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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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AR IMG 4160
20160909 171114 klein
20160910 182532 klein
20160912 145904 klein
20180430 190442
IMG-20180429-WA0016
IMG 2409
MK 20180428 180649
P9090079
20160909 151837 klein
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.

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.

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
2 GBI tours participated
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
fragkiskos.vellis
9 GBI tours participated
TEAM GBI ORGA
Michael Leuenberger
Language: German, English

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

CLOSED TEAM
16 GBI tours participated
TEAM THE GLADIATORS
Kojo Graham
Track 1 (20 km/h)
6 GBI tours participated
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
DorisLodea
12 GBI tours participated

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.

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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files/gbi/sponsor/AppYourself_150px.png

Contact us

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

info@gbi-event.org

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