Tuscany and L Eroica A memorable flashback to the heroic times of cycling with Top Guides Sandro and Marcello! Spend 9 days savoring Tuscan roads, food, and wine: from the quaint countryside of Serre di Rapolano to the Chianti area, via the Val d Orcia and through medieval Siena, where an air lingers amidst the twisting streets of warm, brown brick. The 2018 itinerary will be a special one: a combination of the classic Heart of Tuscany enriched by the rustic feeling of the Agriturismo Il Molinello and enhanced with some new spectacular rides. Day after day, pedaling among olive groves and wine yards, you ll breath in the spirit of old-time cycling that will be celebrated with a gran finale. L Eroica, Gaiole will thrill you as you ll be part of the world s most famous vintage cycling festival. People from all over the world will gather in Gaiole to ride the white gravel roads of Toscana and share an epic day of sport, friendship and fun. ITINERARY OUTLINE A Letter from the Guides / Page 2 Trip Essence / Page 3 Daily Itinerary / Page 4-6 Arrival & Departure / Page 7 Bike Information / Page 7 Terms & Conditions / Page 8 Reserve Your Space! / Page 8 Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 1
A LETTER FROM THE TOP GUIDES Dear traveler, We both know that cycling is more than a sport it s not just another form of exercise. We believe that riding a bike grants you a feeling of unmatched freedom and is a privilege worth taking advantage of. Our cycling style encompasses many things: defiance, camaraderie, challenge, fun, speed, slowness, rivalry and friendship. We love to ride and we love Toscana. We enjoy the adrenaline rush of a twisting descent and the burning leg pain of a steep climb as much as we do wandering the countryside looking for fresh figs and grapes. Our hearts always accelerate when we walk into Siena s Piazza del Campo and we still close our eyes when we taste a good ribollita soup. We continue to feed our soul by watching the sunset over the Val D Orcia and nurturing our inner hero by climbing all the small hilltowns of the Chianti region. Combined, we ve lead more than 200 trips, but we still feel butterflies in our stomaches when we meet our cycling friends. And even after so many parties we re still thrilled by the Eroica, because after all, it s the world s greatest cycling festival. That s why if you have yet to ride in Toscana, you shouldn t miss doing it with us it ll be a life-changing experience filled with everlasting memories. Sincerely, Marcello and Sandro Marcello Bonini Sandro Draghi Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 2
TRIP ESSENCE Ride L Eroica, the world s greatest cycling event Stay in exclusive luxury hotels and countryside inns Ride the UNESCO World Heritage site of Val d Orcia Hike Siena s ancient water pathway Learn about olive oil and its production Experience traditional Tuscan cusine WHAT S INCLUDED Bike rental (see page 7 for details) Vintage bike rental for the Eroica Service of at least 2 professional bilingual guides throughout the program Wine kitty and Ciclismo kit (bibs & wool jersey) All accommodations TRIP DETAILS 2018 Trip Date Sep 30 Oct 8 Ability Level Intermediate to advanced, depending on the Eroica route you select Summary of Daily Distances Day 1: 14/27 miles Day 2: 38/50 miles Day 3: 53 miles Day 4: 32/44 miles Day 5: Rest day Day 6: 38 miles Day 7: 20 miles Day 8: 28/47/84 miles Day 9: Goodbye! Total: 223 miles Optional extra loops available Trip Price $5,495 Single Supplement: $900 All breakfasts, 6 dinners, and 3 lunches 2 wine tastings Tuscan cuisine cooking lesson Olive oil class Italian lesson Van support Shuttles at the beginning and end of the tour Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 3
DAY 1 SERRE DI RAPOLANO Daily Mileage - 14/27 miles Riding Terrain - Rolling Hotel - Agriturismo Il Molinello Location: Serre di Rapolano Duration: 3 Nights Website: http://www. molinello.com/ita/index.html Welcome to Tuscany! Upon arrival to Asciano, we ll have an intro lunch to get everyone acquainted with each other and get to know your guides, Sandro and Marcello. We ll have a bike fitting and a rolling warm-up ride in the hills of Asciano, where olive groves and travertine quarries dominate the landscape. It s back to nature at Agriturismo Il Molinello, a restructured farmhouse where Top Guide Sandro and his family live. The picturesque location in the characteristic Tuscan landscape outside of Siena is full of soft hills. Meals - L, D DAY 2 VAL D ORCIA WITH LOOP TO PIENZA Daily Mileage - 38/50 miles Riding Terrain - Rolling with two main climbs Hotel - See Day 1 Meals - B, D DAY 3 MONTALCINO Daily Mileage - 53 miles Riding Terrain - Lots of ups and downs and some solid climbs Hotel - See Day 1 Meals - B, L, D Today, we ll plunge into Val d Orcia, considered one of Italy s wonders. Val d Orcia was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Medieval castles, sunny rolling hills, isolated hilltop towns, charming isolated rural homes, avenues of cypresses, rows of vineyards, olive groves, and golden wheat fields are just some of the elements of the fantastic and harmonious landscapes of this area. We ll stop in Pienza for a stroll through town and lunch is on your own. Pienza is famous not only