Dust, exhaustion and vintage

Hundreds of cyclists gather in Gaiole in Chianti, a municipality of fewer than three thousand residents north of Siena, to take part in L’Eroica, the international cyclo-touring event founded in 1997 with the aim of preserving the material heritage and historical memory of vintage cycling.

The event, which takes place during the first weekend of October, rejects the logic of competitive racing and features no final standings, operating instead as a grueling test of physical endurance and a gathering of historical collectors.

The technical regulations impose extremely rigid admission requirements: bicycles, defined as "heroic", must have been built before 1987, feature a steel frame, gear shift levers positioned on the down tube, pedals equipped with toe clips and straps, and brake cables routed externally to the handlebars.

The verification and scrutineering session for the bicycles engages marshals throughout the Saturday, anticipating the Sunday departure which takes place in the town centre at 05:00, in total darkness, intense cold, and before a limited circle of spectators and family members.

Those who select the longest and most selective route of 209 kilometres are obliged to ride with artificial lamps and self-sufficient repair tools, tackling the gravel of the strade bianche and the ascent towards the Castello di Brolio, before the first light of dawn reveals the skyline of Siena on the horizon.

Alongside the enthusiasts who choose shorter routes with the sun already up—among whom major figures from world professional cycling are often recorded, such as the Dutch champion Marianne Vos—the parade of participants displays technical relics from the early 20th century with single-speed ratios, which force the rider to remove the rear wheel and flip it over to change gear, interspersed with cyclists in woollen jerseys and bow ties from the 1930s riding historic Bottecchia or Legnano frames, visually documenting the technological and anthropological evolution of a sport built on physical sacrifice and dust.