Last summer RAD Monika (aka Monika Sattler) made history as the first woman to ride the entire 3058km route of the one of cycling’s toughest grand tours: the Vuelta a España. Riding only a few hours ahead of the pro men, she covered all 21 stages and 49,337m of climbing in the blistering Spanish heat, her mission to inspire more people, particularly women, to get on their bikes.
Monika is one of the most upbeat, can-do people I’ve had the pleasure to chat with. She doesn’t put any limits on what she’s capable of and throws herself into life. Here, she chats about how she coped with the physical and mental demands of riding the Vuelta and reveals what a typical day during the three week ride entailed.