Alfonsina Strada the first and only woman to compete in the men's Giro d’Italia in 1924
In the history of cycling, there are names synonymous with heroism, but few are as groundbreaking as Alfonsina Strada-Morini (1891–1959). While the early 20th-century cycling world was a purely male stronghold, this Italian pioneer literally cycled through the barriers. In 1924, she did what no woman has done since: competed in the Giro d’Italia among the men.
A Record-Breaking Start
Alfonsina Morini was born in 1891 into a large, poor family in Castelfranco Emilia. In 1915, she married Luigi Strada. Unlike her family, Luigi was very proud of her sporting ambitions and encouraged her to take cycling seriously. Alfonsina was not just a recreational rider taking a gamble. She was one of the best cyclists of her generation. As early as 1911, she put the sporting world on edge by capturing the women's speed record with an impressive average of 37.192 kilometers per hour. Her hunger for competition did not stop at women's races. In 1917, she saw her chance at the Tour of Lombardy. Because the regulations nowhere explicitly stated that women were prohibited, she stood at the start in Milan on November 4th. She completed the 204 kilometers, leaving behind twenty men who didn't even reach the finish. A year later she returned and finished 21st, only 23 minutes behind the winner. The tone was set.
The 1924 Giro: Necessity and Cunning
The year 1924 brought a tragic turn in her life: Alfonsina’s husband was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. In a time without a social safety net, she had to find a way to support herself. She decided that the Giro d’Italia, the toughest race in the country, could be her salvation. The organizing newspaper, the Gazzetta dello Sport, was at its wits' end that year. Due to a financial conflict, the big stars were boycotting the tour. A woman at the start meant guaranteed publicity. To avoid immediate controversy, she was put on the start list without her 'a' as 'Alfonsin Strada'. It was only at the very last moment that her true identity was revealed to the general public.
The Hell of the Broomstick
Alfonsina immediately became the most popular rider in the peloton. The public loved her fighting spirit. After the third stage, she was even triumphantly greeted with a pair of earrings and a brand-new cycling kit. But the race remained relentless. In the seventh stage to Campobasso, disaster struck. Due to poor roads and severe weather, she suffered a heavy fall, snapping her handlebars in half. Giving up was not an option. She found an old broomstick at a farm along the road, broke it in two, and clamped the wooden sticks into her stem with rope. With these wooden handlebars, she conquered the remaining kilometers through the mountains. Although she finished outside the time limit that day and was officially removed from the standings, the organizers allowed her to continue riding. Of the 90 men who started, only 30 reached the finish in Milan. Alfonsina Strada was one of them, after a monstrous journey of 3,613 kilometers.
A Legacy of Defiance
In 1925, Alfonsina wanted to repeat her performance, but the male riders protested. They could not stand the fact that a woman was taking all the attention (and publicity). From then on, she was refused entry, but her point had been made. Alfonsina Strada was more than a cyclist; she was a symbol of gender equality. She proved that endurance and character are not bound by gender, but by the will to keep going when the handlebars break and the road goes up.
