Giancarlo Brocci turns 70: protagonist with the Eroica of the territory and social commitment

Today Giancarlo Brocci turns 70 and becomes as mature as the bicycles he brought to the headlines all over the world, as tools for re-tasting cultures and traditions that were vanishing too quickly.

Between cycling and tourism

Giancarlo Brocci, born in Gaiole in Chianti on 4 March 1954, is a rare figure who can undoubtedly be classified as a prophet in his country. One might almost define him as a Jacques Cousteau of the Tuscan countryside, because he was able to have a significant impact on his territory of origin, contributing in a tangible way to the conservation of the natural environment of his lands, promoting community pride and guiding the sustainable tourism development. With the effect of leaving a lasting imprint in the world of tourism and cycling, because thanks to the galaxy that revolves around the Eroica, which he developed with many friends (mostly local with the exception of Livio Iacovella), the lands of Siena and especially in Chianti, they have become a “slow” destination, following the world discovered the pleasure of knowing how to savor them slowly, enjoying not only the magnificent views, but also their art, architecture and good cuisine.

Fixed appointment for the territory

L’Eroica with a capital E has become a fixed event for the area, a watershed in the promotion of tourism and an opportunity to teach the world what it meant to create permanent routes starting from an event. And from there was born an official franchise of official events on every continent (just a month ago, it even landed in Cuba) and above all a movement which, for more than 25 years, has set in motion the passion and business for restoration of vintage bicycles and their use on more or less competitive or playful occasions, in the name of friendship and unhurried discovery of the area. Also giving rise to many unofficial satellite events which have dramatically multiplied the desire to cycle around the world with clothes and vehicles that would otherwise be abandoned in cellars or attics.

Giancarlo Brocci with Felice Gimondi and a vintage car from the Bianchi team

The conservation of “white roads”

Also passing through the creation of the Eroica Pro and the Giro Bio, as well as other cherished dreams yet to be realised, Brocci is recognized as the father of the search for a cycling capable of not letting us forget the values ​​of the past, with the focus on man, the challenge, the effort, the spirit, the mental strength, in a clean way and without technological assistance. But its greatest merit, also studied repeatedly at an academic level, is having demonstrated how to conserve many of the so-called Tuscan “white roads”, preventing them from being asphalted – as required by the desire for greater speed, safety and comfort in the transport of goods. and people – has been a key ingredient in the valorisation of the territory, because it has been able to motivate and select incoming visitors, while at the same time strengthening the economy and conservation strategies of the region.

Overall, Giancarlo Brocci’s role in initiating and cultivating the Eroica vintage cycling event has been instrumental in promoting the cultural heritage of the Chianti region, fostering community pride and driving the development of sustainable tourism.