If you’re looking for an excuse to go and ride your bike in Italy, here’s one: a new ‘gravel grinder’ event offering three different distances, all through the Franciacorta territory, at the foothills of the Alps in the region of Lombardy. Which is apparently well known for it wine, which sounds almost as good as riding your bike in the early summer sunshine. Mmm…
It’s all happening on the weekend of 20th May, with different start times across the weekend according to which of the three distance options you go for. The main event is the 300km 3T Jeroboam, which promises plenty of climbing too.
There’s also a 150km Magnum option, which looks a little less hilly, but still quite a beast.
For those that want to just have a bit of a (relative) pootle, then maybe sample some local wine, there’s also a 75km option.
The pictures make us want to go, and if they’re having the same effect on you then hop on over here to register or find out more. They’ll even let you ride a mountain bike if that’s your preference, and finishing times will be split into two categories according to whether you ride drop or flat bars. It’s not a race, but with all that wine country around, the wine bottle themed race names, and a winery as a sponsor, you never know, there might be a little tipple at the end.
