Two Women, One Revolution: Strada and Burton vs. Cycling’s Gender Barriers

To inaugurate this 2026 we’re spotlighting another remarkable but often overlooked figure in cycling history: Alfonsina Strada, a woman whose courage, determination, and sheer force of will rewrote the rules of what women could do on two wheels. Unknown to many in the UK, her story stands alongside Britain’s own Beryl Burton, creating a powerful cross‑border tribute to women who refused to be sidelined.

Alfonsina Strada: Italy’s Fearless Trailblazer

Born in 1891 in Castelfranco Emilia, Strada grew up in extreme poverty, with little encouragement for her unconventional passion. Riding a bicycle as a young girl scandalized her village, some even crossed themselves as she passed, believing her cycling habit to be improper or “the work of the devil." Yet she kept riding, and by her teens she was racing (and winning) against boys.

Her defining moment came in 1924, when she became the first and only woman ever to ride the Giro d’Italia, one of cycling’s three Grand Tours. Whether she gained entry by accident or due to a convenient misunderstanding of the name “Alfonsin,” she stood on the start line in Milan as rider number 72 and refused to be intimidated.

Despite mechanical issues, brutal weather, and ridicule from some male competitors, Strada completed all 12 stages of the Giro unofficially after missing a cutoff time. Her tenacity captivated the Italian press, who followed her with astonishment and admiration, cementing her status as a national sensation.

Alfonsina did not set out to incite sociocultural transformation, yet her participation in the peloton nonetheless constituted a catalytic intervention. Her presence challenged prevailing assumptions about women’s physical capacities and demonstrated, publicly and unequivocally, that endurance, fortitude, and resilience were not gender‑bounded traits. Notably, this occurred within the broader context of Fascist Italy, a regime committed to enforcing rigidly patriarchal norms and circumscribing women’s roles within the domestic sphere.

Beryl Burton: Britain’s Unstoppable Champion

Jump forward a few decades and across the Channel, and you find Beryl Burton, the Yorkshire rider who dominated women’s cycling like no one before or since. Burton won more than 90 national titles and seven world championships, and famously set a 12‑hour time‑trial record in 1967 that even surpassed the men’s equivalent of the time.

While Strada fought simply for the right to compete, Burton competed, and then crushed the competition. Her achievements remind us that once the barriers are broken, extraordinary performance follows.

A Shared Legacy of Defiance

Alfonsina Strada and Beryl Burton never met, but their stories form a powerful timeline. Strada broke cycling’s gender taboo when women weren’t supposed to race at all. Burton redefined what women could achieve once they had access to competition.

Two eras. Two countries. One connective thread: they refused to let the world decide what women could or couldn’t do.

As we welcome our new Italian GM it feels especially fitting to celebrate Alfonsina Strada’s pioneering journey and the generations of cyclists she inspired, including Britain’s own Beryl Burton. Their stories remind us that progress often begins with a single act of defiance… and continues with decades of excellence.

And for all the new visitors to our site and workshop, especially those curious about the inspiration behind our beloved Beryl’s Night, consider this your introduction to the remarkable women whose grit, brilliance, and boundary‑breaking spirit gave it its name. They set the pace… we simply follow the ride.

The next Beryl's Night at Broken Spoke will be on Thursday 5th of Februray 2026.

And now some light entertainmen

Via Wikimedia Commons