12 amazing photos from a brutal edition of Strade Bianche

Muddy conditions made for a memorable edition of Strade Bianche Photo credits: LaPresse - Ferrari/Paolone

By Henry Robertshaw
published

The 2018 edition of Strade Bianche will live long in the memory not only for the excitement of the racing, but also for the brutal conditions that hit the race from start to finish.

While last year's race was muddy, Saturday saw heavy rain on the day itself combine with snow in the days leading up to the race turning some of the white gravel roads into brown quagmires.

>>> 'It's pure cycling': Romain Bardet and Wout van Aert flourish on Strade Bianche debuts

The day might not have been enjoyable for the riders, with only 59 of the 138 starters in the women's race and 53 of the 147 starter in the men's race finishing the race in the time limit.

However the race still yielded some exciting racing, with Anna van der Breggen and Tiesj Benoot taking victory, and some even better images of the Tuscan landscape and riders suffering through the conditions with pain etched on their mud-caked faces.

The peloton between gravel sectors in the women's Strade Bianche
(Image credit: LaPresse)

Team Sunweb mass towards the front of the peloton
(Image credit: LaPresse)

Chantal Blaak congratulates team-mate Anna van der Breggen
(Image credit: LaPresse)

Heavy rain was falling from the very start of the men's race
(Image credit: LaPresse)

Groups spread across the landscape on one of the numerous gravel sectors
(Image credit: LaPresse)

Tiesj Benoot launches an attack to bridge up to the front group
(Image credit: LaPresse)

Romain Bardet and Wout van Aert at the head of the race
(Image credit: LaPresse)

The white gravel roads turned to brown mud in the heavy rain
(Image credit: LaPresse)

German national champion Marcus Burghardt suffers through the grim conditions
(Image credit: LaPresse)

Tiesj Benoot launches the winning move
(Image credit: LaPresse)

Benoot pushes on solo on the way to Siena
(Image credit: LaPresse)

The Lotto-Soudal rider celebrates the biggest win of his career so far
(Image credit: LaPresse)

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Henry Robertshaw

Henry Robertshaw began his time at Cycling Weekly working with the tech team, writing reviews, buying guides and appearing in videos advising on how to dress for the seasons. He later moved over to the news team, where his work focused on the professional peloton as well as legislation and provision for cycling. He's since moved his career in a new direction, with a role at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

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