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L’Eroica USA Announces Gruppo Bici L’Eroica Cycletourist Ride, Gruppo Bici Race of the Falling Leaves and L’Eroica Exposition and Swap
BOULDER, CO USA (August 18, 2009) L’Eroica USA announces today the Gruppo Bici L’Eroica, a “period” cycletourist ride, Gruppo Bici Race of the Falling Leaves, the competitive version of the event, and L’Eroica Exposition and Swap, a classic, modern and vintage bicycle exposition and swap. All events will be held at the Boulder Reservoir on Sunday, October 4, 2009, the same day as the Italian L’Eroica in Tuscany.
Gruppo Bici L’Eroica
The Gruppo Bici L’Eroica is a “period” cycletourist rallye (ride) run over asphalt and unpaved surfaces north of Boulder, Colorado. Fashioned after L’Eroica Italy, a L’Eroica offers surroundings and scenes from the “heroic” times of cycling: classic bicycles, tweed and wool riding apparel, vintage refreshments including Italian wines, and beautiful, meandering country roads.
“The underlying purpose of L’Eroica Italy is to preserve the strade bianche, or “white roads” of Tuscany in their original form,” L’Eroica USA spokewoman D’Abria Versace explains. “Gruppo Bici L’Eroica is a celebration of a simpler, gentler time, classic bicycles and costume, and of the ongoing protection of our native lands, plants and animals through conservation.”
Gruppo Bici Race of the Falling Leaves
Taking its name from the Giro di Lombardia, the capstone classic that signifies the close of the European bicycle racing calendar, the Gruppo Bici Race of the Falling Leaves is the American Cycling Association sanctioned* competitive version of Gruppo Bici L’Eroica, a race with a cash purse up to $3,000.
“L’Eroica USA heeded our request to turn the Gruppo Bici Race of the Falling Leaves purse “rights” side up in support of equal pay for women,” D’Abria Versace says, who is also a company director at Gruppo Bici N.A., the event’s title sponsor. The Gruppo Bici Race of the Falling Leaves awards $500 to the first place female finisher and $250 to the first male finisher, double if the winner races on an Italian bicycle made before 1990. If the race draws more than 250-riders, L’Eroica USA is planning to double the total purse and offer prizes to second and third place finishers.
The Route
Steeped in tradition, the Gruppo Bici L’Eroica is unlike any organized tour. In addition to an affordable entry, the 30-mile route taking participants over a combination of asphalt and unpaved surfaces is the perfect balance to challenge not only the experienced rider, but to afford the non-cyclist an opportunity to display his or her “heroism”; the race version covers the same course.
Gastronomic Feeds
“The feed stations along the course of Gruppo Bici L’Eroica are gastronomic,” D’Abria Versace says. “Energy bars and gels are replaced with vintage refreshments of our ancestral hero’s of the road: aged cheeses, antipasti, craft breads, fruits, traditional hams and Italian wines that freely flow.”
Costume / Riding Apparel
Although there is no official rule, Gruppo Bici L’Eroica is a “period” cycletourist ride and participants are encouraged to dress in traditional riding apparel. L’Eroica Italy attracts big old men on big old bicycles in medium-sized old jerseys, but it is the argyle socks, cotton gloves, knicker pants, sport goggles, tweed caps and spare tires wrapped around woolen shoulders that turn a rainbow of beige into a festival of color.
The Bicycles
Gruppo Bici L’Eroica is a friendly cycling event where classic steel single- and 10-speeds will ride along modern steeds of carbon. As a “period” cycletourist rallye, Gruppo Bici L’Eroica encourages the use of classic, vintage-style bicycles from the last century (1930s-1980s): lugged-steel frame, balloon tires and sprung saddle. While L’Eroica Italy politely posts signs reading “MTB? No Gratzi” or mountain bikes not welcome, Gruppo Bici L’Eroica allows participants to ride any bicycle type; families sporting youth on third wheels (not recommended) or in trailers are also welcome.
Exposition / Swap
“Should the ambience of Gruppo Bici L’Eroica capture your heart for a piece of bicycle history, participants and spectators can invest in precious metal under the tented L’Eroica Exposition and Swap,” D’Abria Versace says. Located at the Boulder Reservoir, the exposition and swap is where collectors, framebuilders, individuals, manufacturers and secondhand vendors display, sell and swap classic, modern and vintage bicycles, clothing, parts and other relics showcasing the last century of bicycles and bicycle life; the exposition is also attracting local area natural and organic product manufacturers.
Sponsorship
Gruppo Bici L’Eroica is made possible by financial sponsorship and through the provision of products or services from individuals and organizations. In addition to Boulder-based Gruppo Bici N.A. as the Platinum or Title Sponsor, there are Gold, Silver and Bronze sponsorship opportunities still available so please contact L’Eroica USA (info[at]eroica.us) for more information.
Volunteer
Integral to creating any successful event, L’Eroica USA is seeking people for dozens of volunteer opportunities. L’Eroica USA offers corporate citizens, families, fraternities and sororities, individuals and students a volunteer experience that is fun and rewarding. In keeping in the spirit of the event Gruppo Bici L’Eroica volunteers are encouraged (not required) to also dress in period costume. To learn more about the volunteer opportunities with Gruppo Bici L’Eroica, please contact L’Eroica USA at (info[at]eroica.us).
Summary
Gruppo Bici L’Eroica is an energetic way to enjoy open spaces by bicycle in the ambiance of a bygone cycling era and of a simpler, gentler time. Gruppo Bici L’Eroica is a must visit, must participate adventure through millennia that every bicycle enthusiast and non-cyclist should experience at least once in a lifetime, though we do hope that you come back again and again, year after year.
Registration
Registration for all Gruppo Bici L’Eroica events is available online at the Title Sponsor’s website: www.gruppobici.com. Gruppo Bici L’Eroica is limited to 1,000 riders so those interested in participating in the cycletourist ride are encouraged to register early. *The cost to participate in Gruppo Bici L’Eroica is $35 per person, increasing $10 after September 15, 2009.
GRUPPO BICI N.A.
The title sponsor of Gruppo Bici L’Eroica, Gruppo Bici N.A. is a Boulder, Colorado-based bicycle distributor specializing exclusively in Italian cycling products. Gruppo Bici N.A. is the exclusive importer and distributor of Atala, Bicisport, BiciSupport, Carraro, Cycling Pro, Lygie, Maino, tuttoBICI and Umberto Dei bicycles, cycling products and publications in North America. Gruppo Bici N.A. also owns the worldmarks and names Canditalia, Cicli Italia and Galmozzi, Italian bicycle companies that blend art with function in bicycle accessories, bicycles and framekits that epitomize timeless Italian style. www.gruppobici.com
L’EROICA USA
L’Eroica USA is a Boulder, Colorado-based production company specializing in the promotion of bicycle events from a simpler, gentler time. L’Eroica USA is promoting Gruppo Bici L’Eroica, a “period” cycletourist rallye run over asphalt and unpaved surfaces north of Boulder, Colorado; the competitive version of the event is called Gruppo Bici Race of the Falling Leaves. Based on L’Eroica Italy, a L’Eroica offers surroundings and scenes from the “heroic” times of cycling: classic bicycles, tweed and wool riding apparel, vintage refreshments including Italian wines, and beautiful, meandering country roads. Gruppo Bici L’Eroica is a bicycle celebration of our open spaces and of a simpler life and time. To learn more about L’Eroica USA or the Gruppo Bici L’Eroica events scheduled for October 4, 2009, visit www.eroica-us.blogspot.com or contact
