Somehow summer has snuck up on us. One minute it was cold, wet and dreary outside and the next minute, the Tour De France starts this coming weekend. We’re not entirely sure how it’s happened, but summer is here and Tour-mania is reaching fever pitch. And nowhere more so than Florence, where the Le Grand Depart is being held this Saturday. What does this have to do with gravel riding you might be asking? Read on to find out.
This impressive looking structure is the Stazione Leopolda, an exhibition venue close to the centre of Florence built from the bones of an early 19th Century railway station. It is the temporary home of BECYCLE 2024, an exhibition dedicated to everything two-wheeled and pedal-powered which kicks off on Wednesday 26th June, just a few days before La Grand Boucle rolls out of the city and into the hills of Tuscany.
Exactly 100 years ago, Ottavio Bottecchia became the first Italian cyclist to win the Tour De France and to celebrate, the Grand Depart is being held in Italy for the first time. With the early years of the Tour De France being held primarily on un-made roads, there is a long tie-in between Le Tour and gravel riding and this year is no exception – Stage 9 will contain 32 km of gravel ‘sectors’.
So, what is BECYCLE 2024 and what is going to be there to interest gravel riders, bikepackers and adventure riders? The organisers describe the event as one “dedicated to the world of bicycles: sports, industry, cycle tourism and new mobility”. Over the course of three days, from the 26th to the 29th June, visitors to the show can listen to talks with guest speakers including everyone from Iris Slappendel to former Tour de France winner turned passionate gravel rider, Vicenzo Nibali.
It's perhaps not surprising that with the Tour de France being mainly a road-based event, the majority of the focus of BECYCLE will be on paved riding, but never fear – there will be plenty to keep away-from-the-road aficionados happy too – there will be the latest bikes from brands including 3T, Cervelo, Colnago, DeRosa and Passoni, all of whom offer gravel bikes in their range. As well as bikes, you’ll be able to ogle the latest kit and clothing from brands including Assos, Campagnolo, Nalini and Sidi to name but a few.
It won’t just be about bikes & kit either – if you’d like some inspiration for your next Italy riding holiday, you can chat to representatives from the regions of Basilicata, Emilia-Romagna, Piemonte, Tuscany, Varese (Lombardy), Valtellina (Lombardy) and Veneto. A team from Eroica, one of the most famous Italian cycling events which takes place annually on the network of strada bianche (white crushed limestone roads) found in southern Tuscany, will also be there and will have everything from an augmented reality experience to original cycling jerseys owned by Italian cycling legend (and Tour de France winner) Gino Bartali.
The show starts at 10am on Wednesday 26th June and tickets cost from €10 per day. You can find all the details and register at their website.
All images courtesy of BECYCLE/Piitiimagine