Has been a full on week end the past one where I've been in Milano as a cyclist for the very first time.
I actually went for a cyclocross singlespeed race few years ago at the Lambro park but this time I had the chance to live Milano as urban cyclist.

I come from a small city called Vicenza an the traffic can be congestes in the rush time, but most of the roads that I normally ride are pretty free from cars. Milan is caothic at every hour of the day: trafic lights, trams, roundabouts, railways, pavè...

So a new experiece for me... And happy to had finally the oportunity to be there for few days.
The city it's easier if you go around with a bike so there's no much problems for parking, but for sure we need to take care at the bike every time we stop some where.

The Rapha pop up situated in Corso Garibaldi 117 has a bike rack inside the shop so the bicycle it's safe.

As ambassador Rapha I took part a the Women's night at the pop up where the Katusha team mechanic explaned us few easy things about "how to fix a bike problem while we are riding". Few girls took part at the nigth and at the conversation making the events nice.

I love to get involve in this kind of events anad make other women to take part.

But my experience in Milan had its best on saturday and sunday when the rides were on.


On saturday thanks to Iride Modena and the photographer Emanuele Barbaro I had the chance to ride at the Vigorelli velodrome for my very first time.
Some loops to warm up and get confidence with the bike and the start to push getting the speed to ride higher on the track. It was amazing, be at the storical velodrom of Milan at the special opening.

But my saturday was pretty full of things happening one after the other. From the Vigorelli velodrome I went with Emanuele at the Marco Aurelio Fontana event called Fuffenaffen about one hour from Milan. Time to change clothes, bike, have a smal plate of pasta and we were riding a mountain bike. The party was full of Fontana's fans coming from all over the north Italy, the weather was perfect and the place great.

I met Marina Romoli for my first time and Ia have a really nice conversation with her. She's a hero and a powerful girl full of life even if she will not ride a bike anymore. She's awesome. After her accident which paralyzed her legs she's now on a chair wheels. She used to me a great track and road cyclist. After six year living a new life she founded the Marina Romoli association as foundraiser for spinal injury research.

Well, my Saturday didn't finish here because in the evening we went back to the Vigorelli where the Milano Fashion Fixed Criterium was on.  The great show of fixies is so fascinating but it was also nice for to meet some friends of the cyclocross singlespeed.

It was a long, super nice and tiring day, but i want to go to sleep pretty early to be ready for the Rapha women's ride of the day after.

The women's ride are always a big surprise, can have a big partecipation or can have just few girls join the group. But helped by the weather and the type of ride we advertised (social ride) many girls showed up the ride.

Thanks to Mariateresa Montaruli of IoDonna.it to have planned the tour into teh Parco del Ticino, in the countryside of Milan. We cycled for 70 km and we stopped on the way back at Casina Caremma for some home made cakes and coffees.

Happy to have seen so many girls on the bike at the ride. It was a super experience for everyone!

The Rapha women's ride stopped at Casina Caremma for some coffee.