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Eroica Britannia switches to Goodwood from next year and will include motor racing venue’s iconic hill climb

Launch of 2022 edition of retro cycling festival took place at Goodwood Revival this weekend

Eroica Britannia, the UK version of the retro cycling festival that has taken place in Tuscany since 1997, has found a new home, the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex.

First held in 2014, previous editions of the event have taken place in the Peak District, drawing a owners of vintage bikes from home and abroad to Derbyshire each year.

> Eroica Britannia: best of British

Eroica Britannia 2022 launch (picture credit Marcus Dodridge) (5).jpg

The coronavirus pandemic means the event has not taken place since 2019, but next year’s event has now been confirmed for Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 August 2022.

The announcement was made at the Goodwood Revival classic motorsport meeting this weekend by the estate’s owner, the Duke of Richmond and Gordon.

Some 150 Eroica regulars attended the event, taking on a lap of the Motor Circuit before heading out into the neighbouring countryside in a ride led by six-time Olympic track cycling champion turned racing driver Sir Chris Hoy.

The Duke of Richmond told them: "One of the things we love about the Eroica Britannia festival is its ethos. It celebrates the sheer joy of exploring the world on two wheels. I can see the passion you have for cycling right here. Your beautifully restored ancient bikes and vintage attire are simply brilliant.

“It’s a perfect fit with Goodwood and what we stand for. At this year’s Revival, in particular, we’ve created an immersive celebration of a less disposable world, where ‘make do and mend’ was a way of life rather than a casual slogan.

“The Revival is, at its heart, a celebration of craftsmanship and sustainability from an age when possessions were made to last and be cherished. It promotes a thoroughly modern ethos – to reduce, reuse, repair, restore and recycle’ – in the most authentic way possible. You are all the perfect embodiment of that ethos, so thank you for sharing your passion with all of us.”

Hoy said afterwards: “That was a tough ride, especially on a vintage bike! To cycle around the Motor Circuit and up the Hill Climb was a real privilege.

“I’m sure the Goodwood crowd will have appreciated the spectacle of 150 riders and their beautiful bikes – their enthusiasm for vintage cycling is infectious!”

Eroica Britannia 2022 launch (picture credit Marcus Dodridge) (12).jpg

Besides cycling, the family-friendly festival will include entertainment and food and drink outlets featuring local produce, and camping facilities will be open from the evening of Friday 5 August.

Tickets for the event will go on sale later this year, and you can sign up here to be alerted ahead of bookings going live.

Eroica Britannia 2022 launch (picture credit Marcus Dodridge) (3).jpg

Goodwood hosted the UCI Road Cycling World Championships in 1982, where the men’s title was won by the Italian Giuseppe Saronni, with the women’s race won by Great Britain’s Mandy Jones.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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