At L’Eroica, one needn’t purchase a thing – and those who take part know this well. It begins with what one already possesses: a bicycle rescued from the cellar, a wool jersey perhaps slightly misshapen by time, lace-up shoes, a steel bottle cage, an aluminium pump strapped to the frame. Here, no one races to win. Indeed, no one races at all; one pedals with what remains, what has been salvaged from oblivion, what has been patiently restored.
In Gaiole in Chianti, on the first weekend of October, when dawn has yet to break, the first bicycle frames already glide through the dust and vineyards. These are machines from ’38, ’52, ’74 – painstakingly revived, wrested from rust or the scrapheap, coaxed back to life. Even the jerseys tell stories: colours faded by time, forgotten emblems, uneven stitching. Memories of a champion, a friend, a grandfather or uncle.
Yet L’Eroica is not merely an exercise in nostalgia. It is also a way of looking forward. This is how it works: it recovers rather than wastes, repairs instead of replaces. The roads are white, silent – and this is no accident. Just gravel, wind, and breath. One passes through ancient hamlets, solitary chapels, rows of cypresses. It is not simply a route, but the outline of a landscape that endures because someone chose to preserve it: local councils, farmers, volunteers who for years have protected these roads. No asphalt, no concrete, no noise.
Over time, this commitment has grown even more concrete. With an agreement signed with the Ministry of the Environment, L’Eroica has formally embraced the principles of the circular economy, soft mobility, and sustainable tourism. A simpler, fairer way of living. These are not just rules, but conscious choices. Those who pedal here are not chasing stopwatches, but time itself. Every climb is a thought taking shape, every descent a resurfacing memory.
This is true sustainability – not a slogan but a daily practice, a way of life. L’Eroica is an open-air laboratory, a landscape museum without an entrance fee, where nothing is thrown away. Even the effort, in the end, is reclaimed. Like beauty – the beauty born of effort itself.
A Sustainability Manifesto on Two Wheels
L’Eroica is not merely a cycling event, but a tangible example of how sustainability can translate into concrete action. A commitment that involves everyone: cyclists, organisers, volunteers, and local communities. Since 2021, with the “Eroica for the Environment” project, each edition has implemented deliberate choices: vintage bicycles and jerseys rescued or swapped, compostable materials at refreshment stops, sustainable race packs with organic, zero-kilometre products, the “Adopt a Kilometre” scheme for route maintenance, recycled paper race numbers and eco-friendly inks.
In 2024, the partnership with the Ministry of Environment formalised a long-standing commitment, while joining the UCI Climate Action Charter reinforced the goal of reducing emissions by 2030, aligning with the UN’s Sustainable Development Agenda.
The Sustainability Handbook, compiling these initiatives, will be officially presented during the 28th edition of L’Eroica, scheduled for 4-5 October 2025 in Gaiole in Chianti. Five routes will be available, from the 45km “Stroll” through vineyards and gentle hills to the 209km “Heroic” challenge – the true test of body and soul on legendary roads.
For ultimately, L’Eroica is also this: an invitation to slow down, to breathe, to remember that the future can be written by pedalling – with respect for what has been, and care for what is yet to come.
Why it matters: In an age of disposable everything, L’Eroica stands as a quiet revolution – proving that true luxury lies not in what we buy, but in what we choose to preserve.
