L'Eroica & Chianti Tour

We will meet you at Florence airport in the morning and transport you to our hotel, CDH Hotel Radda **** which overlooks the beautiful medieval town of Radda in Chianti. We'll help you get fitted to your bike, we'll hand out the team kit, and make final preparations before this afternoon's ride. A 45km ride will take us through the beautiful vine-covered Tuscan countryside, where we will pass through the small hamlets of Panzano and Dudda. Upon returning to our hotel and after discussing the week's program, we'll enjoy a hearty Italian dinner.

Chianti Classico is one of Italy's most famous wines and today we will enjoy riding in the region. It will be a spectacular ride as we ride through vine-covered hills and along roads lined with cypress trees. We will tests our skills on parts of Strade Bianche (the white gravel roads) using our Road bikes (like in the modern professional peloton) and stop for a well-deserved coffee in Castello di Brolio ... or even better a glass of Chianti Classico! After all, it was Barone Ricasoli who was responsible for the creation of the wine. A special visit to their private vintage collection that the Castello di Brolio has underground has been arranged, followed by a super wine tasting. Today, Castello di Brolio is recognised as the oldest winery in Italy and still remains in the Ricasoli family!

Today’s ride takes us east from Radda in Chianti down a swooping descent towards San Gimignano, a small walled medieval hilltop town. Defined by its tower houses, San Gimignano is also referred to as “The Town of Fine Towers”. We will enjoy a photo stop in the town before riding south towards the beautiful city of Siena. After a delicious lunch, we will depart the UNESCO World Heritage Site and head north passing through the beautiful town of Castellina in Chianti before arriving back at our hotel. In the late afternoon, we will attend a special dinner in the heart of Chianti with a special wine tasting degustation.

It is time to prepare for L'Eroica. After yesterday's ride, our team will have swapped your modern-day bike for a pre-1987 Bianchi bike! Yes, you've got it ... think of toe clips, brake cables, downtube shifters and a woollen cycle kit! In the morning we will collect our vintage bikes and before heading into our test ride, you will have the chance to experience the pre-L'Eroica atmosphere and markets in Gaiolle. We will then ride from Gaiolle in Chianti to our new superb hotel, the 5-star Hotel Le Fontanelle, testing the bikes and ensuring they're as comfortable as possible ahead of L'Eroica. An extended afternoon coffee ride will see us test the bikes on the rolling hills of Chianti and on the Strade Bianche.

After an early breakfast, we will arrive to the start area in the centre of Gaiole. It will feel like you have been catapulted back in time as you are surrounded by thousands of riders, on vintage bikes clad in vintage kit. The excitement will be growing and at 5.00am, the first riders cross the line for the longer courses 209km/103km. If you want to indulge in spirit of the ride then it will be an 8am start for 78km/46km and 9am start for the 32km course. Your best day ever on the bike is about to start. Whichever course you have chosen enjoy the L’Eroica experience. And don’t forget to stop at the feeding stations and taste the local specialties ... you will need them to make it to the finish and share your best moments with us.

All good things must come to an end. After a last cornetto and espresso (or cappuccino, or macchiato), the shuttle will take you back to the airport. Time to go home and share your L'Eroica stories (and photos) with your envious cycling friends!