{"id":58740,"title":"L'Eroica 2026 - A Photo Blog","description":"L'Eroica at its sun-drenched best. A dry Tuscan summer left the famous strade bianche exceptionally dusty, adding an extra layer of character to an already unforgettable 106km ride. A selection of photographs from a glorious day among vintage bicycles, gravel roads and rolling Tuscan hills.","content":"

Dust, Sunshine and the Perfect End to a Tuscan Road Trip<\/strong><\/h3>

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After last year\u2019s cooler-than-usual weather, Tuscany delivered something close to perfection for this year's L'Eroica. Warm sunshine, blue skies and dry roads accompanied thousands of riders onto the white gravel roads that have become synonymous with the event.<\/p>

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The dry conditions brought one challenge of their own. The famous strade bianche<\/em> were dustier than I can ever remember, the result, I suspect, of a particularly dry European summer. By the time groups of riders had passed through, great clouds of pale Tuscan dust hung in the air, coating bicycles, clothing and faces alike.<\/p>

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For that reason, I made the unusual decision to leave my Panasonic GX9 safely at home. Much as I enjoy riding with it, exposing a non-weather-sealed camera to a day of dust didn't seem sensible. Instead, I put my relatively new iPhone 17 Pro to work.<\/p>

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No, it doesn't quite match the GX9, particularly for the kind of photography I enjoy most, but it proved to be a capable travelling companion and captured the spirit of the day surprisingly well.<\/p>

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This year I chose the 106km route. After a summer filled with rides that involved more climbing than usual, I felt stronger on the hills than I have in previous years. The long gravel sectors, steady ascents and rolling Tuscan roads seemed to suit tired but well-prepared legs, and for once I found myself able to concentrate less on surviving and more on enjoying the landscape, the bicycles and the people around me.<\/p>

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As ever, L'Eroica was about much more than distance. It was the sight of vintage steel bicycles leaning against stone walls, riders gathering in village squares, and the shared satisfaction that comes from spending a day on some of the world's most beautiful roads.<\/p>

More than anything, it felt like the perfect finale to our Tuscan road trip.<\/p>","urlTitle":"l-eroica-2026","url":"\/blog\/l-eroica-2026\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/l-eroica-2026\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/bikeink.cc\/blog\/l-eroica-2026\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1792060211,"updatedAt":1792060912,"publishedAt":1792060912,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":406322,"name":"Bike Ink"},"tags":[{"id":4591,"code":"cycling-culture","name":"CyclingCulture","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/cycling-culture\/"},{"id":4592,"code":"events-and-shows","name":"EventsAndShows","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/events-and-shows\/"},{"id":4593,"code":"photography","name":"Photography","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/photography\/"}],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/m4jwzbe5lhqkotdsgqa71gvqmgrydmrlzl8g9p1oziax6lsi.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/m4jwzbe5lhqkotdsgqa71gvqmgrydmrlzl8g9p1oziax6lsi.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/m4jwzbe5lhqkotdsgqa71gvqmgrydmrlzl8g9p1oziax6lsi.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"L'Eroica 2026: Tuscan Sunshine & Dust","metaDescription":"Photos and reflections from riding the 106km L'Eroica route in Tuscany. Warm weather, dusty gravel roads, vintage steel bicycles and the perfect finale to a Tuscan cycling adventure.","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":52837,"title":"White Gravel Roads of L'Eroica","url":"\/blog\/white-gravel-roads-of-l-eroica\/","urlTitle":"white-gravel-roads-of-l-eroica","division":406322,"description":"L'Eroica. Riding this tough and beautiful vintage event in Tuscany, Italy, earlier this month.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/hjnklou6hhjdjt6qypblo8b3mahtphdrcxq3ltmu8rwitvpq.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/hjnklou6hhjdjt6qypblo8b3mahtphdrcxq3ltmu8rwitvpq.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":54711,"title":"My go\u2011to cameras for photographing a ride","url":"\/blog\/my-go-to-cameras-for-photographing-a-ride\/","urlTitle":"my-go-to-cameras-for-photographing-a-ride","division":406322,"description":"The cameras that come with me on the bike \u2014 from my trusty Lumix GX9 to two tiny film gems and, when all else fails, my ancient iPhone 12 mini. Each one earns its place for different reasons, and together they shape how I see the ride.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ue84hegj7i3a05gywwov2rtfmmqs2sbamfjcyacyd7oen8e5.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ue84hegj7i3a05gywwov2rtfmmqs2sbamfjcyacyd7oen8e5.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":55854,"title":"Eileen Sheridan: The Mighty Atom","url":"\/blog\/eileen-sheridan-the-mighty-atom\/","urlTitle":"eileen-sheridan-the-mighty-atom","division":406322,"description":"Explore the remarkable story of Eileen Sheridan, Britain\u2019s legendary \u201cMighty Atom\u201d who broke every major women\u2019s distance record in the 1950s. A concise look at her achievements, her impact on women\u2019s cycling, and why her legacy still matters.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/hja4phz0prvgodmgh6yqavxr6qno9nqv6eyuy7h13czagnvj.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/hja4phz0prvgodmgh6yqavxr6qno9nqv6eyuy7h13czagnvj.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}