Giro-E Enel 2025 – Stage 6 Monteroni d’Arbia – Siena

Today someone will bite the dust, but where better to do it? Today Giro-E Enel embarks on one of the most beautiful stages of 2025: Monteroni d’Arbia to Siena. Just 44 kilometres but immersed in poetic white roads, a wealth of beauty and tradition, this stage features the excitement of when was all about the feat.

The first week of Giro-E Enel will come to a close cycling along the gravel roads of Siena. It’s no surprise that this stage sold out immediately, in part thanks to the spectacular finish in Piazza del Campo in Siena, which is also the finish of the Strade Bianche.

Monteroni d’Arbia is a village nestled in the magnificent scenery of the Crete Senesi, an area known for its beautiful landscapes made up of rolling hills dotted with oak and cypress trees. Surrounded by two UNESCO heritage sites, Val d’Orcia and Siena, it is one of the most striking stretches of the Via Francigena. The town’s historical landmarks include the Grancia di Cuna, an example of a medieval fortified farm, the Church of St James and St Christopher, a small church dating back to 1314, and the Tabaccaia, a unique industrial monument whose strange, geometric charm cannot be missed.

The village hosts many unmissable events, like Sagra del Fritto in May that attracts crowds of people from all of the surrounding areas, Fiera a Tressa that puts the best of the region on display, Ponte in Festa with its traditional homemade pici, the celebration of St Justus and St Donato, and Gora Fest, a cultural event organised in the remarkable backdrop of Parco della Gora.

Monteroni d’Arbia has always been mindful of sustainable mobility, investing in cycle paths, such as the path that links the industrial area to the medieval town of Lucignano d’Arbia, but also in the “Terre del benesserre” project, which includes new signage, routes, services and the advancement of an area dedicated to slow travel experiences in open territory. Tasting the traditional, simple cooking of Tuscan ‘cucina povera’ is now a real luxury.

The Monteroni d’Arbia-Siena stage

900m of elevation gain make for an enjoyable day, especially in the saddle of a pedal assisted bike. The gravel roads of the Strade Bianche, which are only found in this part of Italy so suited to cycling, add extra excitement to this stage. The participants of Giro-E Enel had the chance to ride alongside the icon that is Sonny Colbrelli, whose exploits at Paris-Roubaix in 2021 entered him into the history books. We wonder if he gave them any tips on riding along dirt roads and cobblestones? Despite the short length of today’s stage, it will prove to be a day full of emotions that will be imprinted on cycling memories forever.

Some will have certainly decided to delay their start after being seduced by Siena and its extraordinary artistic and cultural heritage. Piazza del Campo, famous for its shell shape, Palazzo Pubblico, the majestic Torre del Mangia are compulsory stops for even seasoned visitors to the area. It’s also nice to just wander aimlessly around the village and stumble upon its treasures hidden around every corner. If you really want to discover the authentic heart of the city, it’s essential to visit at least one of the 17 museums scattered across the Terzi di Citta, San Martino and Camollia. Time is on our side as tomorrow calls for a rest day before it’s back to the bike on Wednesday.

Personality of the day – Marco Canola

Always smiling and there for his guests, Marco Canola is taking part in his second year of Giro-E Enel as captain of the Virgin Active team. A distance rider and a climber, he rode professionally for 11 seasons, managing to rack up ten victories, the most important of which came in the Rivarolo Canavese stage of the 2014 Giro d’Italia. He competed in three editions of Giro d’Italia and wore the National jersey as a pro on two occasions.

“The great thing about Giro-E for me is that you form friendships with other participants that last long after the event,” says Marco. “I was forced to retire from professional cycling in 2022. I used to race for the Russian team Gazprom and because of the war in Ukraine, I had to end my career early. I still want to cycle because for me, being on the bike is fun, it’s not just a job. I can’t wait for Giro-E and to be able to cycle for three weeks straight.”

ANCI talks at Giro-E: a focus on slow tourism, young people, and post-earthquake rebuilding in Camerino

On Saturday 17 May the third ANCI Stakeholder Forum took place in Camerino, dedicated to the theme “Slow tourism in the revitalisation strategy of the central Apennines”. The initiative, which like the other ANCI Stakeholder Forums, was held as part of the programme of activities financed by the National Fund for Youth Policies. The special Commissioner for the 2016 post-earthquake reconstruction, Guido Castelli, also participated in the event, reiterating the importance of ‘restanza’ as a lever for repopulating areas of seismic activity.

At the centre of the debate was the promotion of inland areas through cycling and slow tourism, outdoor activities, and spiritual paths; the relaunch of the local economy through cycle tourism and environmental regeneration projects; the role of the university and the local community as a hub for keeping young people and university students in the area through free sporting and non-sporting activities, including for young people with disabilities, and to enable new forms of entrepreneurship and investment linked to the region.

With its active involvement in Giro-E and Giro d’Italia, ANCI is reiterating its commitment to promoting sustainable mobility, sports culture, youth participation in public policy-making, local development and the growth of local communities.

The next Stakeholder Forum is scheduled for Thursday 22 May at 13:00 CEST in Reggio Emilia.

For more details and to sign up for the Stakeholder Forums, click here.

Stage 7 on Wednesday is Capannori-Pisa.

You can find the Giro-E standings here.