This is the first in a series of articles, The Green Breakaway, highlighting how signatories to the UCI Climate Action Charter are taking concrete steps to reduce their environmental impact and build a more sustainable future for cycling.
Eroica Italia SSD: tradition meets sustainability
Eroica Italia SSD is the organisation behind L'Eroica, a cycling event founded in 1997 in Tuscany, that has become internationally recognised for its celebration of vintage cycling culture. The first edition was created by Giancarlo Brocci, founder of the movement, with a clear purpose: to protect and preserve the historic strade bianche (white gravel roads) as part of the region's heritage. Fewer than 100 cyclists lined up for that first edition. Today, L'Eroica in Gaiole in Chianti has reached its 29th edition, with more than 9,000 participants.
During L'Eroica, participants ride steel-framed bicycles that must have been manufactured during or before 1987, wearing era-appropriate wool jerseys as they traverse the region's strade bianche that wind through some of Italy's most celebrated landscapes. Protecting these roads from being paved over has remained central to the movement, preserving both the landscape and the conditions that make the event possible. What began as a single event in Gaiole in Chianti has grown into a series of events across Tuscany, attracting cyclists of all ages and nationalities who are drawn to the unique experience of riding vintage roads on vintage bikes. It is precisely this founding philosophy - one of preservation, reuse, and deep connection to the land - that has made sustainability a natural extension of the organisation's identity.
Eroica Italia SSD has formalised this commitment through its "Eroica for the Environment" project, a structured programme that brings together the concrete actions developed across its events to reduce environmental impact and promote responsible practices.
A structured approach to sustainability
Eroica Italia SSD's sustainability strategy rests on three pillars, concerning the environment, the economy and social cohesion:
Environment: reducing the ecological impact of events through the responsible use of resources, certified renewable energy, and eco-friendly materials.
Economy: supporting local communities by promoting sustainable tourism, regional products and short supply chains.
Social cohesion: fostering active community participation and ensuring that the values of each event extend well beyond race day.
This framework was formalised through the production of a Sustainability Manual (Manuale di sostenibilità di Eroica Italia SSD) - an operational guide designed not just for internal use, but as a practical resource for partners, sponsors, and stakeholders seeking to align with Eroica's values.
Circular economy in practice: vintage cycling and reuse
Eroica's circular practices begin with their event formats themselves. The Classic events are built around bicycles and clothing that are often decades old - restored, repaired, and reused rather than replaced. What began as a celebration of cycling heritage is also a model of reuse: every steel frame brought back to life, every repaired wool jersey, is a product kept out of a landfill.
This ethos carries through to event materials. Race numbers are produced using recycled fabrics such as denim and certified ecological inks, and their production each year is linked to a local charity, boosting their visibility and supporting their fundraising. Race packs, which contain organic food and wine products alongside a water bottle, are likewise made from reusable materials.
Key initiatives in the classroom and on the ground
Eroica Italia SSD runs a range of sustainability programmes, such as the Accademia Eroica, which trains students and young professionals in sustainable event management, and on-the-ground actions such as waste management, use of renewable energy, and community stewardship initiatives. Over time, the organisation has observed a change in attitude from its partners and the broader public. According to Alessandra Ortenzi, Head of Special Projects & ESG Strategy at Eroica Italia, "Five years ago, proposing sustainable materials at refreshment stops was considered a risk. Today, it is the norm."
Two initiatives in particular illustrate the depth of Eroica Italia SSD's approach. Adotta un Chilometro (Adopt a Kilometre) and the partnership between Eroca and the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE).
Adotta un Chilometro
The Adotta un Chilometro initiative is perhaps the clearest expression of how Eroica Italia SSD's events are rooted in the communities they cross. Spanning 17 municipalities across Tuscany, the programme covers the two permanent routes used by L'Eroica and Eroica Montalcino, a combined 290 km of strade bianche. Different sections are entrusted to local associations and community groups who take direct responsibility for their upkeep. Volunteers carry out regular roadside cleaning, removing waste and preserving the integrity of the route. In the days following major races, notably the men’s and women’s Strade Bianche events –part of the UCI WorldTour and UCI Women’s WorldTour respectively - Eroica Italia SSD organises plogging runs, an activity combining running waste collection.
By recognising that the people who live alongside these routes have as much of a stake in their preservation as those who ride them, Eroica Italia SSD has created a system where both cyclists and citizens take ownership of the picturesque roads that run through their local areas.
Eroica and MASE partnership
Since 2022, Eroica Italia SSD has held a partnership with MASE (Italy's Ministry of Environment and Energy Security). The relationship began when Eroica Italia SSD’s representatives participated in a session at the European Parliament in Brussels to advocate for the protection of European white gravel roads. Ministerial support followed, with the partnership since producing two significant outputs.
The first is the Sustainable Cycling Manifesto, a ten-point charter that positions every cyclist as a custodian of nature, offering practical guidance on how cyclists can reduce their environmental impact, from looking after their bikes to riding more mindfully. The second is "I Percorsi Ritrovati" (Rediscovered Routes), a mapping study officially presented at the 2025 edition of Eroica Montalcino by Italy’s Minister for the Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin. The project maps 200 new cycling routes across Italy that connect national parks, geological parks, and protected areas. These routes make use of mostly forgotten rural roads and historic paths, which are repositioned as green infrastructure capable of generating new economic opportunities for local communities.
The partnership with MASE reflects a broader context: cycle tourism is playing an increasingly significant role in Italy's economy. In 2025, Italy recorded approximately 49 million overnight stays due to cycle tourism, generating €6.4 billion for local economies. In 2026, for the third consecutive year, MASE will be present at Eroica Montalcino, with this edition coinciding with the Ministry's 40th anniversary. Activities will include 'The 40 Words of Sustainable Mobility', an editorial project defining key terms for future mobility, alongside awareness sessions with primary and middle school pupils in Montalcino.
A model built from the inside out
Long before the existence of the Sustainability Manual or the MASE partnership, Eroica Italia SSD was already working with values that are now recognised as central to responsible event management: preservation, reuse, and connection to the land. Rather than treating sustainability as a separate component, Eroica Italia SSD has embedded it into the very identity of its events - proof that tradition and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.
About the UCI Climate Action Charter
The UCI Climate Action Charter, adopted in September 2022, is cycling's collective framework for environmental responsibility. By signing the Charter, organisations commit to making progress on eight key principles, including measuring and reporting their emissions to internationally recognised standards, reducing waste, prioritising renewable energy, promoting active and low-carbon travel, and protecting biodiversity - whilst having the opportunity to engage with other stakeholders in the cycling sector on various occasions such as dedicated webinars. The Charter is open to all actors in the cycling world: teams, event organisers, National Federations, broadcasters, and suppliers.
More information on the Charter can be found here. To become a signatory, click here.
Photo Credit: Paolo Penni Martelli