Cycling The World’s Largest Bikepacking Event | A 500km Epic In Tuscany

Conor has taken on a few big events over the years, and this one he really wants to give it his all!
He’s decided to take on the Tuscany Trail, a route taking in the beautiful landscape of this region in Italy. This is certainly not a race, but a challenge for everyone involved! He has set himself a goal of completing it in two days. Can he do it?

A special thanks goes to @CampagnoloSrl @SSM1935@sellesanmarco1935 & @wahoofitness

00:00 Introduction
01:24 What is the Tuscany Trail
03:05 Building The Bike For the Adventure!
04:32 What Bike Is Conor Riding?
06:29 Day One, The Ride Begins
09:50 Refreshments & Food
11:55 @wahoofitness Roam Route Plan & Features #AD
13:15 Day One Continued!
13:55 @CampagnoloSrl Ekar GT Groupset #AD
15:09 @sellesanmarco1935 Saddle & Bags #AD
16:00 Riding Into The Sunset
19:45 Time To Get Into The Bikepacking Tent
21:00 Day Two
22:10 Where Gladiator Was Filmed!
23:06 Morning Coffee In Pienza
24:05 Day Two Continued, Riding The Roads Of Strade Bianche
26:50 Snack Time In Siena
27:50 Time To Get Moving!
29:25 Certainly Not Roads Perfect For Riding!
29:45 Lets Descend!
30:21 More Food For Conor!
31:20 Where Is Conor? Will He Do It?
33:17 On The Road Again
34:08 The Final Push
35:38 Robbie Williams Joins Conor
36:04 The Final Push Continued!
37:50 He Completed It!
38:17 Conor Describes The Amazing Feeling Of Completing The Tuscany Trail

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🎵 Music – licensed by Epidemic Sound 🎵
‘Til All That’s Left Is Ash – Ludlow
A Moment of Truth – DEX 1200
Alteration – Karoliina Gabel
As Light Unfolds – Megan Wofford
Atlas 17 – Ooyy
Bright Afternoon – Frank Jonsson
Calm Inner Thoughts – Victor Lundberg
Diametrical – Aerian
Dive! – Laura Platt
Dont Give Up on Love – Ludlow
Eine Kleine Nachtmusic – Traditional
Floating in a Butterfly – Banaras Baba & Kolkata Kid
Full Service – Damma Beatz
Gladiators – Experia
Granny’s Basement – Stationary Sign
Labyrinth – Lennon Hutton
Last Snow – Hampus Naeselius
My One and Only – J.F. Gloss
On the Inside – Sun Chime
Orchestral Rise – Rannar Sillard
Oro – Hanna Ekstrom
Rapid Rise – Rannar Sillard
Reni – Valante
Ride It Out. – Ludlow
Rise And Stop – Rannar Sillard
Rise From Suction – Rannar Sillard
Secret Medicine – Sugoi
Storyblox – DEX 1200
The End, Again – Par Hagstrom
The Road Less Travelled – Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen
This Weather in Me (Instrumental Version) – Ludlow
VOLTAGE – BLUE STEEL

#gcn #cycling #roadcycling #roadbike #bike #bikes #bikelife #tuscany

📸 Photos – © Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & © Sirotti Images

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[Applause] [Music] Tuscany is home to the world’s biggest bike packing event 475 km over 6 and 12,000 M of climbing 4,700 people not a race but a challenge a shared adventure and a two wheel journey through one of the most beautiful areas imaginable and I’m about to take it on thanks to Wahoo campanola and S San Marco I’m here in Italy for a big old Adventure in cycling Heaven once more it’s time to try and find my limits on a bicycle see what [Music] happens is pretty unreal it’s just a mad landscape then suddenly in this big historic City it’s full of people woo total freedom So What by riding is all about I’m I’m straight into type 2 fun territory now then it’s hot and [Music] long just me the bike and the [Music] [Applause] [Music] road tasan Trail is the biggest bike packing event in the world I I am Andrea I am the founder of the task Trail and now I am the organizer of the event task Trail was born in 2013 the idea was create the best route of ever if you want discover the best part of tasan with your bike just under 5,000 people take part it’s a 475 kmet route with just under 6,000 meters of elevation gain in one of the most beautiful areas you could possibly imagine to ride a bike Tas is incredible you can find the hill the mountain the sea magical landscape uh the gravel road Str bian Old Town task is wonderful when task tail was born there was only in the world to divide Island Trail and Tas Trail and I’m about to take it on I’ve decided to try and do it in 2 days if I can that’s like my kind of personal challenge because I think for me I want to soak up this route and get the most out of it but I also want to try and push myself a bit and see what I can do for me I’ve been wanting to do this for a long long time so to be here and take it on this is going to be pretty cool [Music] with so many people taking part the started spread out over 2 days you decide when you want to set off I’d set my own Grand apart for 8:00 a.m. Saturday morning but first time to build my bike [Music] [Music] yeah for