Florence: World Cycling Race Championship

[palermo22]

A major world championship road bike race terminates on September 29 in Florence - the day our ship ports in Livorno. According to what I have read this is a huge race attracting thousands of people - plus (as I understand) major streets will be closed. I have no idea if this will affect various tours of Florence - but it seems likely that it will. I have asked RomeInLimo (who we are touring with) if they have received any information and they said they only know the race will be happening (they don't know if we will be affected). I called Princess and they stated they have not received notification from their tour operator that the tours will be canceled. However, I asked this question on Trip Advisor and one response I received from a so-called Tuscany expert stated that "many people are canceling their tours". I would appreciate any feedback you can give me (particularly if you can ask your tour operator whether they have received information that this race could affect our tours).

[buggins0402]

A major world championship road bike race terminates on September 29 in Florence - the day our ship ports in Livorno. According to what I have read this is a huge race attracting thousands of people - plus (as I understand) major streets will be closed. I have no idea if this will affect various tours of Florence - but it seems likely that it will. I have asked RomeInLimo (who we are touring with) if they have received any information and they said they only know the race will be happening (they don't know if we will be affected). I called Princess and they stated they have not received notification from their tour operator that the tours will be canceled. However, I asked this question on Trip Advisor and one response I received from a so-called Tuscany expert stated that "many people are canceling their tours". I would appreciate any feedback you can give me (particularly if you can ask your tour operator whether they have received information that this race could affect our tours).

 

I did a search of the bike news websites trying to find the route. Nothing came up - but you might want to keep searching. (I love to watch pro-cycling and follow the sport, even though I'm a runner not a biker). Usually last day of these type events is a loop course race when it's within a city - which could make traffic a mess. Also, trains from Livorno could be a bit more crowded with race-watchers.

 

What are your plans this day - is it a Princess tour? It might be a case that there is just a loop course that impacts just a part of the tourist sites that you will be able to work around once you get there.

 

Note: anyone going to France in July should check the LeTour website. It will let you know where the Tour will be and when.

[palermo22]

I did a search of the bike news websites trying to find the route. Nothing came up - but you might want to keep searching. (I love to watch pro-cycling and follow the sport, even though I'm a runner not a biker). Usually last day of these type events is a loop course race when it's within a city - which could make traffic a mess. Also, trains from Livorno could be a bit more crowded with race-watchers.

 

What are your plans this day - is it a Princess tour? It might be a case that there is just a loop course that impacts just a part of the tourist sites that you will be able to work around once you get there.

 

Note: anyone going to France in July should check the LeTour website. It will let you know where the Tour will be and when.

 

Perhaps because of security concerns very little information is available on the actual routes.

 

This is not a Princess tour - we are booked with RomeInLimo. It's the typical "see as much as you can in 9 hours".

[buggins0402]

Found it - here's the 29th route. Looks like it goes from Lucca to Florence, ending in 10 loops. It would be like the final day of the TDF which ends in Paris with a number of loops on the Champs de Elysees.

 

http://www.toscana2013.it/gara-in-linea29092013/?lang=en

 

Here's the loop, I think?!? http://www.toscana2013.it/circuito-iridato/?lang=en

 

Perhaps someone who knows Florence well could look at the map and give you an idea of how badly you'll be impacted.

 

For others coming into the area during the Sept 22-29 time period, and want to know what areas will be impacted - here's the schedule, you can click each day for the route.

 

http://www.toscana2013.it/programma/?lang=en

[pinkpanther52]

Hi Ok a) I amnew to this and b) I am posting from my Kindle So not sure how to or if you are allowed to post a link BUT if you google "Cycling News UCI World Road Race Championship 2013" you should get a site thats says "Route Revieled" which gives detailed route info. BTW MEGA envy I would be off to see the race it should be Fab. :)

[buggins0402]

Hi Ok a) I amnew to this and b) I am posting from my Kindle So not sure how to or if you are allowed to post a link BUT if you google "Cycling News UCI World Road Race Championship 2013" you should get a site thats says "Route Revieled" which gives detailed route info. BTW MEGA envy I would be off to see the race it should be Fab. :)

 

LOL! I'd love to see it too - but, I think this is going to mess up many cruisers plans to see Florence. It looks like every day Sept 22 - 29 ends in Florence. 29th seems to be the worst with the loop course.

[-Lew-]

 

A major world championship road bike race terminates on September 29 in Florence - the day our ship ports in Livorno.

