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GBI Toscana 2021

Let's explore lovely Tuscany with the GBI community. We will spend 4 days full of cycling and fun while we discover inspiring cities, world-famous monuments and a gorgeous countryside. We will sleep in exciting locations, eat and drink typical Tuscan food and wine and will return with unforettable memories.
Don't miss this unique cycling tour!

Benvenuti in Toscana!

 

October 1 - 4, 2021

 

Online registration is closed!

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General information

This tour will lead us to the important historic and touristic places in Tuscany. We will see places like Pisa, Florence and San Gimignano, which are part of the UNESCO world cultural heritage, as well as other beautiful places like Lucca, Greve or Vinci.

Tour highlights:
  - Discover your personal miracle at the Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa
  - Refresh yourself with a plunge into the sea at the Versilia coast
  - Walk on the city walls of Lucca
  - Visit the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci
  - Enter the lively city of Florence
  - Cycle through the Chianti hills
  - Get enchanted by the towers of San Gimignano

As most of the Tuscany is very hilly, you should be aware of frequent ups and down. We have designed the route in order to touch as many 'must sees' as possible, but also to give you an impression of the beauty of the Tuscan countryside. We will enjoy good food and wine and sleep in exciting locations.

All kinds of bikes are welcome, whether you have a road bike, mountainbike, city bike or even an eBike. Depending on the number of participants we will cycle in several (at least two) teams with different speed levels.

The Global Biking Initiative (GBI) wants to show you the most interesting places in Europe the sportive way. We are proud of our international participants, that makes it easy for everybody to make new friends from other countries. Our main goal is the continuous support of charity projects worldwide. We achieve this by engaging the participants to raise funds that support charity projects in their home countries.

Here you'll find an abstract of all information regarding this tour.

Tour summary (PDF)

More information needed?

There might some things missing on our event page or you have some specific questions?

Feel free to contact us.

Michael Leuenberger
Tour director

Send a mail

Charity

As the GBI is a charity ride, you have to register for a GBI country (typically your home country) and raise funds in addition to the participation fee for the local supported charity in this country. The minimum donation for this event is 50 €. Each participant is kindly requested to raise more than the minimum donations to support our charity projects.

No clue how to raise funds?
Uncertain how and who to ask for donations?
Check out our tipps for your fund raising activities!

More information
Services & prices

Participation

 The minimum number of participants for this tour is 15 cyclists. As soon as this number is reached the departure will be guaranteed and communicated.  It is not advised to book any flight, train, etc. by yourself, that cannot be cancelled, until the departure is guaranteed.

Participation
from 429 €
Participation at the GBI Toskana 2021

This is the fee for all services of the tour (from October 1 - 4), described under 'What is included'.

Early Bird registration (from March 1, 2021)
- Double bedroom: 429,- €/person
- Single bedroom: 529,- €/person

Regular registration (from May 1, 2021)
- Double bedroom: 479,- €/person
- Single bedroom: 579,- €/person

Additional nights (September 30, 2021) can be booked separately.

Extra nights
from 79 €
Pre-night in Pisa

Accommodation for the night prior to the tour (September 1, 2021) in a 4* hotel with breakfast.

Early Bird registration (from March 1, 2021)
- Double bedroom: 79,- €/person
- Single bedroom: 99,- €/person

Regular registration (from May 1, 2021)
- Double bedroom: 89,- €/person
- single bedroom: 109,- €/person

Transport
50 €
Bike transport

Bike transportation service from Duesseldorf to the start location prior to the tour start and back to Duesseldorf after the tour.

Transport
20 €
Luggage transport

Luggage transportation service from Duesseldorf to the start location prior to the tour start and back to Duesseldorf after the tour end (if you do not want to take all of your luggage (costly) with you in the plane).

Bicycle
129 €
GBI rental roadbike

For this tour we are offering our Cannondale roadbikes for rent during the tour.

The rental fee covers the complete duration of the GBI tour, incl. transport to the start location and from the finish location and technical maintenance by the technical bike service. 

The hirer must bear the risk of damage and burglary. We recommend to sign a private insurance.

For more details and tipps to find the right bike size see also our rental bike flyer.

What's included

3 x accommodation (October 1 - 3, 2021) in single or double bedrooms with breakfast and private bathrooms. In some locations not all double bedrooms are equipped with twinbeds. In one location we are accommodated in a historic pilgrims hostel with limited private bedrooms. Here most of us will stay in the Alcove with separate wooden cabins (see more details under 'Venues').
 1 x typical Tuscan dinner 
Quick and easy event registration
Detailed and up-to-date event information on the website
GPX tracks of all days and tracks for download
GBI mobile app with useful tour information
Route information and daily news
Different cycling teams to suit different abilities and aspiration levels (number of teams depending on number of participants, min. 2 teams)
Teamleaders equipped with GPS routing devices
Service car along the route for pick-up service and with bike repair box
Daily luggage transport to each stage venue
Nutrition points with drinks and energy bars each day
GBI drink bottle
Online photo service
 Participation certificate
Convenient pre-check-in service
 Support of charity organisations in your home country
 A lot of fun, unforgettable moments, great international and cross-cultural companionship, challenging moments and radiant eyes

Excluded Services

Everything not explicitely listed above incl. entrance fees, public transportation, transfer to individually booked hotels, lunch & dinner, accident and health insurance, etc.