me this is just bucket list bucket list bike packing so I cannot wait to get started it’s probably the best place in the world to ride a bike or at least one of them youve got everything like amazing gravel rows incredible views incredible food nice weather hopefully it’s just like that R authentic Italian cycling experience so I’m here to soak all that up but I also want to use it as a as a bit of a personal challenge see what I can do with that self-supported aspect thrown in over over multiple days of riding see what I can manage the course in enjoy it at the same time but yeah get that challenge too it’s going to be a test of bike and body I do think I’ve managed to get pretty much the perfect bike for the job and this is the bike I’m going to be using I’ve got to say a big thanks to campano C San Marco and woo for helping me build it up and also to make this ride happen so I’ve managed to build up my Grizzle with campo’s Echo GT group set so this is more Adventure orientated of campo’s two gravel group sets it’s also relatively more affordable 13-speed mechanical pretty bombproof and it’s allowed me to run a really easy gear which I’m going to appreciate because once I’ve filled these bags up I’m going to be heavier than usual and those steep climbs aren’t going to get any easier so I’m definitely appreciating this once we get 200k into this route and I’m starting to get tired I’ve gone for Woo’s Rome head unit up front probably most important bit of Kit actually on a ride like this which is self-supported so got all my roots pre-downloaded on here ready to follow to make sure I don’t get lost and I’ve got up to 17 hours of battery life too so shouldn’t have to worry about recharging all that often there’s a few new smart features actually as well on this which I’m going to talk you through later but it’s going to make my life quite a lot easier Cel s Marco also sent me their Regal saddle for this one now this has been redesigned with comfort in mind gravel rides long days in the saddle bike packing trips I’m also using San Marco’s bags to pack everything and take everything with me I’m trying my best to go as minimalistic as possible which is quite hard for me to do I’m not that good at it but less is more especially around here cuz the more I take the more I’m carrying up these climbs but yeah I’m I’m pretty proud of this bike I’ve got everything I need to give this route my best possible effort it’s going to be a challenge but it’s going to be pretty this is going to be a fun one this is going to be pretty cool Mite Packers Paradise what more could you wish for [Music] right the open road beckons 475k just under 6,000 M elevation [Music] game looking forward to this [Applause] [Music] [Applause] one hey [Music] [Applause] hey I’m off then I’ve set off feels good to get going after all the preparation and to feel the movement the route is ahead of me it’s pretty much up to me where I decide to sleep tonight bike’s feeling good considering I’ve got a t sleeping bag and mat in there I’m quite happy with that lightest I’ve ever managed to get my bike package setup so I’m feeling agile by a giant standard and I’m excited The Stoke levels are high we’re [Music] off just been absolutely stunning really enjoying it there’s no wind you can hear the birds sun’s out this is about as good to rideing the bike [Music] [Music] gets this is like one of the bits I’ve been looking forward to the most from today kind spotted on the map it’s this little Peninsula and the trail really just hugs the Coastland whole way around to the Sea right on your right hand side and a beautiful gravel to ride down it’s absolutely stuned I keep thinking I want to stop for lunch cuz I want my The View but I did that honestly I’d be here for the rest of the year every G on a stop somewhere and look I’m going to enjoy this bit [Music] [Music] you [Music] oh there’s a lot of load branes here [Music] how far are we in 90k yeah about 90k beening pretty good actually was about 4 and 1 half hours a ride in so been a solid [Music] morning um so you going to you want a Pini as well no yeah I’m pretty hungry thanks I can’t afford to stop too long I think they’re now there I’ll just be sitting here eating sandwiches for the rest of the [Music] day that was a good lunch stop kind of feel a bit stiffer though leaving than when I stopped oh belly is full that was the best sandwich I’ve ever had in my life ready to get rolling I did set up some custom alerts on here say eat and drink definitely ate and drank now though Trail beckons back to hit the road it’s about 90k in and I was aiming for about 250k today so long way still to go but if that 90k or that 90k was anything like that one in for another treat right then time to hit the