What is La Francigena Bike Adventure?
The Francigena Bike Adventure is a multi-day adventure, by bike, on the trail of the Via Francigena and other historic itineraries that cross Tuscany.
The event is carefully organized by those who know the places well and have experience of long bike trips.
You will have two tracks to follow that you can choose according to the type of bike and your equipment.
Registrations for the Francigena Bike Adventure Are they limited in number?
The route is ring-shaped and measures approximately 420 km. It varies slightly depending on the two tracks: one of the two tracks is on secondary paved paths, the other track also includes sections of compact dirt road. The overall difference in altitude to be overcome is approximately 6500 m.
Is there a single stop planned?
You can freely divide the trip into several stages and choose where to stop, refresh yourself and sleep, you can select the things to see and the places to visit. Without time limits.
Along the way, you can take detours from the track, and then summarize it.
By participating in the event, at the end of summer, at the most beautiful time of the year to travel by bike, you will have the opportunity to meet numerous other travelers, coming from all over the world. You will be able to share knowledge and road sections with them.
Does the Francigena Bike Adventure have a maximum time to complete?
There is no maximum time limit. Everyone can complete the course in the time they want, based on their needs.
The organizers will be present at the San Rossore Park (Tenuta La Sterpaia) until Thursday, September 12.
If you arrive after September 12 but you will have completed the route (without cuts but only detours to reach the services you have chosen independently) Will you be considered a finisher anyway but you won't find the reception services. You'll have to organize yourself.
Who can sign up for the Francigena Bike Adventure 2024?
All cyclists who have completed 18 years old by September 6, 2024 and have a specific sports medical certificate for cycling.
Are registrations for the Francigena Bike Adventure limited to a limited number?
Yes, to make it easier to organize the event and guarantee better services to participants, the first edition has a limited number of 300 participants.
This apparently limiting choice serves to facilitate the search for accommodations for the various stops along the way. As it is an event managed freely by the participants, there are no fixed stages. Everyone can organize themselves by identifying where and how to stop and at which facilities to stay. Tuscany offers an enormous variety of accommodations: you can sleep in a hammock along the way, in a campsite with your tent or in a bungalow, book a farmhouse or a b & b, or choose a starred Bike Hotel.
How much does it cost to sign up?
What do I get with registration?
First of all, you will have two Very accurate GPS tracks that you can charge on your device or smartphone. The tracks will also guide you through historic centers, they will avoid unique senses and dangerous passages, they will allow you to reach all Points of Interest selected along the way. The GPS tracks will be accompanied by a Road Book, in digital format (to be able to study the route before the event) and also in paper format (to be easily consulted during your stops). The road book, in addition to the maps, includes useful information on the routes so as to make it easier for you to choose and organize the trip, it will describe the scenarios you will go through, providing you with suggestions on how to enjoy them to the fullest, also based on the hours of the day, it will give you historical references and news about the villages and architecture along the way, it will inform you about typical local products and will to suggest during taste your stops. It will be a valuable guide for your adventure and you can add personal information and side notes to enrich it with your irreducible experience.
Upon departure, you will have a welcome refreshment. You can collect the 'adventure pack', the road book and the credentials for the trip. You will have showers and changing rooms, and free parking for your car.
Who decides the stages? How do you organize yourself for eating and sleeping?
To register, you must access the site www.francigenabikeadventure.com from January 6, 2024 and follow the procedure that will guide you until the end (including the payment of the registration fee). No identity document is needed at the time of registration but, once registered, before the event, it will be necessary to upload the sports medical certificate valid until September 30, 2024 (in .pdf or .jpg format).
Is a medical certificate necessary?
All participants must necessarily provide the organization with the specific competitive medical certificate for cycling, in accordance with Ministerial Decree 26/04/2013 issued by a Sports Medical Center or a doctor, valid. The deadline must be after September 30, 2024.
