The Tour de France and the Giro de Italia are two of the best-known bike races. Even people who don't race—don't even ride bikes—know about them.

There is another Grand Tour that should be just as well known: The Giro Donne. But it's not. The Giro Donne has two factors working against it: it routinely overlaps with the Tour de France, and it's a race for women.

Rapha, a Great Britain-based luxury cycling clothing brand, is attempting to change that. As it develops and promotes its women's cycling clothing line, it's making a film about the history and experience of riding the Giro de Donne.

A team of five riders (an Aussie living in England, a Texan living in England, a Seattleite living in England, a Brit, and a "proper American"—yours truly) are in Italy for six days to ride six stages of the women's Giro.

The pace will be fast, and the climbs long. I'll be doing them on a Focus Izalco Pro 1.0 generously loaned to me for the ride by Focus Bikes Italy.

Stay tuned for reports from the road.

—Berne Broudy

@berneb