road see in a bit y [Music] [Music] so the head Museum which wo have sent me there Rome has been super useful for following all the routes making sure I stay on track but it’s also had few handy features which would made my life easier so the film crew will follow me and creating this video I using a tracking link that I’ve sent them from my room from the head unit they’re able to keep tabs on where I am no where to get to on the route in order to meet me hey Conor we’ve just noticed that you’ve just joined the road called sp58 it’s quite cool quite scenic but uh yeah we think we are still ahead of you judging by your your live location that we can see moving so yeah hopefully see you shortly there’s also a really handy little feature which we who have been developing they’re going to release it very soon it’s connectivity with GoPro so with an action camera which made my life really easy because it’s quite hard to film on the go especially when you’re trying to push push on so I’ve set up I’ve affectionally called flipflop cam right to the back of my bike on my back it’s quite hard to reach I can literally connect to the GoPro from the head unit start recording stop recording and make the GoPro go to sleep to save [Music] battery not sure you can see the size of those cow’s horns they’re absolutely massive big than my arm a really cool part of the route this is all kind of private land they’ve only opened it for the tuskin trail so one day a year you get to ride through it on some kind of like virging gravel roads so sorry if you’re watching don’t don’t come this way if you’re ever in [Music] Tuscany now is a good time to kind of talk you through a bit more about the bike aming on this route because it’s been serving me well so far I’m about 130k in So the group set that I’ve built my Canon up with is eeka GT campon more Adventure orientated gravel group set I picked the easiest gear possible which I was a little bit hesitant about I was like maybe I’ve gone too easy but not gone too easy because the climes here are absolutely ridiculous so I’ve got 36 on the front 10 48 on the back and it’s allowed me to Pedal up some of these steeper climbs whereas to be honest with the bike loaded up I probably been walking up them but I’ve still got the range to kind of spin away on the flatter faster sections about 45 50k hour and still be in a natural Cadence so definitely appreciated that Alloy rims so super robust that’s been another good thing because some of the single track sections they’re they’re pretty tough going I absolutely slammed into a hole earlier on in the day and I was just kind of figuring out where to go and uh no bother I was expecting a bit of a blowout or even a rim strike but all good ciao CIA been saying Chia a lot today I think I’ve been saying Chia to people who aren even a t I love it everyone’s so friendly though the Regal saddle Mion as well from C San Marco is designed with comfort in mind so this is a saddle that I actually used about six or seven years ago it’s been around for about 40 years and the current model has been reinvented with comfort in mind so s Marcus said have designed it around this bow system design with the rails which fit right at the back of the shell of sandle and allow the shell to kind of flex and absorb more of the vibrations of the roads it’s kind of like a bit of a added suspension to the bike which has been definitely helping me along as you can see they call it white gravel roads but some parts it’s more like white rock roads I also like how it’s kind of kept it’s like traditional look still which kind of completes the bike in my opinion with the bags as well the dust on top it’s like this is my kind of bike my dream bike my dream route oh that loud it’s getting louder right I better not sit around for too long cuz that thunderer’s coming in I do not want to get caught in it oh you can’t sit down for too long I’m joking about this thunder I I really don’t want it to hit me especially see as I’m the tallest Rider on this route time to hit the road again yeaha [Music] [Applause] woo total freedom that’s what bike riding is all about just me the bike and the road it’s like the Cy thing I fell in love with when I was a [Music] kid oh starting to get tired now been plugging away the last little while kind of had the trails to myself actually I think a lot of people have called it a day and I starting to to look for a place for the night I’ve got a number in my head that I want to reach I want to get to spend the night there set up camp give myself a fighting chance tomorrow so I’m plugging on just going at my own [Music] Rhythm that is pretty unreal it’s just a mad landscape you don’t get the really really big mountains you might you like the Alps