WHERE WE STAY
We spend the entire tour based in Castagneto Carducci at Hotel Zi’ Martino. We’ve become family with the crew at Hotel Zi’ Martino, a simple inn built by a former Tour de France rider, Carlo Guarguaglini, and his wife, Isa. Now run by their son, Fausto, the Guarguaglini family understands what we’re looking for in a vacation– the best riding, a great kitchen, and a family atmosphere with fun people.
GEARED FOR
In Italian Strada Bianca translates to white road. This tour will look for enjoyable strade bianche, and will also take advantage of some gorgeously paved roads. If you love riding on dirt roads for the reward of escaping traffic and enjoy the challenges that come with rougher road surfaces, this is a tour for you. Participants should be well experienced riding gravel roads and have the skills required for stretches of dirt roads with some loose rocks.
This a three-pig tour and will require good fitness , but we understand it’s early in the season and will not expect a September pace on this June tour. This is not a tour for beginners nor for gnarly bros who want to race and compare scabs.
We will plan our routes riding as many stretches of gravel as is reasonable—plan on 10-30% gravel riding each day.
Bring your favorite bike with 35-45mm tires and a seat bag with spare tubes. Mountain bikes are not necessary and a road bike with sort-of-big tires is not sufficient. Andy will be riding his Hampsten Gravel with 40mm tires and generous gears.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Andy has been talking of a gravel tour since he and Steve first designed the Strada Bianca for Hampsten Cycles. As we see the gravel trend solidifying into the new norm we are excited to have more requests for gravel options on our tours. We successfully completed our first gravel-focused tour in fall 2024 and look forward to offering another for 2025.
Our routes will highlight the more quiet parts of the Maremma, Macchia della Magona, various national and state parks and nature reserves spanning from Volterra to Siena.
Many areas we will cycle through were once part of the Etruscan rule and we will note old ruins and mines of that era.
TRAVEL DETAILS
This tour begins and ends with transportation from/to Pisa airport [PSA] or the local train station [Castagneto Carducci-Donoratico]:
Pick-up: 11:00 Saturday, June 7 at the Pisa Airport
Drop off: Sunday, June 15: we will coordinate a morning shuttle time to the Pisa Airport and/or the local train station in Castagneto Carducci-Donoratico, exact times tbd based on need.
Transportation outside of the scheduled pick up/drop off days and times is not included in the price of the tour
Departure flights scheduled before 8 a.m. may not be accommodated in our shuttle times, so please alert us if you have an early flight.
INCLUDED IN TOUR
Transportation from and to Pisa Airport and local train station
8 riding days
8 nights of accommodation
8 breakfasts, 7 dinners, 7 lunches
Guide supported riding, mechanic support, follow vehicle if accessible on our route otherwise nearby
Food and drinks on rides
Limited gravel bike rentals, please send a bike rental form as soon as possible, 250 euros/week
TOUR DETAILS
Payment:
A $1,000 deposit is required upon booking confirmation to reserve your space
A second payment of $1,000 is due on Dec 7, 2025
Final Balance payments due of $2,100 on March 7, 2025
Single Supplement of $300 extra, please indicate on booking form
Please see our payment and cancellation policies on the FAQ page
Weather: Mid 70’s to low 80’s, perhaps warm enough for a dip in the Mediterranean
