Strade Bianche

Siena - Siena 136 km The Strade Bianche might not be one of the top 5 races for the men (yet?) but it certainly is for the...

This year with a massively strengthened team Annemiek can get her revenge, even if Kopecky looks every bit as good as last year. Last year SD Worx worked over a lonesome Annemiek and a Lotte Kopecky on rampaging form put the dagger to her in the finale in Siena. St Catherine of the Day: Annemiek van Vleuten

The Ag2r-Citroën team donned a retro look for its racing bibs for Saturday's big race on the white roads of Tuscany.

The team often wore riding bibs with a denim look. [Greg Van Avermaet](https://www.velonews.com/tag/greg-van-avermaet/) and others on the French-backed team rocked up to the sign-in Saturday morning wearing the new-look racing bibs. The shorts were a throwback to the 1980s, when the Carrerra jeans company sponsored an Italian racing team from 1985 to 1996.

American rider Kristen Faulkner lit up an attack-riddled race that came down to a dramatic finale.

Faulkner hit the final gravel sector in a favorable position. Ludwig dug deep to try to bridge across, but ran out of gas. Faulkner used her time trial skills to make it close. We rode well as a team, and the other girls rode super strong today. The final play was really cool. This was the plan for me to attack, and suddenly Lotte was with me, and we were two teammates together.”

Demi Vollering took the Strade Bianche Donne title on Saturday in thrilling fashion over defending champion Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) and Kristen Faulkner.

They couldn't be separated easily by eye and after a long wait for a result, it was given as Vollering claimed her first top spot at the Strade Bianche Donne. The SD Worx two-up TT wolfed down the gap to Faulkner as the race neared Siena. The gradient began to do its damage as riders began to go backwards. This time it was between the SD Worx team-mates, who could not be separated before the short descent into the square. That only worked in favour of Kopecky, who was able to kick out and link up with her team-mate. Movistar began to work for the world champion, as Vollering snaked her way towards the front and broke free. The five-star rated San Martino in Grania was the longest sector of sterrati in the race, at 9.5 km, with 5.6 km of climbing and gradients rising up to 12%. Suddenly a horse appeared on the road, having broken free from somewhere. The pair began to ride confidently and cooperatively, until the road rose up, when Swinkels could not handle Faulkner’s pace. Gaps opened further up the bunch but were closed by the time the race returned to the tarmac. That caused some consternation behind, as the peloton decided what to do about her, if anything. That put them ahead of the fastest projected finish schedule.

Get the full recap of Road race - Men - find out which riders are dominating the Strade Bianche. Make Eurosport your go-to source for the latest Cycling ...

The absence of Pogacar and Van Aert is a blow for the fans but it will make the race far more open. The dramatic moment came when a strong gust of wind t-boned the peloton on a sweeping downhill section, causing the Frenchman to veer off the road and then go over his handlebars in one of the heart-in-mouth moments of the season. But there are no shortage of superstars taking to the start today, including four previous winners... The leaders are onto the tough Pieve a Salti section of gravel - the only section that features hairpin bends. And here's a picture of the peloton on an earlier section with the 2018 winner Tiesj Benoot in the thick of it for Jumbo-Visma. It was on this next section of gravel at Lucignano d'Asso where the former world champion Julian Alaphilippe took his acrobatic tumble in last year's race. De Marchi has ridden Strade Bianche before - his best result being 33rd in 2020 - but the other two leaders are debutants. He's making his road debut today and admits that he's actually disappointed that his big rival Wout van Aert and last year's winner Tadej Pogacar are not here - because if you can follow them, you're in with a good chance of winning. The lone chaser has now been swallowed up by the main pack, which has been completely strung out from some hefty pacing from the Groupama-FDJ team of Thibaut Pinot and Valentin Madouas. Tudor Pro Cycling has come to the front alongside Jumbo-Visma to set a hefty tempo. Ide Schelling of Bora-Hansgrohe latches on and then Mathieu van der Poel sniffs out the danger. It's going to be a big effort for him to get back on because that has preceded the tough sweeping climb on this section of San Martino in Grania.

The white gravel roads of Tuscany take centre stage this weekend at the so-called 'sixth monument', Strade Bianche. But what other pre-gravel rough and ...

