52 Cycling Voices - 28: Maria Canins

For those who are into cycling history the name, Maria Canins may well be of note to you. She was one of the stand-out acts in women's cycling during the 1980s. La mamma volante (the flying mum), as she was affectionately known by her Italian compatriots, won 20 races between 1982 and 1995. Bear in mind that this was at a time when there weren't many women's international races.

Apart from the World Championships, the big international races in those days were the Tour de France, Giro Femminile (Tour of Italy), Coors Classic (Tour of Colorado), Norwegian Post Giro, and Trofeo Alfredo Binda. Maria won the Trofeo Alfredo Binda four times - a feat that has only been matched by Marianne Vos - and the women's Tour de France twice.

The modern-day calendar still includes those races (apart from the Tour de France) as well as many other international professional races. The women's Tour de France was originally held as a subsidiary race concurrently with the men's professional event, (over a short section of selected stages of the men's race) between 1984 and 1989. Thereafter the event was spun off into a separate stand-alone women's stage race under various names, most recently La Grande Boucle Feminine, until it was last held in 2009.

Now in her 70s, Maria enjoys the good life in the Italian Dolomites, where she has lived all her life. I caught up with Maria Canins recently and she reminisced about her racing days, and talked about her cycling today.



Maria Canins, 
aged 70

Lives: La Villa, Italy

Women's Tour de France Winner (1985 and 1986); Cycle tour guide in the Dolomites



I got into cycling when I was a competitive cross-country skier, and I would sometimes ride a bike as part of my training. 

What got me into cycle racing was the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics where they had the first women’s road race. 

In 1982 the Italian Cycling Federation was looking for athletes who were good enough climbers to tackle the hilly course at the upcoming Olympics. 

There was a lack of good climbers in the Italian cycle squad, so a coach came to the cross-country teams and presented the idea of trying cycle racing with a view to competing in the Olympics.  

No one in my team wanted to do it, but I was quite enthusiastic and decided to have a go – it sounded great. They sent me a training programme and a racing schedule that included a few hilly races. At my first race in June 1982 I came 7^th, in my second race I came second, and I won my third race. I found I was quite strong in the hills and was able to stay with the select group, and be in the final sprint for the line with the few remaining riders. 

So based on my strength I was able to compete in the 1982 World Championships in England at Goodwood. There, I came second behind Mandy Jones. And so I became so enthusiastic about cycling and things just continued from there. 

I enjoyed cycle racing so much more than skiing because it gave me the opportunity to travel, and see lots of places. Cycling allows you to go out in the streets, look around and get to see different places.

The 1980s saw a growth in women's cycling, generally led by the Americans. The first women’s Olympic road race was held in Los Angeles, and that was of huge interest to everyone as well as the media. The race was won by Connie Carpenter, and Rebecca Twigg got silver - two American racers. 

America was always a good place to launch something new. I did the Tour of Colorado a few times, and when I did it we were treated the same as professional male cyclists, with television coverage, journalists and the public who were interested. 

The Europeans were like "wow"; they wanted to copy what the Americans were doing. This gave a boost to women's cycle racing.

I didn't do the first women's Tour de France in 1984 because I was at the Olympics, so my first one was in 1985. 

Canins on the col d'Izoard (1986) ( Rene Boulay)

The women's Tour de France was a wonderful new experience for me. I didn’t know France very well so it was great to see more of the country.

I have great memories of us racing for many days in many different places. We were constantly packing our suitcases to go to the different parts of France.

Having the Tour de France on television made it like a big party. There were loads of people in the street. We did our race before the men's – the professional race. 

When we raced it was more like a hobby as women's cycle racing wasn't professional, but we still had a lot of spectators. 

There was a lot of press and interest from the French. Around Grenoble there were many Italians fans too. They were Italian immigrants, nostalgic for their former country and so they really enjoyed watching Italian riders in the women’s race. 

There was a male Italian rider called Vesantini who was quite strong, but during the Tour de France he was a bit slow, so the Italian journalists focused more on my results than on his. I was riding well and was also a novelty in every sense - being a woman, not very young - aged 35, having my daughter, Concetta [now a journalist and lawyer] with me. I had only recently started cycle racing having done cross-country skiing and had won championships in that sport a few years before. I even made the cover of Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.  