or the Pyrenees you kind of get these Hills everywhere with these towns on top so but instead you get this like Panorama all the time just absolutely jawdropping you can you Can See For Miles everywhere it’s hard to get off the bike really when it’s like this just want to keep on going oh [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] there we go sunset on day one getting absolute spectacular the colors are just incredible tell me you’re in Tusk without tell me you’re in Tusk what a day I’m getting to the end of my day now so at the top of this one I’m looking for a place to eat big feed gelato feel the stomach I’m going to roll on a little longer and uh find somewhere to to build my tent camp for the [Music] night right pulled over for the night Road 45 minutes more in the end I’ve got to the outskirts of Pienza found a nice little quiet bit off the trail set my tent up get a bit of a night [Music] sleep oh good to be lying down 220k done it was about just over 13 hours on the bike today so pretty good going but tomorrow even longer so I think need to do 250 over 250 tomorrow with 1,000 M more climbing so I’m happy about today but if I’m going to do it in the two days I said I would tomorrow’s going to be an even more epic day let’s see what the morning brings see you then [Music] [Music] oh right time to get back on the road Morning Has [Music] Broken right then all packed up ready to go 7:00 in the morning which for me to get all packed up and to be hitting the road on my bike is is pretty good going actually a bit of a faffer a breakfast with a couple of quasons few bananas haven’t had any coffee so that’s kind of first things first I need to find that on the route but I’m quite excited to get going again I’m not looking forward to put my helmet on cuz I left it out and it’s absolutely just been covered in duw so I’m going to have a really wet soggy helmet to put on I can feel the sun already marvelous absolutely marvelous [Music] so I’m just climbing up getting going to Pienza now for those Gladiator fans amongst you this is literally the spot where they film Gladiator when your man returns home there’s the big monologue I thought it’d be kind of rude to not come here and give it give it my own go so um here’s my attempt I think Hank’s done this so it’s kind of a gcn tradition I am Conan of the bike packing division of gcn father of Jesse and Bonnie husband to Stacy and I will finish this tusky Trail whether it be today tomorrow or next week don’t know where the pirate bit came from at the end there sound a bit piratey didn’t it there you go [Music] Gladiator for two double espressos wait to start warning [Music] [Music] Jo Jo Jo CH Hey Jo [Applause] Joe Jo [Music] it’s going to be hot today you can feel it feel it coming no storm chasing today no storm chasing today for sure so I’m carrying my two jackets around for nothing but I’m quite glad of it heat actually it’s quite nice don’t think be too bad [Applause] [Music] I can see Sienna just in the distance the mistakable tower from the cathedral my straan finishes Pro Race that uses these roads I’m on now this really is like proper proper Stato territory those real white roads you may have seen the pros racing on I’m doing my best to race myself today heading there that’s going to be a big M then for me as you can see it’s at the top of a massive climb we got to get up that first think I’ll have a little snack and then push on try not stop too much but just get panoramas everywhere here up these steep climbs and just these views it’s just like open up it’s is absolutely [Music] mad getting a bit of a cool down not the way I envisaged it nice heavy feet for the climb up to campus oh a it’s nice [Music] though wow [Music] some spot quite contrast after to been out some pretty remote areas actually today it’s really quiet and then suddenly in this big historic City it’s full of [Music] people oh this place looks good look at that oh now we’re talking now [Music] we’re Bell’s full bottles are full we’re ready to roll so I’m crossing P Del Campo have to walk this bit and then descending down continuing with the route it’s back to the trail I’m actually I’m feeling good which never normally happens in there in these videos so I don’t know if I’m getting cocky but I’m thinking it’s 12:00 now just over 170k still to go could I make it back to the finish and get a swim in the sea for Sunset that’s like my little nugget that I’m going to try work towards to see if I can do it James PA [Music] now stumbling around the P of Campo smelly Giant [Music] I’m I’m straight into type 2 fun territory now then it’s hot and long over well not in this I’ve been going for 8 hours since I left camp this morning it’s just starting to take its toll but