Cycling Paradise

Sometimes, even the darkest clouds have a silver lining.  While Carol and Roger were cycling across Puglia, Carol had a mechanical problem with her bike.  It didn’t stop her from riding, just from carrying her panniers (saddlebags).  So, at the last minute, we switched to Plan B.

We took the train to Castagneto Carducci, a small town on the Mediterranean in Southern Tuscany.

There, we found cycling paradise.

Why Castagneto Carducci?

The story dates back to 1988, the year Andy Hamsten became the only American ever to win the Giro d’Italia (For a great story on how he did it, read Bob Roll’s essay, The Day Grown Men Cried).  When Hamsten was a rookie racing in Europe, he was befriended by retired pro Carlo Guarguaglini.  Guarguaglini convinced Hamsten to come to Castagneto Carducci to train.  He did and brought his entire 7-11 team with him.  Hamsten fell in love with the area and now bases his cycle-touring company here.

Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time world champion Paolo Bettini retired to the area.

Connie Carpenter, 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist and 12-time US racing champion, comes here to train.  

The Lampre Pro Racing team hold its training camp here.  By now, you get the picture.

This is Cycling Paradise.

The landscapes are gorgeous.

There are lots of hilltop town to visit….

….with medieval castles dotting the roadsides…

…and a 9th Century fort to explore.

There are as many cyclists on the roads as cars.

There are plenty of hills to climb, but the grades are more gentle than the knee-busters in other parts of Tuscany.

The local tourist office has put together a cycling guide with 22 different rides that take you past vineyards and through forests.

The local wine…Bolgheri…though not well known, is tasty and affordable.

On a warm day, the beach is only a 30 minute bike ride away.

The small towns in the area are charming… 

…and this time of year, the landscape is bursting with color.

Perhaps the best downhill in all of Italy is the road between Sassetta and Suvereto.  

Fifteen kilometers of gentle descent.  

No stoplights.  

Almost no cars.  

And 168 technical curves to negotiate as fast as you dare. (Roger actually counted them!)

At the end of the day's ride there are always pretty podium girls to reward the winners (with a kiss?).