for its beauty, art, historical monuments, but also for its Pecorino cheese. Walking around the streets, you ll be able to taste and smell this delicious product. In the late afternoon at Il Molinello, you ll have an olive oil tasting course with Sandro, who s an official ONAOO taster and EVOO producer. Dinner will be at a nearby chianina free-range breeding agriturismo to taste a real tagliata. It s the leanest meat in all of Italy. Today, we ll have a ride that will lead you to Montalcino, the city of the famous wine Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. We ll ride along the Pecorile road in the heart of Crete Senesi and the Asso Valley. Montalcino, renowned all over the world for the production of its precious Brunello red wine, has changed very little in appearance since the 16 th century. Once you get up to the town, a magnificent spectacle unfolds before your eyes: rolling, sunny hills dotted with yellow and red flowers, ancient oak trees, picturesque olive groves, and scenic country roads winding through perfect vineyards. We ll have a picnic lunch at Giuditta Parisi s (one of our guides) farmhouse, Nostra Vita winery, where the Parisi s produce Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. There will also be a cooking lesson, music, and dinner later on back at Molinello! Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 4
DAY 4 MOLINELLO ASCIANO MONTERONI SIENA WITH EXTRA LOOP TO MURLO Daily Mileage - 32/44 miles Riding Terrain - Rolling with many ups and downs Today we ll ride through the Crete Senesi, a range of clay hills situated between Siena and the Val d Orcia. With its ever-changing seasonal colors, winding roads and the lunar landscape of its clay ridges, this ride is considered a cycling classic in this part of Tuscany. There will also be an Italian lesson tonight! Villa del Sole is just a short walk from the Piazza del Campo as well as many restaurants and shops. Its rooms are beautifully decorated and the staff are more than accommodating for all guests. Hotel - Villa del Sole Location: Siena Duration: 2 Nights Website: http://www. villadelsolesiena.com/ Meals - B DAY 5 SIENA Hotel - See Day 4 Meals - B, D DAY 6 RADDA IN CHIANTI Daily Mileage - 38 miles Riding Terrain - Rolling with two main climbs Today will be a well-deserved rest day. In the morning, you ll have the opportunity to do an urban hike, which will allow you to explore Siena (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and its secret corners. You could also see the underground river La Diana or visit Palazzo Pubblico. Lunch will be on your own, and you ll have a free afternoon in Siena to do some more exploring or strolling. We ll have dinner in a private Tuscan home. Today, we ll ride from Sienna to Radda, stopping for a Ciclismo Classico scenic picnic in Castagnoli along the way. The 4-star Palazzo Leopoldo is a majestic property that used to be a patrician villa dating back to 1310. It s set in the medieval center of Radda, surrounded by the Chianti countryside. Hotel - Palazzo Leopoldo Location: Radda in Chianti Duration: 3 Nights Website: http://www. palazzoleopoldo.it/en/index. html Meals - B, L (CC picnic) Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 5
DAY 7 RADDA IN CHIANTI Daily Mileage - 20 miles Vintage bikes fitting and white roads practice Hotel - See Day 6 Meals - B, D DAY 8 L EROICA! Daily Mileage - 28/47/84 miles Riding Terrain - Hilly Hotel - See Day 6 Meals - B, D Today we ll have a ride in one of the most famous regions in Italy: The Chianti. We ll get acquainted with our vintage bikes and give them a test ride on some sections of the gravel roads of L Eroica. Riding along some of these roads will give you a completely different perspective of the area and of the idea of cycling as a whole. It will be the perfect introduction to L Eroica. Lunch will be in Gaiole. You ll also have a free afternoon in Gaiole/ Radda to explore to your heart s content and wander through the vintage market of the area. The ride starts and ends from the historic center square of Gaiole in Chianti, where you ll ride with more than 7,000 other cyclists experiencing the thrill of L Eroica. You ll be fueled and rewarded by stunning views of the Chianti hills, the town of Montalcino, Crete Senesi and more! You ll also pass miles of vineyards where the annual grape harvest will be taking place. For more information on the 2018 routes, please visit https://www.eroicagaiole. com/routes. After the ride, we ll have a celebratory group dinner. For non-riders, the day will be a great opportunity to enjoy the Eroica expo, stroll through Gaiole, wander around the lovely roads and stop at a quaint viewpoint to cheer on the riders! Important information for the race: a medical certificate is required in order to participate in the Eroica. Please speak to a Ciclismo Classico travel consultant for more information. DAY 9 ARRIVEDERCI! The tour ends after breakfast around 9 a.m. We ll provide a shuttle to Montevarchi train station, where you can connect to Florence or Rome. Meals - B Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 6
