The “Ho Voluto la Bicicletta” Award, in memory of Mariateresa Montaruli, a journalist, writer, and blogger specializing in cycle tourism, cycling, and active mobility, is announced.
The “Ho Voluto la Bicicletta” Award is divided into two sections, both reserved for female participants:
- Section 1: Bicycle Diaries – a section reserved for journalists, publicists, writers, bloggers who have published an article, journalistic piece in print, online, blogs, radio, or TV between January 1 and December 31, 2023, dedicated to cycle tourism.
- Section 2: Now Pedal – a section reserved for women who have distinguished themselves through projects, initiatives, or actions that amplify the world of bicycles, promote cycling mobility, encourage cycle tourism, and generally promote the use of bicycles. Projects, actions, and initiatives can vary in nature: start-ups, books, events, territorial development projects, promotional campaigns, entrepreneurial or associative activities, etc.
The prizes consist of: for the first section, a bicycle kindly donated by Rossignoli, the historic bike shop in Milan, operating since 1900; for the second section, a plaque and media coverage through national press offices to give visibility to the project or initiative.
The awards will be presented during the Cycle Tourism Fair held in Bologna from April 5 to 7, 2024.
Who is Mariateresa Montaruli?
Mariateresa Montaruli’s passion for two wheels began with a vintage racing bike abandoned in her courtyard. A travel reporter with years of experience, she became a journalist, writer, and blogger specializing in cycle tourism, cycling, and soft mobility. Her travels, from the Alps to Sicily and beyond the borders, and her awareness of the absence of stories about the world of cycling from a female perspective, led to the creation of “Ladra di biciclette” (Bike Thief). The blog, as she writes in the subtitle, was followed by many works and awards, including the Fiab Journalist Friend of the Bicycle Award and third place at the Blog Adutei Award. Before her untimely passing, she wrote and curated the “Italia in bicicletta” and “In bicicletta” series for Repubblica/National Geographic. “One of my greatest satisfactions is that two-thirds of the itineraries proposed are by female authors,” she writes about this work, which involved over 40 contributors.
“Ho Voluto la Bicicletta” Award
For more info, click here.
RULES AND PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES, click here to download the PDF.
RELEASE FORM, click here to download the PDF.
