Interview with the founder of l'Eroica

Your hosts at their first visit to L'Eroica in 2011

L’Eroica started in 1997 because of one man, Giancarlo Brocci, who admired the values of cycling’s past so much that he wanted to reconnect others to that heritage, one inspired by Italian history, literature, culture, and music. L’Eroica also began as a foundation for the protection and preservation of the last gravel roads in Tuscany. The ride was born and held in and around the Chianti region, with 92 “hunters of feelings and emotions,” as Brocci calls them, at the first event.

Now, the charm and effort of riding a vintage bike over rolling country hills has spread throughout the world, including events in England, Spain, and Japan, and, this year, California.

On April 13, Paso Robles, California, will host Eroica California, taking advantage of the beautiful unpaved and paved roads through the vineyards, oak-studded rolling hills, and coastal mountain ranges of San Luis Obispo County in central California. It will be the first Eroica with an ocean view.

VeloNews spoke with founder Brocci (through a translator) to learn more about the event and the L’Eroica phenomenon.

Read the interview HERE

Then let us know your thoughts. We're considering a "strade bianche" tour in Tuscany in the future. You wouldn't (though we'd certainly encourage it) have to show up with a pre '87 bike meeting L'Eroica regulations, instead you could ride one of our now-classic steel machines or bring your own modern bicycle, same as our other tours.

Like all of our itineraries, this idea began as something we would enjoy ourselves. If we get some positive feedback, we'll start working on it. 

We're planning to revisit Tuscany in 2016 with a guided tour following the route of our current self-guided itinerary, so no dirt roads on this one. A "strade bianche" itinerary would be new, possibly circumnavigating the full 200 km Eroica signposted route over a couple days combined with more great cycling in fabled Toscana.  Perhaps in 2017? 

Sound good? Let us know.

Blog posts about our various bici d'epoca adventures can be found by typing EROICA into the Google search bar at the top of the page.