It was great to be on the podium with the men's winners. I shared the podium with Greg Lemond and after with Pedro Delgado, and Stephen Roche.

I retired from cycle racing because when I was at the top I didn't feel I could get any stronger. The cycle of preparing myself psychologically for a race, getting to the start line, talking to journalists got really demanding. I was no longer enjoying it and I realised it was time to get out. 

Nowadays there are international stage races of eight or ten days, but it is not like the Tour de France that we had in our day which took place at the same time as the men's race. 

I think the fact that it was possible to hold a Tour de France in the 1980s means that it would surely be possible to do that today . All that’s needed is the wish to do it, and it would be wonderful. Nowadays there are massive sponsors, so it’s only fair that there be a women’s event. They just need to allocate a bit of television time for women’s professional cycling.  

Sometimes you have stages in the men’s race where there isn't anything interesting happening. So during that time you could do a quarter of an hour of the women’s race – a type of round-up in which you show highlights of the women's race including the winner, and then return to broadcasting the men’s race. 

All that is needed is a quarter of an hour out of a three- or four-hour long men's race. This wouldn’t need to be so much extra work, in my opinion. It’s important to give more broadcasting time to women’s cycling, and also give the spectators something else to see. 

Women's Tour de France attracted a lot of public interest (Rene Boulay)

I know there are many logistics involved and the organisers mention that, but when you don’t want to do something it’s natural that you will find a reason to not do it and say that the logistics make it impossible. 

In short, the organisers have a budget for the Tour de France, but it seems that they’re not prepared to add much else, like a women's stage race, to the event.

I must say I prefer the racing from the 1980s rather than what it is today. When I raced I never had to use an earpiece. I didn't have anyone saying to me “now you have to attack” “now you have to go in the breakaway” “attack on the climb." I think this is absolutely wrong. 

In my opinion an athlete should be strong, and also be able to read the race and race intelligently. Yeah, losing out because of a tactical error is part and parcel of racing, and if you don’t win you learn something and think about how you will do better next time. I don’t understand how a person can race with an earpiece. A racer is not a machine. 

Cycle racing was a lot more raw back in those days. When you watch someone attack on a climb for 5km or 10km you don't know if they will stay ahead of the bunch or if they will get caught. This sort of thing is what makes cycling wonderful, and a great spectacle on TV. 

Yes, I sometimes I got it right - sometimes I got it wrong. It's like when playing a game of cards, and you have to decide when to play or not play an Ace or a Joker. Whatever the outcome I still enjoyed the race. 

Cycling needs moments where people can improvise and get things right or wrong. That’s what makes cycling great. Riders don’t have radios during the World Championships, but then suddenly people don’t know how to race – even those who have been racing for 20 years - because they're so used to using earpieces. How miserable is that! No, I don’t like earpieces.

Of course, sponsorship has a lot to do with the way cycling has gone. We didn't have so much sponsorship in my day. It's only fair that sponsors want something back after spending so much money. For sure, cycle racing needs money, but when there’s too much it spoils cycling – the races, the athletes, sometimes taking a psychological toll on them.  

Also women’s professional cycling is a bit strange nowadays because although there is more money, there is less coverage compared to the 1980s. People don't seem that interested in women’s cycling, unless a woman does something particularly impressive. I think that applies to all women’s sport, not just cycling. 

Women's cycling is seen very much as a minority sport with a lot fewer fans than men's professional cycling. In the area where I live, in Alta Badia there are many women cyclists who cycle as a hobby, but no women’s professional cycle racing. 

Often when I look on the internet to find out about, say the Giro Rosa (Women’s Tour of Italy) to know when or where the stage starts, who won, etc I can’t find anything so - I just don’t know what has happened in the race! Nothing is reported in the local paper unless the race starts or finishes right in that town. 

Maratona dles Dolomiti (By Maratona dles Dolomiti organisers)

It just seems like women’s professional cycling is snubbed around here. Women's professional cycling is invisible.

Nowadays I still ride - usually about four times a week. I am also a cycle tour guide and do rides during the week of the Maratona dles Dolomites. 

We have around 20 or 30 people in the group and we ride at a leisurely pace. I enjoy these rides, showing the people the area, talking about the local culture and history, and taking photos.

