Tuscany June 2020

This tour has been created specifically for a group of friends who ride together in the UK at weekends. Once a year they like to get away and indulge themselves in cycling without any distractions. Here is a summary of the tour we have planned for them ( before the dreaded Covid 19 intervened to cause a postponement).

4 days of cycling with 4 nights quality accommodation including an end off adventure dinner celebration. We average 125km each day through rolling Tuscan terrain. It’s glorious.

amiata700.jpg

day one

  • Arrive into Pisa at 1145

  • We will be waiting to greet you, load bags and bikes into the support vans

  • 60 minute transfer to Volterra where you can build your bikes, change and have a quick lunch before we set off for our afternoon ride

  • 70km of rolling fascination from Volterra to Montieri, the “bronze mountain”

  • Highlights of the ride

  • Medieval Volterra

  • Eerie landscape of Metalliferous hills with its geysers and fumaroles

  • Short, punchy climbs in chestnut forests to get the legs ready for day two

  • Destination for the night is a proper cyclist friendly hotel in Montieri.

day two

  • Key stats: 140km and 2500m climbing

  • A big day in the saddle with a monster climb to tame. Our day begins largely with a gentle descent for the first 60km through Maremma Region, one of Italy’s first nature reserves, before we begin to climb

  • Monte Amiata at 1738m is the highest mountain in Tuscany and will be by far and away the highest point of the Tour. It’s the only time over 1000m all weekend

  • The classified section is 14km @ 7.4%

  • Its been used 3 times in Giro D’Italia, last in 1983

  • Volcano last erupted 180,000 years ago, so we should be ok!

  • Visible from 80km away so likely to be seeing it all day as we ride towards it

  • After the climb its 25km to the days finish line

  • Destination for the night is a high quality agriturismo property in beautiful Val D’Orcia

day 3

  • Key stats: 135km, 2000m climbing

  • “Best day on a bike ever” was the feedback the last time we took a group through the stunning Val D’Orcia and into Chianti.

  • Its rolling all day and the views are simply jaw dropping. 

  • Highlights: Montepulciano vineyards, renaissance Pienza, option to take on a few sections of Strada Bianci and also Il Campo in Siena

  • Destination for the night: our second elegant Agriturismo property. This one doubles up as a winery, producing Chianti Classico DOCG wine

day 4

  • Key stats: 145km, 2200m climbing

  • Exploration of Chianti-shire and then dropping into Val d’Elsa to visit San Gimignano before final stretch north to San Miniato, a hilltop town that was on the ancient pilgrim route Via Francigena, from Canterbury to Rome

  • Highlights of the day

  • Panoramic views of the vineyards

  • Glorious Chianti hilltop villages: Radda in Chianti

  • San Gimignano and its medieval skyscrapers

  • Feature climb of Giro D’Italia: Poggio de Sugame ( 6.8km @ 4.3%) 

  • Destination for our final night is Miniato where we find the “hotel of art” with over 150 masterpieces on the walls

EuropePeter Hollins