Tour Type
Granfondo
Riding Level
Leisure
Location
Tuscany, Italy
Duration
6 days | 5 nights
Length
Up to 490 km total
Climb
6 days | 5 nights
Welcome to Italy for the 2025 Edition of the Strade Bianche Gran Fondo in Tuscany - the day after the prestigious men's Strade Bianchi UCI Spring Classic!
We are proud to be an official Tour Operator of Giro d´Italia and all the events that RCS organizes, including the amazing Strade Bianche! The Gran Fondo largely follows the course with the Women’s Elite event. The 142 or 86-kilometre routes are full of twists and turns, and the punchy hills, especially on the unpaved parts, make for a very challenging rides. There are roughly 55 kilometres of gravel roads (38% of the total race route) appearing in 10 sectors. The Pro Race was first held in 2007, but has quickly gained in prestige and has had three of the best cyclists of the moment as last winners: Tadej Pogacar, Mathieu Vanderpoel and Wout Van Aert. We will ride on the same roads as the pros, the day after we witness their heroic finish on Saturday.
Prior to the Gran Fondo on Sunday 9 March, we will enjoy three days of cycling on the beautiful roads around Sienna. What better way to explore the Tuscan countryside than by bike? We’ll also visit the beautiful city of San Gimignano, where we’ll have the best ice cream in the world. Of course, we’ll also make time to taste the local wines and immerse ourselves completely in Italian culture.
Are you ready for an epic week of riding, culminating in a weekend where we’ll watch the pro riders as VIP guests and do almost the same race as them, just one day later?
*A shorter experience and tour length can be arranged with 4 days | 3 nights under request, for more information get in touch!
We will meet you at Florence airport in the morning and transport you to our hotel, which overlooks the beautiful medieval town of Radda in Chianti. We’ll help with setting up your bike, hand out the team kit, and make final preparations for our first ride on Italian soil. A 50 kilometre ride will take us through the beautiful vine-covered Tuscan countryside, where we’ll pass through the small hamlets of Panzano and Dudda. Upon returning to our hotel and after discussing the week’s program, we will enjoy a hearty Italian dinner.
What better way to start our first day in Italy than a full day of riding? Our bikes will first take us west and down a swooping descent towards San Gimignano, an astonishing small walled medieval hilltop town also referred to as “The Town of Fine Towers”. We’ll enjoy a world class ice cream here before heading south towards the beautiful city of Siena. After a light lunch, we’ll head east for a spectacular ride through vine-covered hills and along roads lined with cypress trees into the Chianti Classico region. We will test our skills on some first gravel sections of Strade Bianche and stop for a well-deserved coffee in Castello di Brolio … or maybe a glass of Chianti red! Depending on the group and the weather, we will opt for this long ride or the shorter ride.
Today is the perfect preparation for the Strade Bianche Gran Fondo, as more than half of the ride consists of gravel roads. We prepared a route for you that’s based on the course of L’Eroica in Gaiole, an epic cycling experience in September every year where everyone rides on a vintage bike and wearing vintage cycling kit. But today we’ll make it a bit easier on ourselves by doing the course on our modern bikes and wearing our brand-new Grand Tours Project kit. Don’t underestimate today’s challenge though. Filled to the brim with gravel roads and steep hills, this ride will make even the most experienced rider break a sweat. Just like yesterday, a shorter option will be available for those who prefer it.
A rest day today before tomorrow’s Gran Fondo. We’ll do a short ride from our current hotel to our next hotel, closer to Siena. It’s only 33 kilometres, but half is on gravel with some demanding climbs that will keep our legs ready and agile for tomorrow.
After an early check-in and a shower at the hotel, we’ll have a short drive to Siena to start our VIP experience watching the pros on a big screen in the VIP area. We’ll have exclusive access to an indoor hospitality area, close to the finish line, and inside the historic and atmospheric Sala delle Lupe. Authentic Tuscan food and drink will be offered, as well as an open bar throughout the day. As if that weren’t enough, as the race draws to a close, you can step outside, onto the famous Piazza del Campo, to watch live from the finish line!
Today’s the day! We’ll get up early for a hearty breakfast to fuel what will definitely be one of the most epic days on the bike you’ve ever experienced. Today’s route is full of twists and turns, and the punchy hills, especially on the unpaved parts, make for a very arduous ride. There are roughly 55 kilometres of gravel roads (38.4% of the total race route) appearing in 10 sectors. This ride will challenge the stamina and perseverance of every rider!
After the race, we’ll regroup and celebrate together with good food and toast our accomplishment and the new friends we’ve made during the past week.
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 Strade Bianche stories (and photos) with your envious cycling friends!
What’s Not included?
*A shorter experience and tour length can be arranged on request