You started a thread on this very subject on August 2nd. Why start another one?

 

Lew

[pinkpanther52]

Ok not sure hoe to pot quotes either :( But i can understand if you are not interseted it coud scupper your trip plans!! BTW slightly off topic but just watching the Vueleta and it has got majorly cold at least in Spain althought here in Edinburgh too. So keep a check the on weather as it is unseasonably chilly.

[palermo22]

You started a thread on this very subject on August 2nd. Why start another one?

 

Lew

 

Yes I did. But it was buried so I started another one. I would think you have more important things to worry about than to call my attention to this.

[-Lew-]

 

Yes I did. But it was buried so I started another one. I would think you have more important things to worry about than to call my attention to this.

I do have more important things to worry about; however, reposting the same question simply because the original is buried is contrary to Community Guidelines.

 

Lew

[buggins0402]

Palermo - have you considered booking another excursion? Personally, I think you are right - the 29th has the makings of a real mess in Florence and would want to be assured that Rome in Limo has a real plan for coping with it. If I were DIYing, I'd find somewhere else to go from Livorno- too much could go wrong.

 

Even the other days will have disruptions by the Duomo, particularly the individual time trial days (streets would be closed off longer). But, the 29th is by far the worst.

[palermo22]

Palermo - have you considered booking another excursion? Personally, I think you are right - the 29th has the makings of a real mess in Florence and would want to be assured that Rome in Limo has a real plan for coping with it. If I were DIYing, I'd find somewhere else to go from Livorno- too much could go wrong.

 

Even the other days will have disruptions by the Duomo, particularly the individual time trial days (streets would be closed off longer). But, the 29th is by far the worst.

 

You bring up some good points. We are suppose to meet our driver at 8 AM - the first thing I will do is question his itinerary and see if he is knowledgeable enough to know which streets will be closed and how he intends to get around them. You're right that there is a potential for a lot of things going bad. I have there previously, my wife and the six others we are traveling with have not - so since I made up our itinerary - and they all want to see Florence. I'll try to work it out.

[euro cruiser]

According to the map in the link, the final loop is between Fiesole and Florence, and the Florence end is northeast of the railroad tracks, about two miles from the historic center where you'd be. The closest point that most tourists would be interested in would be the Accademia (David statue), which is about a mile and a half from the closest point of the race.

[buggins0402]

According to the map in the link, the final loop is between Fiesole and Florence, and the Florence end is northeast of the railroad tracks, about two miles from the historic center where you'd be. The closest point that most tourists would be interested in would be the Accademia (David statue), which is about a mile and a half from the closest point of the race.

 

That's really good news for the 29th - I was hoping someone with good knowledge of the city could make heads or tails out of that loop.

 

Eurocruiser, can you tell how bad the other days might be? It looks like they're running it by the Duomo at the end - but I'm not 100% on that.

[euro cruiser]

Going only by the map in that link, they'll never get closer than two miles from the Duomo.

[palermo22]

Going only by the map in that link, they'll never get closer than two miles from the Duomo.

 

Thank you very much for that information - really helpful that's for sure. Any guess on your part how many additional tourists this race will bring to the city - are we talking a few thousand people or 10,000 (or more)?

 

Thanks

[buggins0402]

Going only by the map in that link, they'll never get closer than two miles from the Duomo.

 

Was thinking about the other days (many ships in port through that week).

 

Here's the link to 25th http://www.toscana2013.it/cronometro-individuali25092013/?lang=en.

 

Duomo is mentioned on the elevation map - I think - having trouble figuring the points of reference out. Saw a similar route used a couple times coming into the city on the various days.

 

But sounds like OP is in the clear for the 29th!

[euro cruiser]

I'm not so sure. The map linked above is not the same as this list of checkpoints: http://www.toscana2013.it/wp-content/uploads/tabella_33.pdf. This link says that on Sunday the 29th the Men's Elite group will go right through the heart of the historic district, going along the Arno then cutting into town at Piazza della Repubblica and going right by the Duomo before heading back to the river and on to the final loop.

 

So the words (the link in this post) and the pictures (the map link in the earlier post) aren't lining up.

[buggins0402]

I'm not so sure. The map linked above is not the same as this list of checkpoints: http://www.toscana2013.it/wp-content/uploads/tabella_33.pdf. This link says that on Sunday the 29th the Men's Elite group will go right through the heart of the historic district, going along the Arno then cutting into town at Piazza della Repubblica and going right by the Duomo before heading back to the river and on to the final loop.

