Cycling, Eroica Montalcino: a dive into the past and effort

From its birth, seven editions ago, it was the “distillate” of Eroica. High quality distillates. Montalcino, the place that is the “half-point” of the Mother Eroica, Gaiole’s place in October, on the last Sunday in May becomes the starting point and finish line of one of cycling’s most amazing tours. During the weekend, its world-famous boulevards become a venue for dates and parties in Piazza del Eroica Montalcino and Val d’Orcia – with its white boulevards and hills escaping the passage of time – on Sunday 28 2500 cyclists who have managed to win a number to attach to vintage T-shirts and completely vintage bikes will welcome.

A great effort (but what a lovely effort!) for those going the longer route, but there is something for everyone according to their means with the shortest of the four routes for 153km of racing. This is the true spirit of Eroica, pure randonnée: no heartbreaking exit, no order of arrival (as the inventor Giancarlo Brocci likes to say, the order is always the same: first one with the surname with an “a”, the last one with a “z” ).

So, above all, a great celebration of the bike and the territory. Refreshment points along the routes are based – as always – on typical Tuscan products while the city streets are filled with people to meet and historic bikes that make you dream and give a great show of themselves.

Two thousand five hundred is indeed a large number. But what is most interesting is the transcendence of forms: the composition of the beginners gives a real idea of ​​what Eroica has become and what it represents. The first number that comes up is the number of women at the start: more than 300, or about 13% of the total.

And together, a glimpse of international success: 700 foreigners. Most of them come from Germany (more than 200) and Switzerland (more than 100) but the list extends to France, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, the United States, Poland, Spain, the Czech Republic, Australia, Canada, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovakia, South Africa, Sweden, Japan, Latvia , Hungary, Greece, Portugal, Pitcairn (a very small island in the British Pacific Ocean), Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovenia, Brazil, Denmark, United Arab Emirates, Ireland, Israel, Malta, Monaco, Central African Republic, and Swatini (a country small in South Africa).

Date of birth and country of origin reveal the recall of the youngest member Italian Duccio She is from Montalcino while the youngest Jaya It comes from Limena, in the province of Padua. The “less youthful” Italian is the master Benitoborn in 1935, from Monte San Savino (AR) while “less youthful” is Mrs. Patricia from Prato. From abroad, the youngest cyclist comes from Germany named Konstantin while the youngest is Athena, from Switzerland. “The least young?” Akira comes from Japan while Yannick Nadège comes from France. Only a few cyclists and cyclists are missing from the party. They were going to arrive from Emilia-Romagna but they had other difficulties to contend with.