Tour Crete Senesi Daily

Crete senesi daily tour- On the Eroica roads

Description

36 miles

What is Eroica : The Eroica Strade Bianche (“Heroic race of the white roads”) was created in 1997 as a recreational bike race for vintage bikes only, on the white gravel roads around Siena , an event that is still held annually the day after the professional race.

L’Eroica is actually the name of the most famous non competitive vintage bike race inspired by classic cycling in black and white told in the newspapers of the early ‘900 up to more recent times By convention the year 1987 was chosen as the borderline between classical cycling and modernity. The Eroica events may only be entered with Heroic Bicycles or Vintage Style Bicycles which have specified characteristics. For Heroic Bikes (or Vintage Bicycles ) we mean all road racing bikes built until 1987 included both with gearbox and without gearbox, such as those built in the late 1800s or early 1900s.The white gravel roads, characteristic of the tuscan countryside, provide the unique character of the race. They are usually country lanes called strade bianche or sterrati in Italian, twisting through the hills and vineyards of the Chianti region.The longest and most arduous sectors are the ones, inside Crete senesi,  in Lucignano d’Asso (9.5 km) and Asciano (11 km).Some of the dirt roads are flat, other sections include steep climbs and winding descents, testing riders’ climbing abilities and bike handling skills.Riders who take three Strade Bianche titles have a sector of gravel road named after them. Fabian Cancellara is the first rider with a stretch named in his honour: sector 8, an 11.5 km section at Monte Sante Marie.