We get a lot of young women who join the rides too. They look so elegant in their chic jerseys and shorts on stylish bikes. Sometimes they worry about not being able to manage the Passo Gardena or the Passo Pordoi. But then they only need to look at me and how old I am, and they think to themselves "if she is doing it at her age then I should be capable too!" I usually ride the Maratona too, with my daughter and a friend.

With the current situation with Coronavirus things aren't going well in Italy. The tourists have left and there is no one in the streets. In this area of Alta Badia there are only a few people infected compared to other regions, but we still have to follow the measures in place.This is not the time to be selfish.

Dolomites viewed from Passo di Sella

It's not easy to stay at home all the time, but I prefer to go out as little as possible, and be safe. 

It’s a difficult situation, but we are staying calm. People aren’t panicking but they’re scared for the future.

I normally go out and do  activities like walking, cycling and skiing, but with the Coronavirus I am finding other things to do at home. People are having to learn to change their lifestyles.

At times like this I feel lucky to be blessed with beautiful countryside in Alta Badia. But I realise that life isn’t always beautiful. Life also has things that aren't so good and we have to know how to deal with that. As an old lady that's how I see things at least! 

But overall, when I look out of the window at the beautiful landscape, the animals and breathe in the clean air of the Dolomites I feel grateful to still have these lovely things to appreciate. 

  

Other Cycling Voices
Janet Birkmyre

Monica and Paola Santini

Jenni Gwiazdowski/Bike Kitchen

Judith Worrall

Helen Wyman

Rochelle Gilmore

Gema Fernandez Hernando

Giorgia Bronzini

Tracy Moseley

Lucy and Grace Garner

Carolyn Hewett-Maessen

Maria David

Italian cycling tales from towns on the Giro d'Italia route - 2

Stories from the places on the 2019 Giro d'Italia route. One thing I liked about watching the Giro d'Italia cycle race was when the route went through areas that I am familiar with - either places where I lived or stayed when on holiday, or places I cycled through.

Here are some of the stages that brought me some fond memories.

Commezzadura (Val di Sole) to Anterselva (Stage 17)

The first section of this stage is an area I am familiar with, having done an event called the Giro di Dolomiti. It's a one-week cyclosportive in stages held in late July/early August, based in Bolzano.

The novelty about this event is that the General Classification is not based on the time taken to complete each of the stages, but just the time to do the main climb of each stage. The rest of the time people ride the remaining part of the stage at a leisurely pace, enjoying the Dolomites. You are even treated to a sit-down meal at altitude somewhere along the route.

Making friends at the Giro di Dolomiti

The year I did it, in 2006, Passo Mendola was the main climb of the first stage. I remember it well because I'd been so anxious about the event, and I was not sure if I would be fit enough. Italian bike riders use cyclosportives as de facto road races, so no one seems to ride on their own at their own pace. Or at least that's how things had looked to me.

In fact, it was at this race that I learned that cyclosportives need not always be a speedfest. In particular in this cyclosportive I knew I would only need to put in a hard effort for one climb, and the rest of the time it would just be a trans-Dolomiti social with folks from various parts of Europe.

Passo Mendola, which we climbed from Bolzano (the opposite way to the riders this year) was about 10 miles long, but it had a gentle gradient. Once I had gotten that out of the way I felt fine.

It was also nice because on that day I met some guys who had come to the event from Kent, and an Australian girl, Yvette who was half Italian and half Australian and working for Pinarello. We built up a camaraderie for the rest of the week, and met other people too. That contributed to me having a really good time at the Giro di Dolomiti. I would definitely recommend this event.

The riders in this year's Giro d'Italia took the main road to get from Bolzano to Ponte Gardena. However, it is possible to do this route on a traffic-free path. Google maps doesn't show this route for bicycles, however it is there and it is quite a pleasant tarmacked path that follows the River Adige. I cycled along it to get to Bolzano from Ponte Gardena.

At the time that I rode this I had been staying in Milan as I was working there, and for the August bank holiday I spent a long weekend in Canazei, in the heart of the Dolomites. As part of my return journey (which involved a train via Bolzano and then Verona to get to Milan) I got a bus to Ortisei (or it might have been Plan de Gralba), then rode downhill to Ponte Gardena from where I picked up the cycle path.

