Road Bike Week Tuscany

The ULP road bike week is aimed at both slightly advanced and ambitious road cyclists, mixed through all age groups and performance levels. A good physical condition is a basic requirement. At the beginning of the season, the performance level can still vary greatly. We will find a common denominator so that no one will miss out on training. Nevertheless, it is helpful to have already collected some kilometers on the bike before the training camp. The climbs are typically short and moderate for a low mountain range, but can also reach 15% and briefly more. The tour length is between 80 and 140 km depending on the variant, weather and your wishes. The altitude difference is 700 to 1400 meters. We build in specials such as time trials on the long straight in front of our hotel or mountain sprints on the Etruscan wine route.

Quiet roads away from the busy coastal route directly by the sea serve as our training terrain. Curvy, almost car-free asphalt climbs into the hinterland, from one picturesque mountain village to the next. Beautiful wineries, olive groves, the famous cypress and pine avenues and wonderful beaches in an area where cycling is really worthwhile. Enjoyment is not neglected either: every successful cycling session includes the typical Italian espresso!

We do not have rigid training plans. The listed daily stages are suggestions and only a small excerpt from the countless possibilities in Tuscany. The respective stages are coordinated according to the external conditions in discussion with all participants to the needs / performance level of the group.

Self-drive to Campiglia Maritima. You will move into your accommodation, a lovingly renovated B&B in the center of Campiglia. Meeting with the guide at 6 pm at the reception of the hotel. We will discuss the schedule for the week.

At the beginning of the tour you will reach the spectacular postcard motif, Viale del Cypressi, and then the picturesque village of Bolgeri. From there, through vineyards and olive groves to Castagneto and up to the Valle de Bocca at 316 meters. We take the famous winding road from Sassetta to Suvereto and down to the Maremma plain to Val di Cornia until we arrive back in San Vincenzo.

The king stage as far as the steeper climbs are concerned, very lonely little roads and in the well-deserved lunch break the best ice cream in the world. Here you are on historical ground, the area around Massa Marittima was already settled in Etruscan and Roman times. In addition, the town of Massa with its historic center is always worth a (racing) bike trip. The way back goes through the natural park of Montioni, this fascinating, green natural heritage convinces with dense oak forests and paths that can only be explored on foot, by bike or on horseback. This is what makes cycling fun!

Both tours offer a lot of room for variation. Surely your gaze has often wandered over to the nearby island of Elba and perhaps one or the other has already wondered what it looks like on Napoleon's island in exile. Today you will find out! Equipped with a breakfast bag, we set off for the 9:00 a.m. ferry that will take us to Porofarraio in an hour. Especially on Elba it is important to open the senses, the island offers more than just kilometers and altitude. The impressions on this day will remain unforgettable. Why did Napoleon leave this island? If you ride your racing bike to the ferry and back to San Vincenzo, you will have to add another 20 km and a few meters of altitude. The prices for the ferry tickets vary, so they are not included in the tour price. The round trip to Elba costs between 30 and 40 euros.

Today you can spend the day at the sea. Or you can make a trip to the very worth seeing cities like Siena or Volterra. We also recommend the sulfur springs at Saturina.

Today we drive north parallel to the coast towards Castagneto Carducci. Over the mountain road Passo di Bocca di Valle we drive with a grandiose panorama into the Tuscan hinterland to the quaint mountain villages of Monteverdi Marittima and Canneto. A seemingly endless descent brings us to the Val di Cecina. A detour to the mountain village of Sassa, which towers 300 m above the Val di Cecina, is certainly worth the effort. Via the medieval mountain village of Montescudaio, we drive via Bibbona to Viale dei Cipressi: this photo motif of Tuscany is probably known by everyone, and you are right in the middle of it. The picturesque town center of Bolgheri invites you to linger and we treat ourselves to a cappuccino. The small stores offer delicious local products and the temptation is great to exchange the water of the drinking bottles for a top wine. We return to San Vincenzo along the historic Via Aurelia. In the evening we will have dinner together.

Via Campiglia we continue into the hinterland and along a small mountain road from Suveretto steadily uphill, along the fabulous winding road through dreamy ancient villages and cork oak forests to Sassetta. A beautiful descent takes us past the thermal springs of Sassetta into Val di Cornia. In a steady up and down we follow almost car-free roads through the hilly country of the Coline Metallifere via Canneto and Monterotondo back to Val di Cornia. Through the plain of the Maremma we finally roll in the shade of the maquis forests on the coastal road back to San Vincenzo.

Individual departure after breakfast.