Grades from Nova Eroica

As usual an event with lots of beautiful people, Enough grades required. And here we are, despite the busy moment.

Let’s jump right in with some premises that no one needed. Nova Eroica took place in Buonconvento, on the Tuscany white gravel road – the very same of the Strade Bianche indeed. It goes without saying it’s almost impossible to organize a bad event over there. As a matter of fact it was good, we had fun at the village and race quite hard too.

Here the grades from the field. 

NATHAN HAAS – You see a professional invited to a gravel event by a sponsor and first thing you think is: here we are again, another guy forced to be here, riding just cause he has to, punching his ticket and leaving the event asap. Well, not this time. Nathan – on his bike from Friday evening to Sunday morning – records podcasts, flies when he has to, is always in the mix and in the transfer sections is the one asking Fede for some more music. What a style, what a heart. HE HAAS GOT THE MOVE! GRADE: 10!

MATTIA DE MARCHI – He arrives late at the village on Friday night due to a delayed fly Noale – Buonconvento. The airplane is a brand new 3T Exploro Race Max Made in Italy edition jealousy carried. As every other respectable pilot he takes pictures with the fans, takes the airplane to destination (he wins the race, ndr), eyes up a pair of hostess at the village and moves to the next destination. There was a Granfondo Pinarello to race the day after… THANKS FOR FLYING WITH US. GRADE: 10

JACOPO LAHBI – He marked Nova Eroica on his calendar as his main event of the season. Sure enough – being the athlete he is – he arrives at the event in his peak conditions. Friday night persuades the DJ to play late night after the guy was trying to shutdown around 10pm. Saturday night he’s pitching about a new event format who invented (you’ll hear more about it very soon…). On top of this he manages to find enough time to pedal, with his usual calm and a good eye for the fauna roaming around the white roads. Entrepreneur, cyclist, talent scout. DONALD CRAMP. GRADE: 9

WISH CYCLING – Guys, what a surprise! Right from the jump there is a great feeling with the French team. The guys are crazy fast and, more important, they are cool kids! Among all the achievements of the weekend they won the Italian Gravel Championships: a competition invented on the spot by who knows who and who knows why? Breaking news: competition that just like gravel doesn’t exist. Nonetheless guys: we are up for the French Gravel Championships…there is a Gioconda to bring back home. We catch up whenever you want to: we fell in love – of some more than others, but we fell in love. WISH YOU WERE HERE. GRADE: 10

FEDE DAMIANI – Always the same, but worse. As always he has to manage the young Lahbi and he’s ready for it. He arrives at the starting grid with his JBL speaker as loud as possible. Out of context for Nova Eroica? Maybe. But when by accident the music stopped for a second the first group of riders got pissed and asked suddenly for more. Meanwhile he finds the right conditions to fall as a dummy choosing the next song. THE CELING CAN’T HOLD US. GRADE: 8

FILIPPO BORGARELLI – Home game for Filippo and ready to race in the right moments. To say it as the worst granfondo cyclist would do: he arrives 3rd of his category too. But he is the real deal driving from Florence and back just to not missing the night party and the day after. WHAT A HEART. GRADE: 9 

FEDE BASSIS – A man destroyed by the just finished 20k Ultratrail. In his eyes you can still read the fear for those portage climbs and the anxiety for the enduro descents. He gets a bag stolen, forgets the race number at the apartment, almost gets in a fight after the race. We are waiting for him at the clinic for some rehab…we put him on sick leave. OBAMACARE CYCLING. GRADE: 10

ALBA OPTICS – How would it be without the boyz! What you can easily see is an all black stand and a sinuous white desk with the entire collection on top of it. But don’t stop there. Under the surface you can also see that half of the right people in Buonconvento are brought there by the amazing Alba Optics crew. TALENT SCOUT. GRADE: 9

CAMPAGNOLO – They arrived with Nathan Haas and why not? During the weekend they won the Tour de France too. LES C(H)AMPAGNOLO ELISEE. GRADE: 9

LUCA DI MAGGIO – Who are we to give a grade to Luca di Maggio? Sportful jersey, custom bike and shoes, loads of style and the usual long eye, looking for feminine presence in the village from under the mirror lenses of his Alba. You can’t see those eyes, but those eyes can see you. MULTITASKING. GRADE: 10

IL CITTI – What should we say? Nothing. Nothing at all. He got introduced to us as “PG’s cousin from Buonconvento”. Truth is that Citti is way more than this: Pro Loco overseer, local councillor, alcohol supplier. You name it! We are still astonished by his entrance in the scene Saturday night around 11pm which we will here described as happened. Us seated at the Brooks stand, Citti arrives on a Vespa Special – Pieraccioni in Il Ciclione style – and threw us a plastic bottle. It was limoncello. We can’t say nothing more than: HERO, MVP, YOU NAME IT. GRADE: 10

VIRGINIA CANCELLIERI – The only one who keeps the party alive Friday night, sleep in a RV, the day after she wins a couple of segments too. Where can we sign to get married? TILL DEATH DO US APART. GRADE 10

KOMOOT – Without their coffee before the start we would still be laying on the grass in Buonconvento. The ones with trucks and big stuff at events should reach out to Girla. A smile, 10 chairs and a coffee machine are more than enough! 

2BROS – They draw jerseys, wallpapers, medals and the aluminum box we get at the start, they make videos and then they also pedal as f*ck! ‘cause they’re not slow at all! If you need to paint your house or move some boxes, let them know. They can do everything apparently. UNCLE SAM KINDA MOOD. VOTO 10

BROOKS – Bringing an Airstream as a stand is a stylish touch and a great idea. Unlackly (or luckly) for them they found on their path Enough that makes their stand as base. The result is the crowded stand of Nova Eroica, maybe with some avoidable embarrassing moments. But shit happens and everything is fixable with a collective drink where the participants will be among the first ones to receive the pitch OF the event we talked about earlier. Apparently Brooks agrees to be the main sponsor with a high level budget on the plate. BUSINESS ANGELS. GRADE: 10

ALVENTO – Just to start, they came to Nova Eroica by bike. They offer beers to everybody together with Brooks. Should we go on for the max grade or it’s enough? Let’s go on. Quality (the guys pedalling) and quantity (Davide): always there, always on point. MORE THAN A MAG. GRADE 10 CUM LAUDE