The L'Eroica Festival returns to the Tuscan municipality of Gaiole in Chianti from 2 to 5 October 2025. The event, which is dedicated to the love of historic bicycles begins on Thursday, two days before the actual races. During this time, the small town is transformed into a lively village dedicated to cycling. The main races take place at the weekend, with the first participants starting in the early hours of Saturday morning. The festivities don't end until Sunday evening, when the last cyclists cross the finish line. There are five different routes to choose from for 2025, leading through the hilly landscapes of Chianti and Val d'Orcia. The longest route covers 209 kilometres, while the shortest variant measures 46 kilometres. The L'Eroica in Gaiole is the most famous of the routes organised throughout the year. Vintage events.
The L'Eroica Village throughout the village
For the 2025 edition, the L'Eroica Village will cover the entire village of Gaiole in Chianti. The organisers have strategically distributed the various contact points throughout the village to give visitors the opportunity to discover the village in its entirety. The distribution of race numbers and participant packs, the bike workshop, the secretariat, the press room, the hospitality area and the Eroica Caffè are located at various points in the village. This distribution invites you to explore Gaiole step by step and experience the authenticity and hospitality of the village. A special attraction is Casa Eroica, a centre that presents the history of the event and the local culture and creates a link between the origins and the future of the event.
New media formats and cultural offerings
A new feature in 2025 is the Eroica Radio Station, which will animate the main square Piazza Ricasoli as the cultural heart of the festival. Meetings, music events, interviews and live stories will take place here. The programme is curated by the bookshop TodoModo from Florence and brings authors, critics and protagonists to the square. It is intended to be a place where words intertwine with cycling and the story of L'Eroica becomes a communal experience.
Italian broadcaster RAI will also be part of this celebration and offer a new perspective. Live commentary will focus on the start line on Rai 3, RaiSport will cover the routes, and the finishes will be broadcast on Rai2 on Saturday and RaiSport on Sunday. The coverage will change from previous years and focus more on the landscape, sustainability and the stories along the white roads.
A special highlight in Piazza Ricasoli is the historic Fiat 1500 from 1966, from which the reports on the Giro d'Italia were once broadcast. This vehicle returns to tell cycling stories and symbolises an era that continues to inspire. In addition to the broadcasts, RAI Isoradio will accompany the event with live broadcasts throughout the weekend, while RaiNews and the regional news programme TGR will report on the area and its communities, interweaving the stories of cyclists with those of the welcoming locals.
Diverse programme for all age groups
The festival offers a mosaic of different experiences that are all linked by the same passion. The Elegance Contest and the Eroica Bicycle Register celebrate the beauty of bicycles that have made history. The Proraso Barbers and the Vintage Whiskers Contest combine style and humour like a game from another era. The Mini L'Eroica and bike games awaken the enthusiasm of the youngest. Terra Eroica, Chiavi d'Oro and the Eroica Academy are places of learning where landscape, culture and memory are explored.
For those who want to explore the area on foot, there is the "Eroici a Piedi", a leisurely walk to discover churches, villages and quiet places. Local shops take part in the shop window competition, where they design their displays with Eroica themes. Radio Immaginaria brings the fresh and curious perspective of teenagers. There will also be presentations of sports books and showcases of Eroica events around the world - a journey from Gaiole to Japan, Cuba, Istria, Germany, Valkenburg and the new event in China in 2026.
The programme is rounded off by a special postmark campaign by the Italian postal service as well as social initiatives such as the "Mother's Challenge" and reflective moments with the sustainability handbook. Each initiative is part of a unique mosaic that reflects the community dimension of a festival that belongs to everyone, not just a few.
Art and culture at L'Eroica
The Chianti Origo complex once again enriches the cultural programme of the festival. For L'Eroica 2025, it is hosting an exhibition dedicated to Cesare Olmastroni, an artist from Fonterutoli. The exhibition includes 17 works covering over half a century of his career, from youth to maturity. It is a tribute to his spirituality and deep devotion and can be visited daily from 10:00 to 18:00 until 2 November.
In addition to the exhibition, Casa Eroica offers a multimedia and interactive journey that includes the Luciano Berruti bicycle workshop, the Chianti Origins Museum and the Terre di Gaiole section, which is entirely dedicated to Chianti Classico wine.
L'Eroica and around Gaiole
The scattered village offers the perfect opportunity to experience Gaiole at a leisurely pace. Every stop - from the secretariat to the Eroica Caffè, from the bicycle repair shop to the stalls - is an invitation to explore a village that opens up generously and proudly. A visit to Casa Eroica, lingering in the squares and listening to voices and stories will allow you to truly immerse yourself in the spirit of this celebration.
If you want to broaden your horizons, the surrounding area is a treasure trove of wonders. There are outstanding examples of civil architecture to discover, such as Villa Vistarenni, and numerous castles that tell of centuries of Tuscan history: from the famous Castello di Brolio, linked to the Ricasoli family, to the Castello di Meleto, Castello di Ama, Castello di Cacchiano, to the Rocca di Castagnoli and the towers that still watch over the valleys.
In addition to the military landmarks, the religious architecture offers a journey of spirituality and art: the parish churches of Santa Maria a Spaltenna and San Vincenzo a San Vincenti, the abbey of San Lorenzo a Coltibuono and the rectory of San Lorenzo a Mello. Then there are the parish churches such as San Sigismondo in Gaiole in Chianti, San Martino in Lecchi, San Regolo in San Regolo and the atmospheric San Lorenzo a Coltibuono. Not forgetting the small churches scattered in villages and on hills - from San Cristoforo in Lucignano to Santa Maria in Rietine, to San Pietro in Vinculis in Argenina - and chapels that adorn the landscape, such as San Jacopo in Castello di Brolio or San Venanzio in Ama.
The path through art and faith also connects with popular memory: the monument to Rana Beona in San Sano, the monument to Gallo Nero and, above all, the monument to Luciano Berruti, whose smile and bicycle will forever make him L'Eroica's number one cyclist. Because in L'Eroica, every street tells a story, every corner is a memory that lives on.
Kristian Bauer
Editor