The mile high city of Boulder in Colorado is the USA’s undisputed cycling capital, and has a thriving race and ride scene to go with it. This is a non-competitive event, and in recent years the ride has taken place during early September, by which time the going is usually firmer and more pleasurable. This is a fast and tough fought race which covers 111-miles this time around (on May 13th), and that distance included some 16 gravel road sectors along the rolling route. The terrain includes some pretty serious agricultural trails along the way, the sort of stuff that makes your teeth chatter when dry and has you holding on for dear life when wet. Pork pies and pave are to be found in abundance around Melton Mowbray in the East Midlands each April, as that’s when the annual CiCLE classic takes place. However, it’s not all about climbing here, and for as far as you can ride in any direction but west it’s more or less flat, and these wide-open cowboy-like landscapes also come adorned with gravel roads. Most of the “great Danes” have won this race at some time during their career, with foreigners hardly getting to snare a gaze from the top step of the podium. In recent years the Breton race Tro Bro Leon has gained a lot of love from riders, fans, and the media. Along its bumpy way, the race will take in some 27 sectors of rough riding, which vary from farm tracks to gravel roads. “HONC if you want a rough ride,” as the bumper sticker didn’t say. Here are five rough and ready rides and races that have been around for quite a while now, and which spark the imagination every bit as much as their more illustrious counterparts. The white gravel roads of Tuscany take centre stage this weekend at the so-called ‘sixth monument’, Strade Bianche.

Don't miss a moment from Paris-Roubaix and Unbound Gravel, to the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France, Vuelta a España, and everything in between when you join ...

“Demi and I didn’t speak before the finish. I waited for section 6 to attack and it’s been a great race for me.” This year, Chantal [van den Broek-Blaak] said I needed to believe in myself more this year, and the team supported me. Lotte and I were going well together and we were saving something for the final climb. That was a shit moment, but on the other hand, Demi Vollering was the strongest today. There was never a moment of calm in the race.

Tom Pidcock gave Ineos Grenadiers an exceptional solo win at Strade Bianche after a series of attacks from 45km out, before a dramatic cat and mouse effort ...

They were joined by Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) and the trio took pursuit of the leading duo of riders. Starting life as a freelance feature writer, with bylines in The Times and The Telegraph, he first entered cycling journalism in 2012, joining Cyclist magazine as staff writer. The peloton set off from Siena to favourable tailwinds, and the race was quickly ahead of schedule on an otherwise stunning day in Tuscany. At 45km to go, the fireworks began as Pidcock attacked his fellow chasers. Alberto Bettiol wasn’t so lucky, as just within 40km he had a striking crash which left him lying on the roadside. I got a gap on the descent and I just carried on.” Speaking of the chase, Mohoric painted a picture of a disjointed effort that cost them overall victory. When I went, that was completely not the plan,” Pidcock said to press following the finish. Madouas managed to work his way back into contention. He caught the breakaway containing Sven Erik Bystrøm (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), “That sector is normally the decisive place, so I was just riding hard. [Alessandro De Marchi](https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/alessandro-de-marchi/) (Team Jayco Alula) and [Iván Romeo](https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/ivan-romeo/) (Movistar) within 5km, before riding clear and taking on the final 20km solo.

SD Worx takes a 1-2 on the podium as Kristen Faulkner settles for third after a long breakaway.

Vollering came back and took the pole position through the corner at the top as Faulkner faded into the distance but held on for third place. The latter attacked from this group and quickly got a gap, reducing the gap to Faulkner. Joining forces, Kopecky and Vollering slowly, but surely ate into Faulkner’s advantage, and when they were only nine seconds behind at the two-kilometre mark, it was clear that they would catch Faulkner climbing the Via Santa Caterina on the final kilometre. Lukas Knöfler started working in cycling communications in 2013 and has seen the inside of the scene from many angles. Faulkner left Swinkels behind on a short climb 32 km from the finish and continued on her own. The two riders joined forces on the final gravel sector, Le Tolfe, when Kopecky attacked out of a group of favourites and bridged to Vollering who had attacked a few kilometres earlier. While the two frontrunners increased their gap to 1:30 minutes, there were several counterattacks in the peloton, but none of them got more than a few seconds and were eventually brought back. Going into the penultimate gravel sector of Colle Pinzuto, Faulker was still 1:46 minutes ahead. The women’s race covered 136 km around Siena, including 31.6 km of gravel on eight sectors. We did very well as a team, the other girls rode super strong today and did everything, Mischa, Niamh, Anna Shackley, Elena, they all did a super good job and then the final playing with Lotte was really cool. It was also always very early always for me, and I didn’t have so strong belief in myself yet. Then, suddenly, Lotte was with me, and that was very nice, it’s just teammates together and then you can also go a bit deeper together,” Vollering said in the moment.