Along the way, a local guy on a bicycle decided to ride with me. I just thought it was just your average local who just says hello, where are you from, blah blah blah, and then carries on along his way at a faster pace than me.

However, this guy was not ready to do that at all. I told him that I wouldn't be going very fast because my bike was heavily laden. But he said he didn't mind. His car was sitting in a garage in Ortisei being serviced, so he had all day to hang around and was looking for something to do! So he was all set to ride with me for the duration! Cripes!

He was pretty harmless, and just talked about life and the universe, plus Italians' other favourite subject after football - the state of the economy and corrupt politicians - so I had two hours to learn about this blokes' thoughts on Berlusconi, Beppe Grillo, the Lega Nord, and a bit of Gigi Buffon!

Thankfully, just when I felt I'd had my fill of his opinions and he was about to say, "...and another thing..." we arrived at the outskirts of Bolzano, so he wished me a good day, and went on his way back to Ortisei. I like to think he had got everything off his chest!

This trip back to Bolzano was a lot easier than my outward journey. I had taken a packed train from Milan to Verona in which I and a load of other cyclists had been packed like cattle into a carriage with our bikes on an oppressively hot day. Then I picked up an equally packed train up to Ponte Gardena, from where I had planned to ride up to Canazei with all my luggage.

Progress was very slow as I sauntered up the road on my fully laden bike. The first 20km of the 30km route was uphill, as far as the Passo di Sella. Every so often I would phone the proprietor of the B&B where I had a room reserved, to say that there would be a delay in my arrival time, especially as it was getting to evening and I still had to ride up (and then down) the Passo di Sella.

Finally at around 7.30pm, when I arrived at Selva di Val Gardena I popped into a hotel and got them to call a taxi for me. The taxi driver told me it would cost 80 euros to take me to Canazei.

Delightful Dolomiti - the Sella range of mountains

Not wanting to pay so much I told him to take me just to the summit of Passo di Sella, and then I would roll 10km down the hill to Canazei. He reluctantly agreed to do so, fearing that I would catch hyperthermia riding down from the summit (which was at 2,218m) at that time of the evening.

He was right about the descent being really cold, but I just wore every bit of clothing in my luggage. It was a beautiful descent. Although it had been a challenging day, I felt lucky to have had the chance to see the Sella Ronda and the Dolomites rocks from up close at sunset. The area looked amazing.


Lovere to Ponte di Legno (Stage 16)

As the pre-planned climb of Passo di Gavia had to be removed from this stage of the Giro d'Italia due to snow, Mortirolo became the main climb of this stage. It was quite a spectacle watching the riders climb up it from the hard side, Mazzo.

Summit of Mortirolo

This takes me back to the time when I rode up the Mortirolo a few years ago when I was based in Milan and took the train up to Tirano for a long weekend in the high Italian Alps. As Mortirolo was not so far from where I was staying I decided to ride it one Friday afternoon.

I was having a bit of trouble finding the climb so a friendly local cyclist, Giulio, showed me the way there. He got me to follow his wheel along the valley road, and we arrived at Tovo Sant'Agata near Mazzo, where he dropped me off.

A butcher by trade, Giulio only worked in the morning and would spend every afternoon riding around the local climbs - Gavia, Aprica, Ponte di Legno, Bormio, Stelvio and of course Mortirolo. So for him to take a few minutes out of his afternoon to ride with me along a valley road was probably light relief!

I held his wheel like my life depended on it as he drafted off a rather speedy tractor. By the time he dropped me off at Tovo Sant'Agata the sweat was pouring down my face and I then I contemplated this monster I had to climb. "Just take is steady," Giulio said. "You'll be fine."

I came out of the climb alive, but it was not fine at all. The climb was so steep, and I ended up having to get off my bike and walk. I felt really stupid to have chosen the Mortirolo as my first climb of the trip when I hadn't found my climbing legs.

On the way up to Mortirolo from Mazzo

It was a Friday afternoon, and I was wondering if I would get back home before dinner! Eventually I came out of the woods - metaphorically as well as physically - and I had a lovely view of the Valtellina valley area.

