Reflections in Photos: Our Strade Bianche Cycling Trip In Tuscany

Owen Gue here from The Cycling House. I just got back from Tuscany, Italy, where we wrapped up a fantastic weeklong cycling trip built around the Strade Bianche professional race. This one has all the ingredients for an incredible cycling getaway—stunning and challenging routes through the old world, incredible farm-fresh Tuscan food (my favorite), and witnessing a professional race that is pure magic. The weather was perfect for us, the pasta was plentiful, and seeing Demi Vollering win the women’s race and Pogačar put on a masterclass on how to “get back up” in the men’s race was an experience our group won’t soon forget. The cherry on top? Riding the Gran Fondo the very next day!

Next year, we’re taking a total of 12 guests, and we’ve just opened reservations. March 3-9, 2026. Check out the trip details here.

Below are some of my favorite pictures…

Cycling the White Roads of Tuscany

Strade Bianche translates to “white roads,” named for the light-colored gravel roads that wind through Tuscany. These iconic sections are a highlight of our long-standing Tuscany cycling trip, but what makes this March adventure special is that it coincides with the start of the Spring Classics season—leading into legendary races like the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. In my opinion this trip is the perfect blend of a cycling vacation with world-class rides, with the added thrill of experiencing one of the best one-day races in the sport up close and personal.

Experiencing The Strade Bianche – On & Off The Bike

Cycling through Val d’Orcia

The Val d’Orcia region of Tuscany is one of the most picturesque landscapes in Italy, with rolling hills, cypress-lined roads, and medieval villages straight out of a postcard.

Riding in Chianti

Chianti is famous for more than just wine and castles! It’s a wonderful place to be on a bike! We stopped in Gaiole, home to the legendary L’Eroica ride, for a visit to the L’Eroica shop, coffee, and pastries. This is where Eroica was born, making it a special place for cycling history. Of course, I had a glass of Chianti—when in Rome, right?

Riding the San Martino & Santa Maria Gravel Sectors

These are two of the most important sections in the race, and we got to ride them leading up to race day then we went to these sectors and watched the pros battle it out. I think that both embody the brutal beauty of Strade Bianche, where positioning, bike handling and grit are key to doing well.

San Martino section is a rolling gravel stretch that tests riders with loose surfaces and constant undulations, draining the legs before the race’s big moments.
Santa Maria section is where Pogačar attacked in 2024 and held it to the finish. It features some of the steepest climbs (20%) and tricky descents—this is where race-defining moves happen.

Coffee in Pienza

Cycling in and around Pienza is an experience in itself. Its gently rolling hills and medieval hilltop charm make for a ride you’ll never forget. We grabbed a coffee here and did a short walking tour of the village led by Giacomo, one of our cycling guides.

Final Push into Siena

Riding up Santa Caterina to the Piazza del Campo is something that stays with you forever. Next year, we’re taking a total of 12 guests, and we’ve just opened reservations! March 3-9, 2026. Check out the trip details here.

Watching the Pros Pre-Ride the Strade Bianche

Yep, this is me getting passed by the Ineos team. Getting passed by the pros happened all the time during our trip. One of my favorite parts of the trip—seeing the pros pre-ride the course. Watching them tackle the same white gravel roads we had just ridden adds an extra level of appreciation for what they do. I took this video of some of the riders checking out the more technical sections of the course.

The Food

We struck a balance between home-cooked meals and dining out on this trip. Our hosts at Il Molinello Farmhouse and Pollazo a Merse prepared meals fresh from local ingredients—meats from a nearby farm, veggies from their garden, and pizzas fired in a 500-year-old wood oven. We wrapped up the week with gelato and a pizza party, because, honestly, I wasn’t going to have it any other way!

Race Day – Watching The Pros Race

Race day was quiet a bit different from most other days at TCH. We started with an easy morning spin, then headed out to catch the action on a few different sections but we focused on the San Martino and Santa Maria sectors mentioned abovce. Some of our guests watched the final climb into Siena and enjoyed the post race festivities at Piazza del Campo, while others soaked in the race from our Tuscan home base with a glass of vino in hand. No matter where you were, the energy was “Alto”! Seeing Pogačar pedal away from Tom Pidcock and take the win after his crash? Legendary.

The Gran Fondo – Riding the Strade Bianche Course

The day after the pro race, it was our turn. Our guests—along with some of our guides—took on the Gran Fondo Strade Bianche, one of the most famous amateur events in Europe. Getting a spot in this event is part of our trip price. The TCH staff handled all the logistics—from number and rider bag pickup, shuttling and navigating Siena’s medieval maze before the early morning start—so all our guests had to do was ride and soak up the experience. At the finish, we met everyone in the main square with a change of clothes, food, cold beer, and a well-earned high five!

Our group split about 50/50 between:
Medio Fondo (87km, six gravel sectors)
Gran Fondo (137km, nine gravel sectors)

No matter which route folks chose, it was a challenge, full of fun and unforgettable moments. One of the best parts? Just like the pros the day before, we climbed into Siena and finished in Il Campo—where the crowd cheered us home.

Next year, we’re taking a total of 12 guests, and we’ve just opened reservations! March 3-9, 2026. Check out the trip details here.

A Few More Photos From Our Strade Bianche Trip

*Time to recover and celebrate an awesome week!*

Our rental fleet in Italy, which I’m very proud of right now. We had to make the investment, but now we have full-carbon rental bikes with SRAM eTap shifting. Some guests flew with their own bikes which is also a great option for this trip.

*Cory, Hannah, Pol and I pre-riding the routes before the group showed up.*

*Il Molinello Agriturismo and Palazzo a Merse were wonderful home bases for our Strade Bianche trips.*

*Guido and I getting ready for another day in Tuscany.*

*We were lucky to catch Tadej Pocacar riding in the days leading up to the race!*

*I took this photo on Day 3 of our trip—and I felt it perfectly captures the essence of the “Strade Bianche”.*

*Andrea Rossi is the biggest reason why this Cycling House trip exists! It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly 15 years since we started working together.*

Join Us in 2026!

The 2026 dates are set: March 3-9. If you love great rides, amazing food, and experiencing one of cycling’s most iconic races, this trip is for you.

We have 12 spots available, here are the trip details. Shoot me an email or let’s schedule a call to chat details!

Hope to see you in Tuscany next year! 🇮🇹🚴‍♂️🍷

Andiamo!

Owen Gue

Summarized Highlights From Our Trip

Riding the Strade Bianche Gran Fondo, a big European cycling event on some of the most beautiful roads in the world
Tuscany in March—off-season, quiet, fresh, and perfect for cycling
Watching the pro men and women race on the same roads we rode all week
Authentic Tuscan food, from wood-fired pizza to farm-to-table meals
The guides and the family. I always love coming back to Tuscany, and our guiding team and local hosts make it feel like coming home
The hospitality at Il Molinello Farmhouse and Palazzo a Merse B&B—we were well taken care of and slept like babies every night