Chianti his home since he was born there in 1954, and claims to have become a cycling fan as a young child when as one of the few people in the village at that time who could read, he’d be called upon by the elders to recite the cycling action from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Italy’s most popular sports daily and the newspaper that shares its famous pink color with the leader’s maglia rosa in the Giro d’Italia.
Driven by this life-long passion for two wheels, Brocci and L’Eroica have inspired countless cyclists to try and recapture some of the sport’s old luster. Indeed, the good doctor has even been recognized by the UCI who have asked him to organize junior events. He’ll be involved in the 2013 World Cycling Championships when they come to Florence and must be afforded at least some of the plaudits for the recent success of the Montepaschi Strade Bianche, a professional race that happens each spring on the strade bianche between Gaiole and Siena. In its first five years, it has attracted a lot of high-profile riders including Fabian Cancellara and Philippe Gilbert, both winners, who seem to realize and appreciate the attraction of such rugged racing.
This is a day in the saddle like no other. It has its ups and its downs, but few experiences will compare with the elation and the relief that washes over you crossing the finishing line back in Gaiole. We’d finished the day strong, encouraged by the return to tarmac outside of the town and the pleasingly fast downhill closing leg. There are things I’ll do differently next year. “Bring a gear set-up more suited to climbing” will be top of that list, followed closely by “stop feeling so sorry for yourself.” Of all the challenges the rider faces along the route of L’Eroica, none are as daunting or potentially damaging as the battle of belief that goes on in the head.
The event is full of moments that connect old friends to new ones, and modern cycling to its glorious but oft-forgotten past. The beauty of the landscape, the warmth of the people, and the uniqueness of the race itself all make this the trip of a lifetime for any cyclist, not just the retro-heads.
I ride for a bunch of reasons. It’s quick, it’s cheap, it’s good exercise, I never need to find a parking spot or deal with city traffic. On the road and in the saddle is always better than being caged up in a gym, and my bikes don’t have opening hours or membership fees. But most of all, I ride because I love it. The kind of love that can’t be explained; just a simple, unadulterated affection for the act of riding and the machines I do it on. L’Eroica is a celebration of that love, and proof that it’s universal. Long may it last.