Chianti - Broken Leg Tour

What was supposed to be a final, memorable road bike ride through the stunning hills of Tuscany before we left for the coast and the ferry to Croatia quickly became a trip to the emergency room of Siena Hospital.
I had already planned for one last ride in the Chianti region, where we were staying in Radda in Chianti, a picturesque town surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. The idea was to make the most of the gorgeous Tuscany landscape, riding through the iconic towns of the region. I had done similar rides before, but this time I had chosen a slightly longer loop to take in as much of the area as possible.
The morning started off perfectly. The sun was rising, the temperatures were still mild, and the iconic cocks of Chianti—symbols of the region and seen on every wine bottle—were a familiar sight as I began my ride. I started by heading south, with the first climb bringing me up to Castagnoli, followed by a descent and another short climb to La Madonna, a place I had visited a couple of days earlier on my cyclocross bike. The ride was already full of beautiful views, with the rolling hills and charming stone villages surrounding me.
I continued on, taking a right turn towards Pianella and then veering north after almost 10 km. The route became more hilly, which is typical for Tuscany—a series of short, sharp climbs, each offering its own challenge. I made my way through Lecchi in Chianti and passed the famous village of Casanova di Ama, both filled with the characteristic stone houses that define this region. The climb took me almost up to Radda, but instead of heading straight there, I took a left turn towards Castellina in Chianti, the next highlight of the tour.
At the highest point of the ride, I was rewarded with a long, fast descent to Sambuca Val di Pesa. From there, I crossed a ridge and descended further to Ferrone and Strada in Chianti, reaching the lowest point of the ride. After covering 90 km, I began the climb back up towards Radda. With almost 100 km done, I stopped for a well-deserved espresso in Greve, a town famous for its salami and a popular stop for cyclists. As I was enjoying my break, I noticed quite a few other riders finishing their morning rides.
The next leg of the ride took me past Panzano, another renowned wine village, and I made a decision to take on a challenging 15% climb to Radda instead of opting for a shortcut back to the hotel. At this point, I didn’t know that this decision would change the course of my vacation—and the following weeks.
After reaching the summit of Radda, I enjoyed a speedy descent. I was so focused on the descent that I ended up overtaking a few slower cars. But as I approached the roundabout at the bottom of the hill, things went wrong. I slowed down to navigate the tight turn, but for some reason, I lost control of my front wheel and fell hard onto my left side. The pain was immediate and intense, but I managed to get up, hop back on my bike, and attempt to finish the last two kilometers to the hotel.
However, as I neared the gravel entrance road to the hotel, the pain in my leg became unbearable. I couldn’t even get off the bike without feeling excruciating pain. I somehow made it back to the car, drove to the hotel, and walked slowly to the pool where my wife, Andrea, was waiting. She immediately noticed something was wrong with me, and I could tell the pain wasn’t subsiding.
I took a shower and tried to ease the pain by moving my leg in the pool, but it became clear that something was seriously wrong. After a while, I knew I needed medical attention, so we decided to go to the hospital. The real challenge began when the ambulance arrived, as I wasn’t allowed any painkillers during the ride. The pain was excruciating, and the bumpy ride to Siena hospital made it even worse. After a grueling 1.5-hour ambulance journey, we finally reached the hospital, and it was there that I received the shocking diagnosis: my leg was broken.
This accident, which started as a peaceful bike ride through the Tuscan countryside, had turned into an unforgettable—and painful—experience. It was a sudden reminder of how unpredictable life can be, and how quickly things can change. What was supposed to be one last ride through the hills of Tuscany before heading to the Adriatic coast ended up being a day spent in a hospital, marking the end of my cycling for a while.

bike: Pretty Betty Specialized Tarmac S-Works
starring: Gerry Samer