A German cyclist will set off from Malaga later this month with the aim of becoming the first woman to ride all 21 stages of the Vuelta a Espana on the same day as the pro peloton.
Monika Sattler, better known as RAD Monika (‘rad’ being German for ‘road’) will start her journey with a flat, 8-kilometre spin in the Andalusian city a few hours before the race itself opens with a team time trial.
Once she begins her quest on Saturday 25 August, ahead of her lie more than 3,250 kilometres of riding over three weeks, most of that over some very bumpy terrain with 46 peaks and five high mountain summit finishes to be tackled.
The 32-year-old, who lives on Mallorca where she moved after giving up a career in management consultancy in Germany to focus on cycling, will set off on each stage after breakfast, aiming to arrive at the finish line just after lunchtime.
As part of her training. Sattler undertook an 1,100-kilometre ride in five days, stopping at hospitals along the way at hospitals dressed in her Super-RADwoman cycling kit to meet children undergoing treatment for cancer.
She’s looking to document the ride through a film and is looking to raise 20,000 euro via Facebook to document it.
Further details of the ride, including how people can get involved with her project, can be found on her The Vuelta Ride website.
Simon has been news editor at road.cc since 2009, reporting on 10 editions and counting of pro cycling’s biggest races such as the Tour de France, stories on issues including infrastructure and campaigning, and interviewing some of the biggest names in cycling. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, his background has proved invaluable in reporting on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, and the bike industry. He splits his time between London and Cambridge, and loves taking his miniature schnauzer Elodie on adventures in the basket of her Elephant Bike.