The tour opens with a briefing at the Hotel Admiral Park outside Bologna, then a 10:00 start on 16 September 2026. Day one is the classic climb up to the Santuario della Madonna di San Luca, past the arcades of the Portico di San Luca, then rolling hills and quiet roads down to the plains and across to Forlì. Day two follows the Adriatic through seaside towns to Rimini, then turns inland and climbs to San Marino, finishing above 600 m.

Day three is the climbers' day: down from San Marino, along the Marecchia river into the Apennines, up to the Passo di Viamaggio, a 10 km descent, then a final long climb into Arezzo. Day four runs from Arezzo along the Arno through vineyards and olive groves, through Strada in Chianti, and into Florence past the Ponte Vecchio. Day five heads back over the Apennines via Prato, through small villages and forest, down into the Setta Valley and up the last climb to Bologna.

There are two tracks each day. Track 1 is shorter and less demanding, on paved roads with occasional short gravel sections that are fine on a road bike. Track 2 is longer with more climbing, and is recommended for road bikes. You choose your team based on which track and average speed suits you — for example Team Chianti Classico runs Track 2 at around 24 km/h, Team Dolce Vita runs Track 1 at around 23 km/h.

Teams are capped at ten riders for legal reasons, and each has a teamleader. If none of the listed teams fits, you can set up your own and define the track, average speed and team name by writing to support@gbi-event.org. The route is still being finalised; the organisers say the given routes, locations and distances may change, and final tracks will be available about six weeks before the start.

The tour is run by the Global Biking Initiative, which has been combining cycling events with fundraising for around twenty years. Participants are encouraged to raise money for the charity nominated for their country of residence, with a minimum donation of 50 Euro for this tour. A personal GBI Country Champion explains how that works for your country.

What's included

- Five nights' accommodation in four-star hotels along the route - Daily team-led riding with an experienced teamleader (maximum ten riders per team) - Two route options each day (Track 1 and Track 2) - Luggage transfer between hotels - Optional bicycle and luggage transport from the GBI warehouse in Kaarst to Bologna and back - Tour briefing before the start - Final breakfast together in Bologna

What's not included

- Travel to and from Bologna - Optional pre-night at Hotel Admiral Park and the optional pre-night dinner - Meals and drinks not stated as included - Bicycle hire - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Minimum charity donation of 50 Euro