Tour description

 Currently we are working hard to design the most suitable route for you. The given routes, locations and distances show the current planning and are subject to change in the coming months. The final tracks will be available approx. 6 weeks prior to the tour start

Itinerary

Day 1: Pisa to Lucca
From the GBI hotel we first cycle together to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, where the tour starts officially and the obligatory team photo can be taken. It's mostly flat on our way towards the coast and we pass the well-known town of Viareggio. The fine sandy beaches on the Costa Versilia invite you to plunge into the sea. We pedal a little further towards Carrara, where the famous marble quarries can be seen in the nearby mountains. When we turn away from the coast, the back country becomes increasingly hilly. Behind Camaiore we cross the foothills of the Apuan Alps and enjoy wonderful views of the mountains and the coastal landscape. At the end of the day, the provincial capital Lucca is ideal for an extensive sightseeing before we may cycle on the completely preserved city walls and reach our accommodation.
On the second half of the stage Track 2 detours twice from the regular track, with only a few more kilometers, but with doubling the climb. 

Day 2: Lucca to Florence
We leave Lucca to the east and reach Altipascio on minor streets. We head towards Vinci, the home of Leonardo da Vinci, whose birth house we pass later in the hills. In Empoli we meet the Arno River, which we accompany for a while. But in Montelupo Fiorentino we leave the river valley and climb a range of hills before we can see Florence in the distance. After passing the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria and Ponte Vecchio, our route leads out of the city. Here the final and really fierce climb leads us to todays destination.
The Track 2 riders climb the highest point of the tour at an altitude of 800 m shortly after the start. 

Day 3: Florence to San Gimignano
Today we pedal through the Chianti country. The hilly landscape goes to the heart and into the legs! Along the way we see vineyards as far as the eye can see. In Greve you can enjoy an espresso on the beautiful market square. We reach the hilltop village of Castellina in Chianti, and descent to Colle di Val d'Elsa, where we can explore the little village on a rock. Our stage destination is only 10 km away at San Gimignano, which is known for its medieval towers.
In Greve Track 2 turns towards Lucolena in Chianti and crosses the highest mountain pass of the Chianti area, the Vallico del Morellino. Our journey leads us to Radda, Castellina and further on to the beautiful hilltop village of Monteriggioni with its fully preserved city walls. At Colle di Val d'Elsa we meet Track 1 again.

Day 4: San Gimignano to Pisa
After we left San Gimignano we have to climb for 15 km, before we descent via Gambassi Terme to Castelfiorentino. There is a final climb up to San Miniato high above the Arno valley, which we follow to our tour destination in Pisa.
Track 2 enjoys the hilly landscape a little longer before reaching the Arno valley at Pontedera.

Day Route Track Distance Climb
Day 1 - October 1 Pisa - Lucca 1
2
91 km
107 km
500 m
1120 m
Day 2 - October 2 Lucca - Florence 1
2
110 km
130 km
1000 m
2120 m
Day 3 - October 3 Florence - San Gimignano 1
2
77 km
110 km
1440 m
1960 m
Day 4 - October 4 San Gimignano - Pisa 1
2
90 km
103 km
740 m
960 m

The tracks of the different stages differ in general regarding their length and the climb as well as the surface.
A detailed description can be found here:

Track 1

Recommended for all kinds of bikes including road bikes. Only paved roads on the track. Shorter and less challenging than track 2.

Track 2

Recommended in particular for road bikes, the distance is longer and more climbs than on track 1.

Venues

Day 1 - Tour start

Pisa
Hotel San Ranieri****

The tour will start in the eastern part of Pisa at the GBI tour hotel.

Pisa
Pisa

Day 1

Lucca
B&B Corte degli Dei

We stay in a charming hotel with breakfast and pool. All rooms are furnished individually.

Lucca
Lucca
Lucca
Lucca

Day 2

Florence
Ostello Il Bigallo, Bagno a Ripoli

This place was in ancient times a hostel for pilgrims on their way to Rome, called l'Antico Spedale Del Bigallo and built in the 13th century.

Hostel accommodation in multiple bed rooms (alcove, sleep chambers with two single beds, separated by wooden walls within a larger room) with breakfast, shared bathrooms/showers or in (very few) single/double rooms with private bathroom (upon availability).

In the evening we will enjoy a typical Tuscan dinner (included in participation fee).