Vollering recovered from her worrying equine encounter to outsprint SD Worx teammate Lotte Kopecky to the victory in Siena.

If you like road.cc, but you don’t like ads, please consider subscribing to the site to support us directly. Before returning to writing about cycling full-time, he completed a PhD in History and published a book and numerous academic articles on religion and politics in Victorian Britain and Ireland (though he remained committed to boring his university colleagues and students with endless cycling trivia). As a subscriber you can read road.cc ad-free, from as little as £1.99. We rode well as a team, and the other girls rode super strong today. “I am very happy of course to win,” Vollering said at the finish. “The final play was really cool.

Pidcock jumped with 50km to go but it all came down to the final wall into Siena.

Benoot couldn’t hide his disappointment, and Pidcock continued to pour on the gas alone. Bettiol crashed out the leading group, and Magnus Sheffield (Ineos Grenadiers) was also involved. With 35km to go, Pidcock and Co. [Tom Pidcock](https://www.velonews.com/tag/tom-pidcock/) (Ineos Grenadiers) jumped with 50km to go, and rode strategically to nurse a slender lead all the way to Piazza del Campo to become the first British winner of the iconic race. The action finally picked up with about 50km to go when Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-EasyPost) powers clear. Many of the pre-race favorites formed an elite front group of about 15 riders, but only a few had teammates to work. The race was on. Pidcock jumped with 50km to go when he followed a surge from Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-EasyPost). It was from about the same distance that Tadej Pogačar attacked for a dramatic solo victory in 2022 on the gravel sector at Monte Santa Marie. [Strade Bianche](https://www.velonews.com/tag/strade-bianche/) lived up to its reputation as one of cycling’s most exciting races with a thrilling battle Saturday that went all the way down to the final wall into Siena. If I get a gap and keep going, it’s hard to bring back,” Pidcock said. Honestly, this week I had a good feeling that something good was going to happen today.

It was a day to remember for Tom Pidcock as he became the first British male winner of Strade Bianche.

Fifth in his only previous appearance in Strade Bianche - the year Van der Poel took the spoils in 2021 - Pidcock became the first British man to win on the white roads of Tuscany, and did so in some style. A nasty crash ended Bettiol’s chances after the 2021 champion Mathieu van der Poel – making his first appearance of the season for Alpecin-Fenix - tested his legs behind. When they inevitably dropped back, Pidcock went clear - oblivious to the drama playing out in his wake. Under sunny skies in Tuscany, the 17th edition of Strade Bianche kicked off without two former champions in Wout van Aert and Tadej Pogacar. Pidcock crossed the finish line in the historic Piazza del Campo to take an emphatic victory by 20 seconds over Frenchman Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ). If ever there was a road race perfectly suited to the strengths of an Olympic mountain-bike gold medallist and former cyclo-cross world champion, it’s one that includes 63 kilometres of Tuscan gravel.

Tom Pidock won the Strade Bianche on Saturday, the Briton just holding off a powerful field to claim the Italian classic cycling race.

Pidcock joined them after a brilliant break from the main pack. I kind of knew that today was my day and that it actually paid off is incredible." The Dutchman was in disappointing form and was left out of the running with over 30 kilometres remaining as the leading trio became a duo featuring Pidcock and De Marchi.

Demi Vollering won a sprint over Lotte Kopecky in the women's race and Tom Pidcock executed a successful solo attack from 50K out in the men's race.

Pidcock responded and then a few kilometers later, he gapped Bettiol and Bagioli on a technical gravel descent. In a photo finish, Vollering captured the title over the defending champion Kopecky by the slimmest of margins. Vollering and Kopecky—who linked up with 11 kilometers to go—effectively team time trialed up the steep final climb to make the pass of Faulkner with a half a kilometer to go.

Tom Pidock won the Strade Bianche on Saturday, the Briton just holding off a powerful field to claim the Italian classic cycling race.

Pidcock joined them after a brilliant break from the main pack. I kind of knew that today was my day and that it actually paid off is incredible." The Dutchman was in disappointing form and was left out of the running with over 30 kilometres remaining as the leading trio became a duo featuring Pidcock and De Marchi.

The Ineos Grenadiers rider went it alone from 50km for victory in Siena after Demi Vollering pipped her SD Worx colleague Kopecky in the women's race.

