Tirreno-Adriatico Time Trial — Lido di Camaiore to Forte dei Marmi

Every March since 1966, the Tirreno-Adriatico — the Race of the Two Seas — opens with an individual time trial along the Versilia coast, starting from the promenade of Lido di Camaiore and finishing in the heart of Forte dei Marmi. Names that have raced this strip of asphalt read like a roll call of cycling's greatest: Merckx, Hinault, Induráin, Pogačar, Van Aert. The route is gloriously simple: almost entirely straight, following the via Aurelia and the coastal road north from Lido di Camaiore through Marina di Pietrasanta and into Forte dei Marmi. The road surface is extraordinary — race-smooth, well-maintained, with minimal traffic in the early morning when serious cyclists ride it. The slight northerly tailwind (Tramontana) in spring makes a sub-30-minute time achievable for strong riders. On the race morning, professional teams warm up on this exact route in the hours before the stage. If you happen to be in Versilia during the Tirreno-Adriatico (typically the first week of March), watching the riders warm up from a café terrace is one of cycling's great spectator experiences. For training cyclists visiting Versilia, this route has become a pilgrimage — an honest 13.9km effort at speed allowing any rider to gauge themselves against the race data.