Afternoon all,

I've recently found out that I've won an entry to L'Eroica Italia this October, along with one night's accommodation the night before the ride, in a town 30km outside of Gaiole.

I've always wanted to do the ride, but I've never looked in to the registration requirements in much detail, so having done that hastily over the last few days, I'm now trying to get my mandatory medical form sorted by this Saturday and play catch up on everything else I might need!

As such, I'm searching online for any and all info I can on logistics and practicalities of getting to and from Gaiole, as I understand and appreciate the streets around the village will be either closed off for the ride or massively oversubscribed with cars already.

If any of you have done the ride previously, do you have any advice on where best to park up? Even if it requires (which I'm sure it will) getting public transport or taxi from a neighbouring village.

I'm looking to take on the 135km route on the Saturday, using one of the Eroica hire bikes, so I won't even have a bike with me to ride from the accommodation just outside Figline Valdarno (even if I was prepared to ride the 30km and 600m of climbing to Gaiole).

Then I have the issue of accommodation on the night of the ride. Clearly everything in Gaiole is booked up, so I'm thinking of just taking in as many of the post event festivities as I can and just book an airport hotel I can drive to late on, ready for my flight home the next day.

I'm currently 50/50 on whether I'll actually be able to make it work, so may have to give up on the opportunity, which I'd be gutted about, but such is life I guess! As it is, I'll be flying from London to Pisa on the Friday afternoon and flying back out Sunday afternoon, so while I'd love to take a few extra days to soak up the atmosphere of the event, it'll literally be a whistlestop tour anyway unfortunately!

So what do you guys think? From the description above, is it possible to make it work? Would you do it? For info, I'm usually a 'fly by the seat of my pants' sort of guy, so am happy to wing it to a certain degree, but feel like this might be a step too far!

Any advice gratefully accepted.

TIA

@Peter Treadway

You're halfway there, albeit the easy half with the lean in, still gonna be a heavy lift I suspect, hope you can get it done.

Paging @non-fixie

I rode L'Eroica Italia in 2012. I did the long route and my stepson did the 135 km route. Started in the dark and finished in the dark but it was a great ride! We found a place to stay in Pianella for the night before the ride, then drove our rental car to Gaiole for the start. We had to park about 4 km out, even though we were super early for the start. It might be possible to find accommodation 20 or 30 km out of Gaiole but you should take whatever you can find soon. There won't be any public transport that will suit the timing of the event unless you have more time and flexibility. Good luck, its a great event!

Renting a car probably will solve your problem There are parking along the road leading into the staring line. If you get there early (the day before the main ride) you can pickup your hired bicycle and be ready the day before the main event. There is also a camp ground near the starting line. Lots of Europeans do this. I think you should make an attempt to make this work. good luck

I’ve done the last few Eroica rides and I am planning to ride this year.

Riding on Saturday, you will need to try to arrive in Gaiole by 6am for the start of the 135KM. The challenge is that the main road into Gaiole, SP408 is the main route out for the the riders on the 209K, so traffic into town is heavily controlled.

A secondary route is from Radda from SP429, and take the Strade Bianche from Vertine. Before you reach Gaiole, you will find a large parking lot that is for the event.

Post ride, the event goes well into the evening, so traffic will not be bad leaving.

You will be able to pick up the rental bike the day before the event, as well as the race packet.

It is worth the effort - best of luck.

Thanks so much guys, I really appreciate the advice. Sadly it's now looking more likely that I won't be able to make as I just don't think I'll be able to get an ECG done before the medical forms need to be in by Saturday! Crazy that that of all things is what's going to scupper the trip! It was always very last minute though, so can't be too surprised. Strange that the competition win was only announced a week before such a pivotal piece of documentation was needed, but there you are.

Still, nothing lost I guess and if nothing else, it's well and truly whet my appetite for doing the ride next year and at least I now know what's required in terms of forms and booking accommodation.

Thanks again for all your advice. It'll come in very handy for next year.

Now that's what I call a prize. Congratulations!

The forum's mention function is still a bit iffy. Didn't get a notification, but the thread title worked well enough.

A lot of useful information has already been provided above, so just a few additional comments from my experience.

Accommodation
If you're staying a bit further from Gaiole, driving into town before the ride is certainly an option. Unless the weather is really wet ample parking space is provided in the meadows along the Via Vertine. Another possibility is to park the car a few miles from Gaiole, somewhere along the SP408 (an easy ride in and out of town), and ride the last bit. I'll probably be doing one or the other, as I'm staying in Castellina this year, about 25k from Gaiole.

Ride distance
If you haven't done this or a similar ride before, be aware that it is not an easy ride, even in good weather. And a rental bike with a 42 x 28 lowest gear (at best) on skinny tubulars is not going to help much either. When I first participated I made a last-minute decision to switch from 135 to 75k and I was really glad I did. The bellezza of the fatica only goes so far. YMMV.

Race pack
Your race numbers and road book come in an envelope, but the other goodies are provided in a very nice but rather large and heavy metal box. You'll definitely want to pick this up the day before, as well as make sure you have a bag to put it into if you're going to have to walk or ride with it. There may or may not be a suitable bag in the box.

ok, now that the dust has settled, so to speak, and the ride will sadly be delayed, tell us what you did to win this trip?

Damnit Jim, hate it when that happens.

I would reach out and see if they can /will extend or give a variance, maybe explain time was too tight, kind of not your fault, etc.

That is a good idea. The medical certificate is a formality, after all, and it's Italy we're talking about. Provided you speak/write Italian or find someone who speaks English on the other side, there is a good chance of success of getting an extension.

Hi, twice I've had to send a note to the organizers because of medical issues, both times they have given me a deferment to the following year although it has taken until April to get sorted. As it is a prize not a full entry or low presumably somebody has paid for it somewhere they may not be willing to do that.
I couldn't see a who is going this year thread but I will be there with half a dozen others.

Frankly, that requirement is nonsense. My doc signed mine without me going for a new ECG because he knew I was in good health and had an ECG a few years before. My buddy simply forged a doctor's name on his and sent it in. There is no way on earth the are going to check so next time i will be forging mine rather than bothering my doctor about it. Even though I am usually a strict follow the rules guy, my advice is to use your best illegible doctor's scrawl and sign it yourself.

Excellent! Mrs non-fixie and I plan to be there as well. Looking forward to seeing you again.

Will you be riding on Saturday or Sunday?

Not sure! I can't find an agenda for the different rights although I did here at the long ones are now on Saturday? I think everybody I am going with is doing either the 135 or the 210.

That is correct. I did eventually find the agenda well-hidden in the regulations:

SATURDAY 5 OCTOBER 2024, Gaiole in Chianti, Siena, Italy

• Long L’EROICO - 209 km route, only on pre-1930 bikes 04:30 – 05:00
• Long L’EROICO - 209 km route 05:00 – 06:00
• Medium CRETE SENESI - 135 km routes 06:00 – 07:00

SUNDAY 6 OCTOBER 2024, Gaiole in Chianti, Siena, Italy

• One Hundred CENTO ANNI DI RADIO - 106 km route 07:00 – 07:30
• Medium GALLO NERO - 81 km route 08:00 – 09:30
• Short VALLE DEL CHIANTI - 46 km routes: 08:00 – 09:30

I’m planning to ride on Saturday, I’ve signed up for the 209, but it will be a day of ride decision on which one I end up doing. I’ve got a few friends that are planning to ride on Sunday and I may accompany them on part of the route.

I like riding up to Brolio on Sunday to see the dance floor and DJ.

Should be a great ride, it always is.