Florence
Florence
Florence
Florence

Day 3

San Gimignano
Hotel Le Colline

We'll stay in a cozy hotel with swimming pool just outsite the city walls.

San Gimignano
San Gimignano
San Gimignano
Teams

Each GBI participant cycles in a team, guided by an experienced teamleader. Teamsize is limited to ten riders maximum because of legal requirements.

You can choose a team, which fits best to your experience, your objectives and your preferred track.

Find your team

TEAM Amici della piscultura
Stephan Loyen
Track 1 (22 km/h)
Languages: German, English

Six friends looking forward to enjoy days in the saddle and evenings in the osterias.

OPEN TEAM
TEAM Chianti Classico
Fragkiskos Vellis
Track 2 (25 km/h)
Languages: Greek, English

We will aim mostly for Track 2, provided that we feel OK and the weather is nice to us. We will be averaging 24-25 km/h with higher speeds, in group formation (don't worry if you don't know what that is or how it is done; we will teach you!), in the flats and with slower pace when uphill. We will do an early coffee stop, a big stop for late lunch and a couple of short stops more during the day (but not too many).

OPEN TEAM
TEAM GBI Orga
Michael Leuenberger
Language: German, English

This team can only be chosen by invitation and is used for admin purposes.

CLOSED TEAM
TEAM The Gladiators
Kojo Graham
Track 1 (20 km/h)
TEAM Torre Pendente
Doris Lodea
Track 1 (22 km/h)
Languages: Romanian, French, English, Spanish, Italian

Welcome to the team! I have attended GBI events all over Europe for the last 10 years, and did a similar Tuscany tour back in 2016. Expect wonderful landscapes, often quite hilly, great food as reward for the effort and good fun. We will ride as a team, and the decisions to stop for breaks or photo taking will be made as such. We will keep a higher speed on flats, while everybody will go at their own pace on uphills, we will regroup and make sure no one is left behind. Punctuality is expected as a mark of respect for the other team mates. Above everything we are there for an enjoyable experience, Tuscany here we come!

OPEN TEAM

There is no appropriate team for you?

You can set up your own team and define, which track you want to cycle, the average speed as well as an appropriate team name.

Write an e-mail to support@gbi-event.org.

Downloads

The GPX files are now available per day and track.

After uploading them to your GPS device the name convention is as follows: GBIIT21: [day, e.g. D1] [track, e.g. T1]

If you are not experienced in uploading GPX tracks on your device, please check your user manual. And make sure that you have the right map of this region on your device. Please avoid to ask the support team for technical issues regarding your device or app, as you might know, close to the tour we have very limited time and a lot to do.

GPX Tracks

  • GBI Toscana 2021 Day 1 Track 1 (pisa-lucca).gpx (135.2 KiB)
  • GBI Toscana 2021 Day 1 Track 2 (pisa-lucca).gpx (227.1 KiB)
  • GBI Toscana 2021 Day 2 Track 1 (lucca-florence).gpx (142.2 KiB)
  • GBI Toscana 2021 Day 2 Track 2 (lucca-florence).gpx (270.7 KiB)
  • GBI Toscana 2021 Day 3 Track 1 (florence-sanGimignano).gpx (173.4 KiB)
  • GBI Toscana 2021 Day 3 Track 2 (florence-sanGimignano).gpx (191.0 KiB)
  • GBI Toscana 2021 Day 4 Track 1 (sanGimignano-pisa).gpx (150.2 KiB)
  • GBI Toscana 2021 Day 4 Track 2 (sanGimignano-pisa).gpx (153.8 KiB)
Schedule

All dates and times are provisional! We will announce changes in due time.

Date Location Time Activity
28. September 2021 GBI warehouse Düsseldorf 6:00-8:00 p.m. Handover of the bikes & luggage for transport to tourstart
30. September 2021 Pisa during the day Individual arrival to the GBI hotel (if you have booked the pre-night)
Day 1
1. October 2021
Hotel Ranieri, Pisa
Piazza dei Miracoli, Pisa
10:00 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
Welcome & tour briefing
Official tour start
Day 2
2. October 2021
Lucca
Ostello Il Bigallo
8:00-9:00 a.m.
tbd
Individual start of the teams
Included dinner
Day 3
3. October 2021
Florence 8:00-9:00 a.m. Individual start of the teams
Day 4
4. October 2021
San Gimignano
Hotel San Ranieri, Pisa
8:00-9:00 a.m.
nachmittags
Individual start of the teams
Arrival at tour finish, individual departure of the participants
6. October 2021 GBI warehouse Düsseldorf 6:00-8:00 p.m. Return of the bikes & luggage
Sponsors

A GBI would not be possible without the strong support of our sponsors! A great thank you to those, who make this event happen!

partner
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GBI Event GmbH
Aachener Str. 4b
DE-41564 Kaarst

info@gbi-event.org

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