half three now just coming up to under 120k to go so I really want to try and push on now see if I can make that Sunset swim think it might be a tough ask yeah the challenge is starting to bite now definitely starting to bite [Music] [Music] nothing like a bit of hiker bike that was tough actually legs were on the old shake the top thank goodness that one’s over and what goes up m come down I think this one might be a good in wo oh time out I love you hungry oh my gosh yeah I’m starving I have B I have three dinners I was doing well I had a bad patch and then I pulled myself around and I really kind of dug in 164k in the bank 11 hours riding on and off since this morning so pretty solid I haven’t worked out how far there is to go yet but I’m doing myself up for it first I just I just want to absolutely smash as much food in this restaurant as possible I mean they’re going to have an absolute field [Music] day we find our right I’m just going to figure out where on Earth I actually am CU I remember this town name from before I came here as as you can see I feel a bit delirious right now this is the face of a man is bitten off more than he can chew he’s too stubborn to bow out oh I’m an idiot right I’m in a tow called leg legal now is not the time to have perfect Italian pronunciations 385k in it’s like 90 90k still to go oh that’s a long long way there’s also a massive massive climb the one I remember looking at think has the biggest climb of the whole route straight after dinner how much climbing have you done so far I don’t know a lot a lot of climbing I mean this one we’re at 130 M elevation roughly unless I’m on the climb hold on unless I’m on is that no I’m not on the climb no crazy no it’s the next climb yeah big old climb still to go and what I remember looking at thinking they’re really rough roads big then bike riding a I don’t even feel like I’m with my own body absolutely do not feel that in my [Music] body Don’t Give Up all In sickness or health for richer for [Music] poor I me every word that I told told you [Music] before Oh I’m asking now don’t give up oh don’t give up don’t give up [Music] don’t the final push Begins the last bit of walking Sun’s setting behind me it’s been magic although I’ve been up the steepest climb ever slightly thankful that a lot of it’s been tarmac until this point so that helps me out a bit now I just need to make my way to the very top woo I know saigh is probably the king of these sort of efforts and I’ve seen him listening to his music when the going gets tough he’s been messaging me all day like a good mate to remind me to keep on it keep drinking so I thought a channel my NSI sent me through his motivational playlist that he uses so I’ve decided to whack it on which is actually a really cool feature on my head you know on the old Rome I can I can skip the tracks from right in front of me so let’s uh let’s go to the first one see what happens S I can’t listen to James Blunt now what’s right let’s go next next James Blunt as well James Blunt too another one of James Blunt it’s all James Blunt changing the playlist all right what we got I know what I’m feeling like here we go there we go a bit of Robbie so Wings unfold lying in my bed running through my head and I feel the love is dead and through it oh she offers me protection a lot of love and affection where to come I don’t know the worst of spit Robbie was good but too much of was a bit much bit more Sunset [Music] Vibes I’m off the mountain back on the road you can see the sea said a while to go night’s coming one last little push I enjoy this ride back [Music] yep so we got 48k to go but only 220 M of climbing left so pretty much is the last little little pimple on the profile I think all I need to do now is bring it home bring it home in the dark gas on H [Music] so another long [Music] fire 16 and 1/2 hours I’ve been going for oh jeus right let’s not get lost right at the [Music] end oh my gosh You’ done it you done it a well done oh my gosh that was a long bik Christ and so at midnight 42 hours after setting off I rolled into the Finish just a little late for my Sunset swim I’d spent 23 hours of that riding my bike every second of which could arguably have been a highlight sometimes we ride our bikes to go far and test our limits more than before but sometimes the ride is purely about where we go and what we see along the way and sometimes it’s both I think for me this ride the Tuscany Trail was exactly that any challenge we set ourselves is hard at some point but when you do it all again instantly it becomes less about the Finish but just the ride itself thanks for watching everyone that was an absolute [Music] dream right find I guess find more pizza oh flipping EG I can barely walk oh man