Ciao a tutti! Hannah Siler here from The Cycling House. I’ve just returned to Montana after a fabulous week in Tuscany, filled with bike riding, incredible food, and spectating one of my favorite pro races – the Strade Bianche!
This was our third year running a TCH camp centered around the Strade Bianche, and it has quickly become one of my favorite trips to guide throughout the year. The week-long progression was incredible – we rode sections of the race route, like the famed San Martino and Le Tolfe gravel sectors, then got to watch in person the pros tackle those same challenging sections at mind-blowing speeds (anyone else see Pogačar doing a wheelie up Colle Pinzuto?). Finally, the trip culminated with us riding the entire Strade Bianche race route during the Gran Fondo, complete with mud-caked bikes and a fresh pizza at the finish line.
My biggest highlight though? Getting to enjoy Mama Lia and family’s famous Tuscany cuisine and a glass of Chianti while hanging out with the group and the Rossi/Parrini family every night in the 13th-century mill where we gather. Tuscany is a truly special place to explore, and it’s made even more special by our gracious hosts at Palazzo a Merse.
Next year, we’re taking a total of 12 guests, though we have capacity to open another trip at Il Molinello as well. We’ve just opened reservations for March 2-8, 2027. Check out the trip details here. I hope to see you there!
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 the Crete Senesi
The Crete Senesi 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. We ride right out of the B&B this morning, and check off two of our first Strade Bianche gravel sectors – Bagnaia and San Martino.
Riding in Chianti and Lunch at La Bottega
Chianti is famous for more than just wine and castles! It’s a wonderful place to be on a bike! After winding through vineyards and hills along quiet gravel roads, we stopped in Gaiole, home to the legendary L’Eroica ride. Lucky for us, we were hosted by La Bottega for lunch – a wonderful L’Eroica themed cycling store, where the lovely owner Manuele prepared a fresh Tuscan feast for lunch, complete with a few bottles of Chianti Classico of course!
Join Us in 2027 → Dates & Details
Cooking Class with Mama Lia and Family
Mama Lia’s famous cooking class is a fixture on any TCH Tuscany trip at Palazzo a Merse. This week, Mama Lia showed us how to make fresh pasta dough and roll it out into tagliatelle! We enjoyed the fruits of our labor afterwards with tagliatelle all’aglione and cinghiale stew (wild Tuscan boar – a specialty).
Final Push into Siena
Riding up Santa Caterina to the Piazza del Campo is something that stays with you forever. Whether you’re riding the Medio or Gran Fondo, you’ll finish your epic ride around the Tuscan hillside with this final climb into Siena surrounded by locals cheering for your finish! And of course, pizza is right around the corner 🙂
Watching the Pros Pre-Ride the Strade Bianche
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. We were lucky enough to spot some of our favorite cyclists out on the road – Demi Vollering, Tadej Pogačar, Lotte Kopecky, and the 2026 women’s race winner herself – Elise Chabbey!
Frank fits right in with Team Visma, doesn’t he?
The Food
We struck a balance between home-cooked meals and dining out on this trip. The family at Palazzo a Merse always cooks up some truly delicious meals, including peposa (a traditional wine-braised beef dish), risotto, homemade gnocchi, and pizza prepared in the centuries-old outdoor pizza oven. Andrea always picks up fresh pastries for breakfast every morning, and somehow even the simple espresso pods in Italy taste better than most coffee in the US. We enjoyed dinners at two restaurants in the nearby hilltop towns of Orgia and Stigliano. Restaurant Cateni, in Orgia, has been operating within the same family for over a hundred years! And is home to my favorite tiramisu in all of Italy 🙂
Race Day – Watching The Pros Race
Race day was quiet a bit different from most other days at TCH. Lucky for us, the race course runs steps away from Palazzo a Merse, so we were able to spectate both the women’s and men’s races in multiple spots within a short pedal around the valley. Afterwards, we loaded everyone up and drove to spectate the men’s race at the top of San Martino, which is both a gorgeous viewpoint and a pivotal spot within the race. 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.
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.
Join Us in 2027 → Dates & Details
Next year, we’re taking a total of 12 guests, and we’ve just opened reservations! March 2-8, 2027. Check out the trip details here.
A Few More Photos From Our Strade Bianche Trip
Team nonna! Ninetta, Lia, and Laura help prepare all the meals served at Palazzo a Merse, along with Lia’s Lia’s daughters and son-in-law. What a team!
Join Us in 2027 → Dates & Details
The 2027 dates are set: March 2-8. 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. Feel free to shoot me an email, or anyone else in the office to learn more about the trip!
Hope to see you in Tuscany next year! 
Andiamo!
Hannah Siler
The post Reflections in Photos: Adventures on our Strade Bianche Cycling Trip in Tuscany appeared first on Cycling House.
