BTW, for those who want to add an extra challenge to their trip to L'Eroica,
I would recommend going to St Pellegrino in Alpe.
It is supposed to be the hardest climb in Tuscany, and probably harder than
most of the main TDF climbs.
You can make a really nice day out if you start from Lucca (worth visting in itself). When you get to Lucca, take the road North to Castelnuovo Garfagnana,
via Bagni di Lucca. The St Pellegrino climb begins on the outskirts of Castelnuovo, gentle at first, but the end has two long sections signposted at 18%. You can then take the long descent to Casteglioni Garfagnana, a beautiful and seemingly undiscovered little town. Follow the road back to Castelnuovo, then retrace your steps back to Lucca.
The climb seems to be relatively unknown - it doesn't seem to appear on Climb by Bike at all. The length is disputed - about 18km if you go through the village of St Pellegrino to the summit, I think.
When you get back to Lucca, go and check out the bike shop 'Poli' near the city walls. Have a look at the bikes hanging in the shed at the back - you won't be disappointed
I'd say this route is well worth doing if you're feeling fit and want to do a bit extra on top of L'Eroica.
Johnny