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE GETTING TO ASCIANO Fly to Florence (FLR) and take a short taxi ride to Florence Santa Maria Novella train station. From there, take a 1.5-hour train (www.trenitalia. com) to Terontola Train Station to meet our 11:30 a.m. shuttle* on day 1 (approximately 30 minutes) to Agriturismo Il Molinello. * Please inform the office if you plan on taking this scheduled group shuttle at least one month in advance via this form: www.ciclismoclassico.com/travel-plans DEPARTING FROM RADDA We provide a group shuttle from Radda to Montevarchi train station, where you can connect to Florence (FLR) in 40 minutes or Rome (FCO) in 2 hours. BIKE INFORMATION Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Bianchi carbon fork, Shimano 105 triple groupset, an adjustable stem, and a wheel set laced with 32 spokes and 25mm tires. Included on all tours. Aluminum Hybrid More relaxed riding at a look-around-you pace, this is our custom-built, high-performance aluminum hybrid bicycles with straight handlebars. We also have a woman-specific frame. Included on all tours. Bianchi Intenso and Vertigo The carbon frame guarantees maximum performance with minimum stress for the riders, thanks to Bianchi s special C2C (Coast to Coast) frame design/geometry and different material combination. Carbon bikes are equipped with compact crank and 11/32 cassette. Available for $250 Bianchi Intenso or Vertigo with Shimano included on all intermediate and advanced tours at no extra charge. Tandems Cannondale road or hybrid: racing posture with 700c wheels, or a more straight up position and 26 inch wheels. Available for $400. Co-motion Periscope: accommodates smaller team or even children. Available for $400. Honey tandem: light and responsive and perfect for experienced tandem riders. Available for $400. ebikes Available on all easy and athletic beginner tours, some intermediate and advanced tours. Please contact us for more information. Available for $400. OTHER INFORMATION For Flight Reservations Valerie Wilson Travel Call: 1-855-780-2022 or E-mail: ciclismoair@vwti.com Travel Insurance MH Ross Call: 1-800-423-3632 http://bit.ly/mhross_insurance Transportation Rome2rio http://www.rome2rio.com ON THE BIKE Included Ciclismo Classico water bottle Two water bottle holders Map holder on handlebars and Garmin Edge GPS Handlebar bag Tire pump Combination bike lock Gel-padded saddle Choice of pedals Card with your tour leaders mobile phone numbers Garmin Edge GPS Included on all bikes Pedal Options Flat pedals Half-toe pedals (without straps) Toe cage pedals Things to Bring Helmet Optional: clipless pedals with shoes Optional: your own saddle Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 7
INSURANCE, TERMS & CONDITIONS Insurance Ciclismo Classico will not assume responsibility or liability for any loss or damage of personal effects or for any injury or loss during the duration of the tour. Therefore, we highly recommend that you obtain travel insurance. Information on travel insurance will be sent to you via email once trip deposit is received. We recommend MH Ross, but travelers may choose the insurance carrier of their choice. Cancellations and Refunds All requests for refunds must be submitted in writing as soon as possible to Ciclismo Classico. Exceptions to their cancellation policy cannot be made for any reason, including weather or personal emergencies. There is no refund for unexpectedly leaving a trip early or arriving late. The purchase of short-term travel insurance policy is strongly recommended. Cancellation fees are determined as follows: Days before departure Cancellation fee 121+ days - 50% of the deposit* 91-120 days - 100% of the deposit* 61-90 days - 30% of the trip price 31-60 days - 60% of the trip price 0-30 days - 100% of the trip price *You may transfer your trip deposit to another departure in the same tour season up to 90 days before your original departure with payment of a $100 per person transfer fee. Prices quoted are subject to adjustment without prior notification. OR your deposit (currently $600) may be carried forward to the following year as a credit toward the final balance of a tour. At the time of booking, we will ask for another $600 deposit to secure your spot. Carried-forward credits expire at the end of the year to which they are applied. Alterations to the tour itinerary Sometimes modifications may be made to the itinerary. We will notify you of any changes that may affect your arrival, departure or lodging. Any changes to the program are made in the best interest and safety of the group. To review our policies, please visit http://www.ciclismoclassico.com/plan-your-trip/policies/ RESERVE YOUR SPACE! To reserve a space, call Ciclismo Classico at 800-866-7314. Or, mail your deposit and contact information to: Ciclismo Classico attn: Rosa 30 Marathon St Arlington, MA 02474 At the time of registration, a deposit of $600 per person is due, payable by Visa, MasterCard, American Express or check, made payable to Ciclismo Classico, along with your full name, mailing address, phone number(s) and email address. We cannot confirm reservations without a deposit. Final payment is due 90 days before departure payable by check, credit card, wire transfer or money order. All travelers must review and sign a terms and conditions statement and a waiver form. Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 8