The Torino Nice Rally might be my favorite route in the world. There are ten mountain passes along the way. Quiet tarmac roads turn to dirt up high, rolling along ridges in the Alps, crossing the invisible border back and forth between Italy and France and eventually descending to the beach on the Mediterranean Sea.

It’s ideal for a group start. The riding has a rhythm. It’s hard, but that’s what makes it great. The challenge is straightforward and rewarding – climb the mountain, descend to the valley, eat pizza or pack provisions, fill water at the fountain, camp in the olive grove behind the church.

Resupply and resources are plentiful, but there’s very little traffic. Riders naturally regroup in towns and make plans together. Mountain refuges provide shelter from the weather, hot meals and a chance to spend more time in remote country. If the weather is good, camping is both easy and breathtaking.

Every mountain pass is unique, with a different view from one side to the other – the Colle delle Finestre, the Strada dell’ Assiette, the Col Agnel and Little Peru. There’s nothing like descending for an hour on an old military road and finding your friends at the courtyard cafe in the center of town. You’re out in the middle of nowhere and then you’re not. Every day is a week of experience. It’s simple, unpredictable and fun.

The Komoot Women’s Torino Nice Rally is an open invite for women from around the world to meet in Turin, Italy on September 9th to begin the route together. The only goal is to make it to the finishers’ party in Nice, France a week later. Riders will be self-supported, choosing where and when to eat and sleep and how far they want to travel each day. The route is public and free all year.

The Women’s Rally is special because it’s a rolling community on the road. Riders leapfrog one another– riding, camping and getting to know each other along the way.

The ride is personal and it’s not a race. This Komoot Collection is made to encourage interactions along the way, but you’re welcome to take detours. Here you'll find route creator James Olsen's route options (2.2,4.2,5.2), just as we rode last year.

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. Make it your own.

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.

Our ride is modeled after the original TNR, an open invitation for riders to take on the route together. Now in its 6th year, the TNR will set off on Monday, September 5th.

This will be the second and final edition of the Komoot Women’s Torino Nice Rally. We started it last year as a direct response to the low participation of women at bikepacking events.

Now and in future years, we strongly encourage women to join the original TNR. The organizers give preference to underrepresented groups, with 50% of places reserved for women and riders with non-cisgender identities. Additionally, the event is making a point to welcome riders of all backgrounds and is committed to accommodating riders who feel that cycling is still “more for them than for me.”

Women’s registration in the regular TNR has grown from 5% last year to 30% this year. It’s really encouraging to see more women participating.

We will continue to host women’s rallies, but will choose new routes every year. We’re scouting a route in Slovenia for 2023 and will host a route building competition in the fall. Stay tuned for more information.

Due to huge demand and a limited number of 50 places for the Komoot Women's Rally, the successful entries for the 2022 edition will be drawn by ballot. A number of spaces are also reserved for riders from underrepresented groups.

Register your interest here eventbrite.com/e/komoot-womens-torino-nice-rally-tickets-348012042387 between May 31st and June 3rd.

- Lael Wilcox