What Is L'Eroica? Italy's Vintage Bike Festival on the Strade Bianche

6 days ago

3 min read

Living in Japan and dreaming of cycling in Italy? Cicloposse Japan, based in Okayama, is the Japan-side partner of Cicloposse Italia. We help you plan and book your tour from Japan, in your time zone, with support in English by LINE or email. Our team in Italy speaks English too.

Born in 1997 in Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany, L'Eroica is an event built around vintage bikes and the "Strade Bianche", reminding cyclists of the joy of going back to the roots.

Eroica Japan: L'Eroica in Japan

Eroica Japan, first held in 2013, was the first official Eroica outside Italy. It lets you experience the spirit of L'Eroica and the culture of vintage bikes without leaving Japan. For many who discover L'Eroica at Eroica Japan, the next goal is Italy itself. Why not ride the original Eroica route, born in Gaiole, on your own bike?

Nova Eroica Buonconvento: the white roads on a modern bike

Held in Buonconvento, Tuscany, Nova Eroica Buonconvento is an Eroica spin-off for "All Road" riding on road, gravel or cyclocross bikes. It offers a wide range of routes, from serious long distances to short family rides.

Ride and taste with a CicloposseJapan tour

On CicloposseJapan's "Tuscany Gravel Bike Tour | 7 Days", you ride the Strade Bianche, the home of L'Eroica, on a gravel bike, feeling the rolling hills and the white roads first-hand. From Montalcino, the town of Brunello, to the Chianti region: espresso stops, lunches along the way and local wines are all part of the journey. At Castiglion del Bosco, a winery visit and tasting can be added as an option.

Enjoying the Eroica roads and Tuscany's food and wine in one trip is what makes this tour special. Feel free to contact us for details.

L'Eroica can be ridden all year round

L'Eroica has a "permanent route", so you can enjoy its spirit all year, not only on event day. The classic route starts in Gaiole in Chianti and follows white roads, historic vineyards and cypress avenues leading to Castello di Brolio.

Its spirit is simple: enjoy the effort, respect the history of cycling, and let the past inspire the future.

Even on a modern bike, L'Eroica is "heroic"

On the main Eroica day in October, thousands of cyclists ride steel vintage bikes with down-tube shifters. On other days, you can ride the same white roads on a modern gravel bike or e-gravel bike.

Gravel climbs, white dust in the air, tired legs: that's the same on a vintage bike or a modern one. Eroica means "heroic" in Italian, and even on the latest bike the Eroica route is a truly heroic experience. With the help of an e-gravel bike, more people can take on these roads.

Tours that ride the Eroica route

Cicloposse's gravel tours ride many historic sections of L'Eroica.

Lucignano d'Asso and Pieve a Salti: the section towards Montalcino, home of Brunello
Castiglion del Bosco and Radi: a legendary section of short but steep ups and downs
Pieve a Bozzone and Vico d'Arbia: from Siena into Chianti
San Donato in Perano and Vertine: the last gravel sections in Chianti

The 7-day Gravel Cycling Strade Bianche tour finishes in Gaiole, where L'Eroica begins. The 5-day Short Gravel Escape Tuscany also rides Eroica sections such as Lucignano d'Asso, Pieve a Salti and Castiglion del Bosco.

For more on the white roads, see "What are the Strade Bianche?", and for choosing a bike, see "Riding Italy on an e-gravel bike".

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