Without the sports medical certificate, you cannot participate in the event and you are not entitled to a refund of the registration fee.
The valid certificate must be uploaded to the area dedicated to the registration, by 15 August 2024.
How does the registration and start of the Francigena Bike Adventure 2024 take place?
It starts from Pisa - San Rossore Park, Casale La Sterpaia, Saturday, September 7 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., individually or in small groups. The registration, the welcome briefing with the delivery of the road book, the live tracking and the 'adventure pack' Will be held the day before departure, Friday, September 6, always at the Casale La Sterpaia Starting at 15 o'clock. Casale La Sterpaia has hotel or hostel rooms that can be booked at discounted rates subject to availability (info@casalesterpaia.eu || www.casalesterpaia.eu). The property has a restaurant with affiliated meals and a bar. In addition, it offers parking facilities for the car. At Casale La Sterpaia it will be possible to use the shower service upon arrival. 5 km from the start there is also the “Camping Village The Leaning Tower”. For those who show up on the morning of Saturday, September 7, it will be possible to register at the Sterpaia starting point.
How do you get to the starting point and registration?
The point of registration and departure and arrival of the Francigena Bike Adventure 2024 is:
San Rossore Park — Cascine Vecchie, Casale La Sterpaia.
By plane: the nearest airport is Pisa (Pisa International Airport).
By train: the nearest station is Pisa.
By car: Pisa can be reached from the A12 north-south (Sestri Levante — Livorno) and A11 east-west (Pisa — Florence) or from the FI-PI-LI (SGC Florence-Pisa-Livorno).
By sea: port of Livorno.
Which bike to take on the Francigena Bike Adventure?
The bike is not the end but the means. You can participate in the event with Any bike, even with pedal assist. In fact, the path is unique but Two tracks will be provided that differ only in the road surface. One is designed for those who prefer to ride on asphalt and travel with road bikes on low-traffic secondary roads, the other more suitable for gravel bikes to tackle even beautiful sections of compact dirt roads, the characteristic “white roads” of Tuscany. Obviously, the second track is also suitable for mountain biking.
How do you organize yourself for eating and sleeping?
The Francigena Bike Adventure is an event self-managed by the participants who can freely determine how many stages to divide it into. The detailed GPS tracks and the road book will allow you to decide what to see, where to stop to stop, eat or sleep. Everything will depend on the equipment chosen to travel and on the decisions made at the time. You can start with a tent or sleeping bag or use the many resources that Tuscany offers including campsites, B&Bs, farmhouses, inns, hostels and hotels. Everyone can choose to alternate self-managed stops with overnight stays in facilities, asking for information on the spot, getting help from Google Maps or booking in advance on booking.com or on similar platforms. We, knowing the route, the villages and the places you encounter, will provide you with suggestions, of course, but you will decide whether to follow them or not. The same applies to choosing how and where to go to eat, being able to take advantage of a varied, genuine and quality food and wine offer in the areas touched by the route.
Is there a video and photo service?
Yes, the participants, both at the start and during the journey, will be followed by videomakers. In addition to this, a Photo-Literary Talent, addressed to all participants with awards that will be announced during the briefing.
Is there a refund for those unable to attend the event?
There is no refund for those who, for whatever reason, cannot attend the event but the registration can be used for the following year's event, without prejudice to any adjustment.
Can the registration be transferred to another participant?
Yes, by the date of June 1, 2024 it is possible to transfer the registration to another participant, paying a supplement of €30 for secretarial costs.
Can you leave some luggage at Casale La Sterpaia?
Yes, there will be a dedicated room where you can leave your luggage during the event. The venue will be accessible only to participants in the Francigena Bike Adventure at the cost of €10. Baggage must be closed so as not to allow others to open it and not to contain money or precious objects.
Can the event be canceled?
The event may be canceled due to force majeure that does not depend on the organization (environmental and/or health causes). Although there is no refund of the registration, it will be considered valid for the following year's event.
