ROTM March 2022

Ride of the Month: Searching for La Primavera

The joy of the new season is difficult to put into words, patiently waiting through winter for spring weather, its arrival signals a kind of revolution. The Italians have, unsurprisingly, a beautiful name for springtime – La Primavera.

In the world of cycle racing, La Primavera may also refer to Milan–San Remo, the ‘spring classic’ and one of the most prestigious events of the season. Known as the longest (almost 300kms) and arguably most beautiful of the one-day monuments, to win this trophy is to have your name chiseled into history.

But only if you’re a man. Female road racers still only get to watch Milan-San Remo on the screen, or perhaps wearily cheer their male counterparts from the roadside.

There was, for a few years in the early 2000s, something called the Primavera Rosa, a shortened version for the ladies which ran before the gentlemen’s event; Trixi Worrack was the last woman to win that race, in 2005.

Currently the women have the Trofeo Alfredo Binda in Lombardia (Binda is a celebrated male racer who won Milan-San Remo twice, funnily enough) on the same weekend as Milan–San Remo, and it is always hotly contested, with the masterful Marianne Vos having won there four times. But it's no ‘Classicisima’, it cannot compare to the spectacle of racing from the confines of industrial Milan out to the beauty of the Ligurian coast.

Now, in 2022, with the women’s peloton having their own version of some of the biggest races on the calendar like Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders, they want to see Milan-San Remo on their schedule too. Of course, that’s not to say the women’s sport cannot or should not have their own specific events, but to achieve parity, things must be equally distributed; opportunities open to all.

Whilst the governing body of world cycling, the UCI, and race-organizers, RCS, get their act together, the roads are still free for us to explore the route in question.

‘The growth in women’s cycling justifies adding bigger races to the calendar. There should be equal chances. With such a strong number of Italian females at the top of the sport now, Milan-San Remo would be a beautiful addition.

Nothing is too long or too tough, women are capable of competing on the same parcours as the men, which was demonstrated back in October at Paris-Roubaix. Everybody wants to see more of those thrilling occasions.’

– Stefanie

And so it was, in early March, four of us, in Café du Cycliste colours, took off in search of the elusive Primavera, passing over three borders, beginning in Nice, across to Monaco, and up into Italy.

We weren’t looking to ride all 298 km of Milan-San Remo, but instead rode along the coast as a sort of pilgrimage up to the two famous climbs of the race – the Cipressa and the Poggio. We rode as a happy unit and chatted about how great it would be to one day share stories of female racers battling to victory again on these roads. Instead, as we crossed the border into Italy from Menton we talk about riders like Vincenzo Nibali and Julian Alaphilippe, men who have had the honour to race up the Poggio di San Remo.

We take the cycle path in Ospedaletti and on towards San Remo itself – riding eastwards from Nice we must first pass through San Remo before arriving at our intended targets of first the Cipressa climb, and then back to the Poggio. With views of the sea always at our side, we each in turn suffer but camaraderie and the promise of spring gives us the energy to punch our way up. As we each arrive we see the famous phone box marking the top of the climb. We all take in the view and share a photo before the famous twisting descent back into San Remo.

THE TOUR DES ALPES MARITIMES

The Tour des Alpes Maritimes is an early test for hill racers. But we ourselves are not here to race. We’re here to discover what the Riviera has to offer the amateur cyclist.

LE SAUT DES FRANÇAIS

Exiting Nice from the north side, this ride provides a healthy mélange of architectural and natural landmarks, with a side of local legend.

CHRISTMAS IN PROVENCE

In Provence, Christmas lasts 40 days. In the small village of Luceram, nativity scenes have become a sacred tradition for its inhabitants.

URBAN GARDENING IN MONACO

A ride that goes further than the normal nourishing experience, climbing the iconic Col d’Eze en route to Monaco in search of a model turned urban gardener.

THE RESILIENCE OF THE HINTERLAND

In October 2020, Storm Alex hit the valleys in the hinterland around Nice and the whole landscape was permanently altered.