dirt roads and riders will tackle the event completely unsupported, aside from the repair points along the route. Lael Wilcox will be documenting the journey on her Instagram profile and the route will be available to download via Komoot. With a focus on community and self-improvement, the Montañas Vacías Rally is a positive step in inviting more women into the bike-packing community.

Explore Words: Rachel Jary

READ MORE

Turning a corner: Is the Ineos Grenadiers's flurry of victories a sign of things to come?

Turning a corner: Is the Ineos Grenadiers's flurry of victories a sign of things to come?

Wins from Egan Bernal, Michał Kwiatkowski, and Josh Tarling have delivered the team's most prolific months since June last year – but can it propel...

Leggi di più
Fabio Jakobsen: This is how you make sprints safer

Fabio Jakobsen: This is how you make sprints safer

As the first big sprints battles of the year take place at the UAE Tour, Picnic PostNL’s Fabio Jakobsen has an idea of how to...

Leggi di più
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig for MNSTRY

Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig: ‘I want to be back racing with my heart’

The Danish rider has signed a two-year contract with CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto, changing her training, fuelling and mindset in order to get back on top of the...

Leggi di più
Tadej Pogačar at the 2024 Il Lombardia

UAE Tour 2025 preview and contenders: Can anyone deny Pogačar?

A raft of top sprinters are lining up to vie for stage victories in the year's second WorldTour stage race

Leggi di più
Demi Vollering 2025

Is FDJ-Suez the team that can help Demi Vollering to Tour de France Femmes redemption?

There are big changes for the Dutch rider in 2025 - will they pay off? Or could leadership issues arise again? 

Leggi di più

READ RIDE REPEAT

JOIN ROULEUR TODAY

Get closer to the sport than ever before.

Enjoy a digital subscription to Rouleur for just £4 per month and get access to our award-winning magazines.

SUBSCRIBE