Nova Eroica’s Terre di Siena route is 81 miles with 6,529 feet of climbing on Tuscan strade bianche and road transfers from Buonconvento. Five timed sections sit inside the longer day, including the Monte Sante Marie climb.
This is an eight-week plan for Nova Eroica on four to six hours a week, starting from the fitness you already have. The work stays focused on endurance, climbing, and the timed-section format within those weekly hours.
81 MI · 6,529 FT CLIMBING · THE TERRE DI SIENA ROUTE RUNS MAINLY ON TUSCAN STRADE BIANCHE · 8 WEEKS · 4–6 HR/WK · TIME-CRUNCHED
WHAT'S INSIDE
- Structured workouts on your calendar, with real power and heart-rate graphs
- Strength work built in, with video walkthroughs
- Weekly notes from me, plus the Gravel Grit mental program
- A testing week, so the plan runs on your real numbers
- The full Nova Eroica guide — terrain, gearing, fueling
Hey, I'm Matti. I spent 11 years at TrainingPeaks, where they trusted me to teach coaches how to coach at TrainingPeaks University. I raced Amateur Elite with Rio Grande Cycling Team and podiumed my age group at Unbound 200 in 2026. I have a degree in biology and exercise physiology from St. Olaf. I'm also a middle-aged dad of three, so I know training doesn't happen in a vacuum. I help gravel riders get stupidly fast without becoming the person who brings a food scale to a party