Then I dropped downhill to a town called Monno. This descent was quite shallow and it made me realise that this was the side I should have ridden up the Mortirolo.

The views around were so beautiful and the descent was not technical, so with a nice end to my ride it made me forget about the earlier difficulties in the afternoon.

The rest of my weekend was spent riding up to Bormio and to Stelvio. Time didn't allow me to go up the Gavia, and I made a resolution to return there to ride. My next trip to the area was to go skiing in Aprica, and I haven't returned there since. So Passo di Gavia is still on my bucket list.


Ivrea to Como (Stage 15)

Lake Como at Bellagio

Of all the stages of this year's Giro d'Italia this is the stage I am most familiar with it. I have ridden in most of the sections of this stage.

As I spent 18 months in Milan, and still visit the area regularly I always make a point of riding around Lombardy.

The immediate outskirts of Milan are industrial, and sadly they don't have any preserved green belt areas like what you get around London, so a ride from Milan city centre to the nice areas that we know and love is actually quite ugly.

You pass industrial estate after disused factory, after out-of-town retail park, so I would generally cut out these eyesores and get on a local train to Monza or Como, and ride around the Brianza and Lake Como areas. Sometimes I would go to Lecco and Bergamo too.

Madonna del Ghisallo

Arriving into Como was always a nice feeling as I would get off the train and be right next to the beautiful lake. From there I would take the road along the lake, the SP583 to get to Bellagio, and then turn right to climb up to Magreglio, the site of Madonna del Ghisallo.

There are lots of options from here. I could turn back and enjoy the ride along the same road, which is the direction in which the pros cycled along this road during their first passage into Como.

But feeling energetic last autumn I decided to go on to Sormano and then tempt the Muro di Sormano, a quiet narrow, ridiculously steep lane which is a short cut to Pian del Tivano. In hindsight I should have done like the pros and taken the longer, but more gentle Colma di Sormano.

The Muro di Sormano is THE hardest climb I have ever seen on a bike. It is even steeper than those really steep roads in the Lake District. I have yet to meet anyone (outside of elite racers) who can ride this. Apart from the first 150m I ended up walking most of the roughly mile-long (1.7km) climb, and then got on my bike for the last 30 metres.

Embarrasingly when I reached the main road near Pian del Tivano a few hikers cheered at me for having managed to do the climb! I felt it necessary to come clean with them and say I didn't ride it. But they were just impressed I had ridden any part of it at all!

Which way? Turn left for the pain of the Muro di Sormano

The descent to Nesso is hairpin central - pretty technical. At least the pros had a clear road.

I had to deal with cars in front of me, making me either work hard to overtake them safely on the narrow road, or take it handy so that I didn't run into the back of them.

Then once back on the road to Torno it was a real blast to ride along the side of the Lake to get back to Como. I really appreciated the picture postcard that was the town of Como, with its lovely landmarks, in the distance.

The pros then had the pleasure of riding up to Civiglio. I would normally do this route as a separate ride either from Lecco and Ponte Lambro, which is the easy way down, or I would start in Como and do the tough climb up towards Brunate, then turn right to Civiglio when I was two thirds up the climb.

Lake Como as seen from Brunate

This road is not visible while at Lake Como as it is a quiet road that starts at the back of the town. However, while at the lake if you look up you see a lighthouse way up above, and that is where I need to go.....

It's quite daunting, especially as the first part of the climb is quite steep - probably around 12%.  with lots of hairpins. Even driving up there is quite tricky! A few years ago I wrote an article for the former Cycling Active magazine about riding around this area. We did a photo shoot in the area, and it was quite fun.

As Italians like to chat there were quite a few people who were curious to know what we were up to during the photoshoot, and I remember a guy who was quite happy to slow down in his car, while I was riding on a steepish hairpin, and chat to me about what I was doing and shout "forza, dai". It's an Italian thing, I guess.

A well-deserved ice cream awaits in Como

Talking of Italian things, all my rides around this area would end in the main square near Como cathedral, where I would have a gelato before getting the train back to Milan. I miss those times, but I also know that it is easy enough to go back there from London - something that I have done since those days, and will continue to do.


