Along the dirt tracks of a now historic competition

The appointment with the Eroica is scheduled for the weekend of 4 and 5 October: For those who do not know, we are talking about a very special bicycle race, born in 1997 in Gaiole in Chianti thanks to the initiative of 92 enthusiasts who started the first edition of a unique two-wheel event (even if today it is duplicated in 11 other versions, from Cuba to Japan, from Istria to Germany, passing through Ivrea, the Prosecco hills, the Gran Sasso and the Dolomites) made up of challenging routes, magnificent landscapes and, as the event's official website states, unforgettable refreshments. The original route covers more than 200 kilometres, but for the benefit of thousands and thousands of participants, it has also been developed into shorter and simpler routes, which always include the famous 'strade bianche' (white roads) that characterise this part of Tuscany. The route passes through the vineyards of the Chianti Classico region, touches historic places such as the Castle of Brolio with its parallel cypress trees on either side of the slope, and skirts Siena, giving the runners a view of the characteristic 'Leccione'. Along the classic route one climbs to Castiglion del Bosco and on to Montalcino, a panoramic balcony between Chianti and the Val d'Orcia, one rides through the Crete Senesi and comes across picture-postcard medieval villages such as Buonconvento or Radda in Chianti. During the Eroica, exhibitions, concerts and vintage markets enliven the squares and alleys of the towns that mark the stages of the event. And for those who arrive in the Chianti region at another time, the thrill of following the route, even if only for a few kilometres, is still something magical.