The Sunday Times: “This is the ultimate way to see Tuscany on two wheels”
Have you tried Cava, the sparkling wine from Spain?
”For me, the Tour was the event of the year, the week preceding the Tour was full of tension, and then there was the presentation, an exciting moment in front of thousands of people and then, the race! The first super-stressful week, cars, photographers' motorbikes, helicopters, people screaming on the side of the road, a huge mess, everyone wants to stay in front, no one brakes and crashes one after the other! This part is immensely adrenaline-filled and beautiful.
The big start in Florence is an exceptional event. It has never happened before if we consider the great Italian cycling tradition and culture. The Tour has started many times from Belgium, Holland, England and even Ireland and Denmark, but never from Italy. I wouldn't mind being at the start of this special race, actually ready to ride, but in any case I will be very happy to be at the start with my friends from inGamba.
Eros PoliInGamba Legend
28 Jun 2024
30 Jun 2024
Firenze
Please note, this is for guests who are on our Chianti Classico trip on June 23-29.
Friday July 28th
We will be staying at the fabulous Gallery Hotel Art in Florence. Set in a quiet courtyard near the Arno and Ponte Vecchio and close to Palazzo Strozzi in the city.
3:00 PM check-in at the hotel and a free afternoon in the wonderful city of Florence. We know the best places to go and the local-only locations, so we can definitely point you in the right direction.
6:30 PM Welcome aperitivo and dinner in Firenze.
Saturday July 29th
The big day!
Breakfast at our hotel.
Take in the incredible spectacle of the riders leaving for their adventure ahead.
After this we will drive to Ponte a Emma to Visit the Museo Gino Bartali.
The riders will symbolically pass in front of the Gino Bartali Museum in Ponte a Ema, where the champion winner of 3 Giri d’Italia and 2 Tour de France, becoming a true legend of cycling, was born. The museum is part of the Florentine Civic Museums and sees the exhibition of bicycles, jerseys, memorabilia, vintage newspapers, publications and films documenting the history of cycling, the exploits of Gino Bartali and other champions.
Over one thousand square meters spread over three floors: in the basement there is a bicycle depot from various eras which gives a glimpse of the technical evolution, on the first floor the actual museum, with an exhibition of bicycles that belonged to the great champions of the cycling, including a perfectly preserved Stucchi, the jerseys of past champions (Gino Bartali, Fausto Coppi, Franco Bitossi, Alfredo Martini), the biographies and cups of Gino Bartali to whom an entire room has been dedicated, and also Bitossi’s anecdotes , Boni, Chioccioli, Ciolli, Corrieri, Martini, Poggiali, Tognaccini.
After the visit to the museum, we will enjoy an apertivo and a wonderful dinner, toasting the riders and the miles in the saddle to come.
MEET THE GUIDES
EROS POLI
THE CHAMPION
The night before Eros Poli took victory atop Mont Ventoux he couldn’t sleep. It was not like he was dreaming of victory or even had the slightest idea the next day’s stage would change his life forever. It was just that it was hot. Unbearably, unsleepably hot in his less-than stellar French hotel. His roommate had taken his mattress off the bed and was sleeping on the small balcony outside their room. And the man who would shortly become known as Monsieur Ventoux was watching football, Italy vs. Brazil in the World Cup final, to be exact. Italy lost. The following morning as Eros dragged his weary, tired legs out of bed and down the stairs, as there was no lift, James Brown came into his head. “I feel good, I knew that I would now,” started to repeat over and over in his head. As it would the rest of the day. He felt good and the rest, as they say, is history.
THE STAGE AT A GLANCE
START LOCATION:
Firenze
FINISH LOCATION:
Firenze
