CX Eroica - Route Gallo Nero

I brought my Cross Bike and decided to ride the L'Eroica Medio, a 81-kilometer route. To avoid the heat, I started early, but a few kilometers in, I got a flat tire. After fixing it, I continued, excited to ride the mix of tarmac and the iconic white gravel roads of the region.
My first section was part of the end of the loop, as the official start is in Gaiole in Chianti. Reaching the gravel roads lined with typical pine trees, I stopped to take some pictures and a video. The scenery was stunning, and riding there felt incredibly emotional. However, when I got back on the bike, I found my rear tire flat again. With no spare tube and no way to reach a shop, I had to walk the bike for several kilometers to Gaiole. There, I found a shop just opening and discovered the cause of the flat—a small thorn I had probably picked up earlier in Austria. After the repair, I was back on track.
I took a detour towards La Madonna and its beautiful Castello di Brolio, hitting another short gravel section. After reaching Pianella, I continued on tarmac before heading back north, where I encountered the longest gravel stretch, with just a small tarmac section in Vagliagli. The landscape was breathtaking, with vineyards and typical Tuscan houses, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Though I had lost time with the flats and the heat was intense, I couldn't resist completing the loop via Panzano and then tackling the final gravel section up to Volpaia. By then, I was hot, dusty, and thirsty, looking forward to getting back to our house and the pool. From Volpaia, it was a cool descent followed by some hilly parts to reach our hotel. By the end, both Dolly and I were covered in dust after completing this legendary loop.


bike: blackDolly, Giant TCX Advanced Pro 1
starring: Gerry Samer