Of all the things a cyclist could list as essentials for riding, the road is not likely to be the first to jump to mind; it is a given. But in the vineyards and rolling hills of the Chianti area of Tuscany, preserving the heritage of the white gravel roads inspired a vintage-bicycle race that has grown to more than 5,000 participants.

L’Eroica, which means “the heroic” in Italian, takes place each October. It offers four routes of increasing difficulty, from 38 kilometers (24 miles) to 205 kilometers (127 miles). The cycling enthusiast Giancarlo Brocci conceived of the race to raise the profile of the gravel roads used in the tour and keep them from being resurfaced with asphalt. Since its modest 1997 debut with 92 competitors, L’Eroica has evolved into a model for environmental sustainability.

L’Eroica is a celebration of Italy’s rich cycling and cultural heritage. This year’s event was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Gino Bartali, who won the Tour de France in 1938 and 1948 and helped rescue Jews in Italy during World War II by hiding falsified documents in the saddle of his bike.

Unlike in competitive cycling races, there are no official winners at L’Eroica. Carbon fiber is not allowed, and spandex is scarce, replaced with period attire. Rules dictate the equipment that may be used in the tour: steel-frame road racers built before 1987 and slim, low-profile tires are among the requirements.