Fundraising Events

Tim Slack's L'Eroica Cycle

We were greeted in Tuscany by fabulous weather and immediately set about taking in enough high grade carbohydrates to see us through the cycling, Pici con tartufo is seriously preferable to the average racing cyclists diet.

I had persuaded Fiona my wife and two friends to accompany me and enter one of the shorter circuits that the organisers offer. As we left Poggibonsi and headed towards Gaiole in Chianti, where the event starts I realised to my amazement that the Chianti hills had grown much higher and steeper during the years that I had been away from them. I ignored my teams screams of "you said hills, these are mountains" and shortly afterwards excitedly pointed to the first L'Eroica circuit sign. As we followed the sign we saw our first stretch of strada Bianca, the fabled untarmaced roads of the 50s racing scene that we were going to be cycling on. As well as being vertical it was cratered like the moon with a loose surface. "You said it was going to be no worse than a bad English country lane," was the team chorus. "Well the photo in the brochure was like that," I replied. "Don't you think they would put the least scary bit in the brochure" - the team had made a good point.

Tim and his wife, Fiona

Nerves were calmed by signing in at the fabulous event HQ. 2,350 riders had entered the various circuits all beautifully dressed in period clothing and on some really rare racing bikes. Everyone was incredibly friendly with the very stoic sense of humour that racing cyclists develop to retain their sanity shouted across the piazza in every language you could imagine.

Realising my team was becoming agitated by the idea that their only mechanic, in the form of myself, was going to be off on a completely different circuit, the very helpful organisers allowed me to customise a circuit that would allow me to ride the first 75 kms with my friends and then pick up the long circuit to complete the original target (the fact that they then only gave me a trophy equivalent to having done 38 kms was a small price to pay).

The route was considerably tougher than I had imagined but even more magical in terms of scenery and atmosphere. Being overtaken by ex world champions was an honour and I arrived back after 6 hours 35 minutes in the saddle a tired but very happy boy. A middle ranking time for my course but then I was a middle ranking racing cyclist, at best, when in my prime.

Amazingly everyone in our team had achieved their various target kms without a single puncture or crash. Not so lucky the girl sitting beside her bike at the side of the road clutching her collarbone, the scores mending broken wheels and very sadly the local Sienese rider who died of a heart attack en route which meant that that much of the post race celebrations were cancelled.

For anyone with an interest in cycling however small I would heartily recommend the event. The organisers are wonderful and would much prefer that riders set modest targets for themselves but come along and enjoy their stunning countryside.

I would be very happy to advise anyone interested on the practicalities entering next years event which will be presumably held the 1st weekend in October as usual.

Once again thank you for your support.

Tim Slack