As a young woman with only a few years of experience under her belt, Lauren Hefferon took a gamble and opened her own business; Ciclismo Classico, which promised to take cycling enthusiasts on bicycle tours of Italy.

30 years later, Hefferon is still in business, running the touring company out of her home on Marathon Street in Arlington. While she started small, promoting simple tours around Tuscany, she has expanded the business to more than 80 tours a year, adding tours in Ireland, Spain, Czechia, France and other countries to her itinerary.