Faulkner escaped the penultimate gravel sector with a lead of more than a minute from Vollering, who had dashed away in the previous excursion off the tarmac. I attacked as I felt this was the moment – this was the plan – then suddenly Lotte was with me. Ultimately, that squabbling, and the 23-year-old Briton’s ability on the descents, meant that he crossed the line in Siena’s famous Piazza del Campo with an advantage of 30 seconds.

SIENA, Italy (AP) — Tom Pidcock soloed to a dominant victory to become the first British rider to win the Strade Bianche on Saturday.

Pidcock built an advantage of 20 seconds but that was slashed to just six inside the final 10 kilometers. And, after the short but steep finishing climb to Siena’s Piazza del Campo, Pidcock had plenty of time to raise his arms above his head. The day’s breakaway of Sven Erik Bystrøm, Alessandro De Marchi and Iván Romeo stood little chance when Pidcock attacked with around 45 kilometers (30 miles) remaining.

Pidcock's lead was whittled away on the last of the 11 sections of white gravel roads but the Olympic mountain bike champion used his astonishing descending ...

Pidcock built an advantage of 20 seconds but that was slashed to just six inside the final 10 kilometers. And, after the short but steep finishing climb to Siena’s Piazza del Campo, Pidcock had plenty of time to raise his arms above his head. The day’s breakaway of Sven Erik Bystrøm, Alessandro De Marchi and Iván Romeo stood little chance when Pidcock attacked with around 45 kilometers (30 miles) remaining.

Tiesj Benoot and Attila Valter have put their mark on the 17th edition of the Strade Bianche. After numerous breakaway attempts, they finished third and…

I had the legs to win. For the first time, I rode a race with Tiesj. Although a better result could have been possible, I enjoyed being on the podium." Before the race, I would have immediately signed up for a podium place, but afterwards, I feel a better result could have been possible. In the streets of Siena, Benoot eventually rode to the third position. Benoot and Valter emerged as two of the strongest riders as the peloton broke into pieces.

Dramatic racing paired with dramatic images is the hallmark of the Italian race, won by Demi Vollering and Tom Pidcock.

Was it the defending champion Kopecky who would take the line first or Vollering? He then also left them behind, to take on the final 20km solo. The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox! To relive the races through the eyes of talented race photographers, click or swipe the gallery at the top of the page (and hit the full-screen icon in the bottom left of the image for the best experience). [Kristen Faulkner (Jayco-AlUla) was holding out the front ](https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/faulkner-third-at-strade-bianche-after-crash-changes-team-plans/)right until the final 600 metres, when SD Worx teammates Demi Vollering – who had earlier in the race had to contend with the unnerving presence of a horse on the course – and Lotte Kopecky made the junction. [Tom Pidcock crossing the line solo](https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/strade-bianche-2023/elite-men/results/) to take victory in the race with an average speed of 40.636 kilometres per hour.

'Jumbo-Visma lost the race, they each did their own thing': Six days after the sublime of Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, Dutch squad derailed in Siena.

“Our slogan is ‘winning together.’ It’s what we need to do with our status,” team director Arthur van Dongen said as he relished victory in Kuurne. “A podium finish would have been good if you’d asked me before the start. It’s only my first race with him.” “It was my mistake,” Valter admitted. 4 racer strategies first started to spill out when Valter pulled a group back to a visibly displeased Benoot deep in the final, and it didn’t get a lot better. Mohorič got a first-hand view of a Jumbo-Visma meltdown as he pedaled alongside Tiesj Benoot and Attila Valter in the group that failed to chase down Tom Pidcock.

Here's what the top riders said following Saturday's thrilling race at Strade Bianche in Italy. Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) — 1st. Pidcock drives up the ...

“My goal this year is to win a classic of the WorldTour. “The podium was the goal for the team, with me or Attila Valter. “I thought I did something stupid when the guys came close to me towards the finish. It was full gas when the legs had nothing in them, but the win makes it worthwhile. “This week I had a good feeling and I knew something good was going to happen. When I went that was completely not the plan.

'I've got a headache and I destroyed my helmet but it could have been far worse' says Tuscan.

I rode on until the Colle Pinzuto gravel sector but the team preferred to pull me out of the race for precautionary reasons.” Stephen is the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. However, EF Education-EasyPost decided to pull him out of the race for precautionary reasons. Bettiol was hoping to land a result in what the Tuscan rider considers his home race. The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox! Television images captured him lying motionless on the road.