Related posts
Italian cycling tales from towns on the Giro d'Italia route - 1

Venturing out to Mortirolo

My Tour of Lombardy

The hills are alive in Tirano

Bella Sella ride

11th Gran Fondo Pinarello - Part 1

I'd had this event marked in the diary for some time, though I hadn't done any specific preparation for it. Certainly not any preparation for riding 200km. I knew I would be capable of covering the distance, but I just wasn't sure how long it would take. The profile showed about 7 climbs on the long course, the highest point being only about 1000m, and the ride didn't quite get into the Dolomites. This made me think it wouldn't be a difficult 200km.

However, I hadn't factored in the heat and the fact that anything that is not too hilly will mean fast - and extremely fast, in Italy.

As a general rule with these foreign sportive events I do the longest course - mainly because if I've made all the effort to travel there I might as well take on as much of the sights and sounds the place has to offer. Especially as I don't know when next I will go there.

Having had less than 4 hours' sleep was not the best preparation for the ride. The pre-race buzz kept me alert though.
It wasn't difficult for Stanley and myself to find the start from our b&b - we just followed the other cyclists. Once in the Centre of Treviso we got separated as we were setting off in different grids. While he was setting off from the 3rd grid, I was put in the first one with the rest of the women cyclists, plus elite riders and guests. It made me feel important.

Being so near the front meant we got the full blast from the compere. He was introducing a host of VIPS (including Giovanni Pinarello himself), and other famous folks that were taking part, thanking sponsors etc. He also did the "Hi, you alright, are you ready...etc" to the crowd. I didn't really listen as I'd managed to catch up with a friend of mine, Yvette, from the Pinarello team. I also bumped into a woman road racer from London - Tarne, from Planet X. We all just chatted about how our season had been. This gran fondo was going to be more of a pleasant amble around.

The countdown began and after 5,4,3,2,1 there was a big bang as streamers were set off and everyone clapped. Then the racing began.

Being at the front was a bit scary, as the riders surged forward at rocket like pace - streaming past on all sides. I did my best to keep into the right hand side. Some people still managed to undertake me though!

We took up the whole width of the road, riding 10 or 15 abreast. No problem, this is typical of an Italian mass participation bike event. While on two wheels you become king, as police outriders clear the way and the motorists show deference to the cyclists.
We sped through Treviso at breakneck speed. My computer was fixed on 25 miles per hour. There were groups passing by at much faster speeds. It was great being swept along by the large crowds, and I felt comfortable as people exercised very good riding discipline. The road was flat and very easy to speed through. My only worry was that I still had 180km to go, so wasn't sure I could maintain this pace all the way ! And just at that moment I felt the road rise up.

Andiamo a Verona !

Actually, we're flying into Verona and then making our way to Treviso for the Gran Fondo di Pinarello.

Everything is packed, including climbing legs and sunscreen. It's gonna be a scorcher this weekend. The weather in the UK has been at best unsettled, and at worst apocalyptic. The 30+degree celsius expected in the Veneto will be well appreciated. I just hope my body can remember what it's like to be in such heat ! Also, must remember to pick up some decent shades - if you can't get anything else right in Italy, just make sure you've got a stylish pair of sunglasses !

I am really looking forward to the weekend. We will arrive in Verona tonight, stay in a b&b in the surrounding hills. Tomorrow we do a bike ride somewhere near Lake Garda. Then we make our way to Treviso. Sunday is the big race, then Monday we make our way back to Verona, probably with a stop over at Bassano del Grappa. All fun packed stuff.

The gran fondo will be a big affair - around 4,000 riders. I'll have 200km of rolling pre-Dolomites hills to look forward to. There is also the option to do the 130km course.

Past experience of these events is that most of the Italians blast off from the gun along the flat, and you chase them down eyeballs out. Then at the intersection they peel off to do the short course, and you suddenly find yourself knackered and all alone to tackle the serious stuff. As the road rises up in front of you you feel a deep sense of foreboding and dread ! If that happens again, I'll be following the Italians back to join them for the customary plate of spaghetti, good glass of Soave, and a delicious gelato. This is Italy, and la vita e bella - must make the most of it !

Summer was sooooo long ago !

A nice well earned break during the Giro delle Dolomiti, the Dolomites near Bolzano. (august 2006)

http://www.girodolomiti.com/