The Tuscany Trail – bikepacking in the heart of Italy
Mountain Biking Collection by Sara & Andreas / projectpedalfurther
7
Tours
34:32 h
313 mi
27,600 ft
The Tuscany Trail is one of the most famous bikepacking events with (probably) the most participants.
We had wanted to take part for a long time and, in 2021, it finally happened. This isn’t really a race; it’s a shared ride with a fixed route, but no timing. All participants experience the Tuscany Trail in their own way, but are connected by the itinerary. We enjoyed (almost) every minute while we were on the road and are already planning to ride it again in the future.
We set ourselves the goal of completing the route in six days. This gave us more than enough time to take extended breaks and marvel at the scenery and beautiful places along the way. Nevertheless, due to the heat and the occasional very steep section, the stages were sometimes exhausting. Beforehand, we weren’t sure if our Bombtrack Beyond bikes were suitable or whether a MTB would have been better. In hindsight, our 2.2 inch wide tyres were just right. Many people also rode standard gravel bikes with thinner tyres, but we were grateful for the extra width on some of the rough descents. A MTB is definitely not necessary though.
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Last updated: November 25, 2022
Tours & Highlights
- 06:4567.8 mi10.0 mph3,425 ft3,375 ft
What an eventful start. As soon as we registered, we quickly knew we would feel right at home here. The atmosphere was great – everyone was so excited to explore the beautiful area, gravel roads and fun trails.
We made fast progress – totally in the flow at times – and we were happy to bump into nice…
- 04:4437.6 mi8.0 mph5,050 ft3,775 ft
On day 2 there were no nasty surprises! The landscape was a dream and the route a constant up and down; there was a fair amount of elevation gain. Riding along the ridge just before the final climb to Voltera was a real highlight of the route.
Once we arrived, the first thing we did was pitch our tent…
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- 05:5547.8 mi8.1 mph5,450 ft5,850 ft
From Volterra to Siena – not all metres of climbing are equal! Today's ride was much more strenuous than yesterday, although the numbers were almost identical. The inclines were steeper and the descents more technical. It was a wonderful day anyway! The sweat poured and the dust stuck 😉.
On day 2, we…
- 03:1331.8 mi9.9 mph2,850 ft3,050 ft
Today was the easiest day so far. Fast gravel roads, following parts of the 'Eroica' and 'Strade Bianche' routes. We finished at 4pm so we could wash our clothes and dry them in the sun. We found a cute family campsite. Wild camping is cool, but a shower in the evening is also very tempting.
Supposedly…
- 05:2441.6 mi7.7 mph5,050 ft3,175 ft
On the fifth day, the highest point of the Tuscany Trail was on the agenda. Radicocofani was a much bigger climb than the rest of the route, but it’s still not particularly long. By now, we knew that even short climbs can be painful though.
Up until today, it was easy to refill water bottles and eat…
- 06:2564.3 mi10.0 mph5,125 ft7,650 ft
A last long day on the Tuscany Trail. The night at our wild camp spot was relatively short and everything was nice and damp when we woke up thanks to the tall grass. It didn’t bother us though – the heat dried everything out in no time.
The ride started with a rapid descent, but soon headed up again…
- 02:0622.0 mi10.5 mph675 ft650 ft
Since we didn't ride all the way to the finish yesterday, today's stage was very short. We comfortably rolled towards Orbetello and were there before noon. When we saw the ‘Arrivo’ banner, it was a special feeling!
We made ourselves comfortable in the finishers’ area, ordered pasta and a couple of Morettis…
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Collection Stats
- Tours7
- Distance313 mi
- Duration34:32 h
- Elevation27,600 ft
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