Strade bianche 2023

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

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.

Strade Bianche, the one-day race that winds its way through Tuscany this Saturday, has a unique history. Here's how to tune in live.

EST](https://plus.globalcyclingnetwork.com/watch/5100291). EST](https://plus.globalcyclingnetwork.com/watch/5100292). [GCN+](https://plus.globalcyclingnetwork.com/). Because GCN+ actually gives us equal coverage of both the men’s and the women’s races (unlike Flobikes). It actually didn’t start out as a race at all, but rather, was a granfondo put on by the vintage-bike-loving crowd known as L'Eroica Strade Bianche (literal translation: "heroic race of the white roads"). Megan Guarnier of the United States won the inaugural women’s race in 2015.

The star names of the Women's WorldTour are set to be on the start line of the seventh Strade Bianche Donne this weekend, with the likes of Annemiek van ...

She has had a steady start to the season so far taking part in several races and demonstrated her potential when she launched a powerful attack on the Bosberg last week. Moolman-Pasio came third in last year's Strade Bianche behind Kopecky and Van Vleuten and has finished inside the top 10 several times since 2015. However, with others on the start line holding similar experience, she’ll have to bring back some of her scintillating 2022 form if she is to challenge her rivals. She hasn't quite started the 2023 season off on the best foot, with an untimely flat tyre before the decisive Muur van Geraardsbergen last weekend at Omloop and a rocky opening race in Spain at the Setmana Valenciana Fèmines, where she finished fourth. Kasia Niewiadoma has been a constant in the women’s WorldTour, and is always on the list of top contenders for pretty much all the Classics. The race will start in Siena and take on the dusty white roads of Tuscany as the peloton races over the 136km route.

It is finally that time of the year when cycling gets into the “Pre-Tour” season. One of the more prestigious newer one-day events occurs in Italy's Tuscany ...

It is a taste of what is to come. Any winner of this race will truly be tested to the fullest. Quinn Simmons (USA) is at +2200 and has had some results over the last year. The key here is that long shots this year are more worth a look. Passing one of the most beautiful chateaus in Europe still marks 12 kilometers to go. Watching cyclists at the peak of their abilities rewrite a race’s ending lends to the allure of Strade Bianche. Then, the ride backs up into Siena to the finish line. Strade Bianche has 63 kilometers of unpaved road in all (sand and gravel) of various difficulties. It might not get the designation, but every characteristic of this race says yes. This is more than just a spectacle. Though Tadej Pogacar and some other well-known racers are not here, there are plenty of others present and ready to go. One of the more prestigious newer one-day events occurs in Italy's Tuscany region.

Van Vleuten and Van der Poel lead the odds, but the white roads of Tuscany can deliver some surprise winners.

A few brutal accelerations soon shatter most of those dreams, and in a race as demanding and prestigious as Strade Bianche, the cream naturally rises to the top. In the men’s race, all eyes will be on which version of Van der Poel shows up. Strade Bianche is always fast and usually very selective. Having said that, a few big names are missing for 2023. Big riders step up for big races, and it’s a safe bet that both will be at the pointy end of the race when it counts. Riders need to be able to climb, pack power and speed for the finale, and have the bike handling skills to handle the unique challenge of the gravel roads of Tuscany.

The Women's peloton take on the Italian classic Strade Bianche tonight on SBS, and commentators Matt Keenan and Gracie Elvin discussed the unique and brutal ...

"Riding gravel is a whole other skill in itself. I've seen people ride off the road into riverbeds and ditches. "It's a bit like Roubaix, a bit like Flanders, you have to be a complete rider.

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.

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.

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.

Eurosport's experts have given their reactions to the astonishing triumph from Britain's Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) at the 2023 Strade Bianche on ...

"He has won big so often, and this was a big one for him to win. "You saw how quickly he brought back the riders who went out early in the race and his bike-handling skills helped a huge amount in that finale. He has won in so many different disciplines. "The other riders were just gambling on the final climb and from that, Tom hugely benefited because everyone else was just watching each other. "He paced it beautifully. Strade Bianche

Tom Pidcock has soloed to a dominant victory to become the first British rider to win the Strade Bianche.

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.

The 23-year-old put in a storming ride across Tuscany's gravel roads to become the first male British winner of the Italian classic.

I got a gap on the descent and I just carried on. I don’t even know what to think right now. I knew today was my day. However, cycling’s eternal game of fractious pursuit tactics once again played a key role in deciding the outcome of Strade Bianche. Highlight reel descending complete, Pidcock’s ride would be a lonely one to the finish. “Honestly, this week I had a good feeling that something good was going to happen today.

Tom Pidcock crossed the finish-line as winner of Strade Bianche in Siena after an impressive solo. Valentin Madouas was 2nd, Tiesj Benoot 3rd.

Of the five pursuers, where there was some disagreement, Valentin Madouas was the strongest on the final climb to finish second, ahead of Tiesj Benoot. On Le Tolfe, the last gravel sector of the day, Pidcock had 20 seconds. The Italian was caught after the sector by Benoot, who tried to cross to Pidcock with a powerful effort. Van der Poel missed the move and didn’t have the legs to close the gap, Alaphilippe was also in trouble. The difference to Pidcock had meanwhile been reduced to 10 seconds. Together the six came to within 14 seconds of Pidcock, but then the co-operation stopped. He was soon more than 30 seconds ahead of the chasers and was also quickly closing in on the front riders. Erik Fetter (EOLO-Kometa) tried to join them, but was unable to close the gap and was pulled in by the peloton after his failed effort. The peloton had no intention to slow down, especially with the main gravel sections to come. Seventy kilometres from the finish, there was the first crash in the peloton, with Valentin Madouas and Carlos Rodríguez as the main victims. The Italian looked to have had a hard crash, but was able to continue. The British rider of INEOS Grenadiers crossed the finish-line as winner in Siena after an impressive solo.

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.

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.

Ineos Grenadier Tom Pidcock is better known for his daring downhill descending skills, but the young Brit has now also a one-day classic to his palmares, ...

“It was a crazy final,” she said. “This week I had a good feeling and I knew something good was going to happen,” he continued. “I knew today was my day.