 

So the words (the link in this post) and the pictures (the map link in the earlier post) aren't lining up.

 

Thanks for taking the time to solve the mystery. Think on the original links you may have focused on the link to the loop on the final day. I also had also posted this one which is similar to yours above.

http://www.toscana2013.it/gara-in-linea29092013/?lang=en. It's the beginning of the race into Florence before they start looping. Looks like they run by the Duomo before the loops. The good news for the OP is that the field won't be strung out over a long distance, so the disruption time on the 29th won't be over too long a period of time. If the loop (10X) had been in the tourist area that would have been horrid.

 

Here's the link to each day's run in to Florence - but you have to click on each race to see how it's run into the city and look at elevation chart for landmarks

http://www.toscana2013.it/programma/?lang=en . Think all the races run that route right by the Duomo as they come into Florence (but seem to start at different points in Tuscany).

 

26th is in the clear - no races.

 

For those that plan to visit on the days when the time trials are running may have a bigger issue (23rd, 24th and 25th). Each individual racer starts at a timed interval - so there will not be a "bunch" run into the city - so the race will be strung out over a longer period of time. Elite men field could be large and with a 1 or 2 minute interval between each rider it could tie up the course for a considerable period of time on the 25th.

 

Also, note that some of the days have two races - so even if it's just a regular road race where everyone is pretty much in a bunch - it will happen twice that day.

[palermo22]

The good news for the OP is that the field won't be strung out over a long distance, so the disruption time on the 29th won't be over too long a period of time. If the loop (10X) had been in the tourist area that would have been horrid.

 

 

If I am calculating this correctly - that last day race begins 275 km (or 168 miles +-) at 10 AM - if they average 25 miles per hour - it should take them over 6 hours to finish. I have no idea about the loops they will be making but it seems like they will begin crossing the finish line around 4 PM. Hopefully, we'll be out of there by then.

[buggins0402]

If I am calculating this correctly - that last day race begins 275 km (or 168 miles +-) at 10 AM - if they average 25 miles per hour - it should take them over 6 hours to finish. I have no idea about the loops they will be making but it seems like they will begin crossing the finish line around 4 PM. Hopefully, we'll be out of there by then.

 

 

You don't have to calculate. Eurocruiser had a link above and when you click on things on the original links posted you'd find it under time schedule (just click on it).

 

http://www.toscana2013.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/RR-M.pdf

 

Now on page 2 of the pdf before they start looping they will go through some of the tourist areas (per Eurocruisers post above). The loops (per Eurocruiser) are outside the area you will be concerned about. On page 2 of the pdf look for Duomo. Follow it across and you will see, based on different kilometer speeds of the racers, when they expect the race to pass. So on the 29th they expect that area to be impacted about 12:30ish (depending on average speed of 37km to 41km per mile). They will have to start closing streets prior and it will take some time after to clear - but you should be able to cross a street shortly after - somewhere. At this point in the race the riders shouldn't be split much more than a few minutes (and then only if a group breaks - away).

 

Eurocruiser would be of more help of which checkpoints before and after the Duomo are in the tourist areas. But, as he has said - the 10 loops are well outside where you have to be concerned.

 

The big thing working in your favor is that Rome in Limo will have been dealing with the race for a week by the time you get there and they will probably have figured out some logistics for getting around it.

[palermo22]

Thank you for the comprehensive reply.

[sgh20037]

This is the last sentence of an article posted on "cycling news".

 

"The organisers expect over a million people will see the racing from the roadside, with half a million expected to travel to Florence to see the elite men’s road race"

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tuscany-2013-world-championship-routes-unveiled

[palermo22]

Since the race is slated to begin this coming week (I believe Monday the 23rd) - if anyone over in Florence should encounter any difficulties because of the race - or finds out any additional information then it would be greatly appreciated if they would post something here.

[buggins0402]

Ran into a neighbor at our city fitness center last Sunday. He mentioned that he and his wife were renting a place in Florence by the Duomo for two weeks starting this past Tuesday. He hadn't been aware of the races so I emailed him the race schedule. Just heard from him today.

 

" In reality there are & will be racers every day going on our street Oriuolo as part of the races beginning today. Street blocked & have to bypass thru next Sat" (think he meant Sunday)

 

I asked him to let me know how big a mess it's making of the city after a few days of living with it - will let you know if I hear from him.