Strade Bianche

Strade Bianche 2026: Key details

Strade Bianche 2026 will be the 20th edition of the Italian WorldTour race, and the 13th Strade Bianche Donne. This year’s edition will take place on Saturday 7 March with both the men’s and women’s races taking place on the same day.  

Strade Bianche is a one-day race held in Tuscany, famous for its white gravel roads which have fast become the defining feature of the race. First held in 2007 for men, the race quickly established itself within the WorldTour. 

Its iconic parcours, difficulty and prestige have lead some to describe it as cycling's 'Sixth Monument'. The race is twisty, undulating and punchy, without lengthy climbs, but it's nevertheless a tough challenge, with gradients on gravel proving particularly testing.

Fabian Cancellara and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) have both won the men’s race three times and lead the charts for the most Strade Bianche victories. The latter could claim the record outright.

The race seems to favour anyone and everyone: GC riders like Pogačar, puncheurs, and - thanks to its uneven gravel sectors - cobbled classics specialists, cyclo-cross and former mountain bike riders can all do well.

After the success of the men’s edition of the race, a women’s equivalent was first held in 2015 and also quickly established itself within the Women’s WorldTour.

The Dutch, much like in most top-level women's racing, have dominated the race with the last four of eight editions going to a Dutch woman. Annemiek van Vleuten, Demi. Vollering and Lotte Kopecky have won it twice, with the Belgian likely to go for the hat-trick in 2026.

Lizzie Deignan and Tom Pidcock have both won the race, being the only Brits to do so in history.

Strade Bianche 2026: The route

Strade Bianche, meaning 'white roads' in Italian, refers to the sectors of unpaved gravel that are a key feature and a unique characteristic of the race. Some are flat, some involve steep climbs or technical descents, testing the rider's bike handling skills. 

This year there are 14 of these gravel sectors in the men's race, up from 11, covering 64km of the total 201km. The women's race has lost two gravel sectors, meaning 11, totalling 33km of the 131km. 

Another key feature of the race is its finale: the incredibly steep, narrow climb, the Via Santa Caterina, which peaks at 16%, to the finish in the beautiful Piazza del Campo within the city of Siena. 

Strade Bianche: Recent winners

2025: Tadej Pogačar (Slo), UAE Team Emirates-XRG
2024: Tadej Pogačar (Slo), UAE Team Emirates
2023: Tom Pidcock (GBr), Ineos Grenadiers
2022: Tadej Pogačar (Slo), UAE Team Emirates
2021: Mathieu van der Poel (Ned), Alpecin-Fenix
2020: Wout van Aert (Bel), Team Jumbo-Visma
2019: Julian Alaphilippe (Fra), Deceuninck - Quick-Step
2018: Tiesj Benoot (Bel), Lotto-Soudal
2017: Michał Kwiatkowski (Pol), Team Sky
2016: Fabian Cancellara (Sui), Trek-Segafredo
2015: Zdeněk Štybar (Cze), Etixx - Quick-Step
2014: Michał Kwiatkowski (Pol), Omega Pharma - Quick-Step
2013: Moreno Moser (Ita), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team
2012: Fabian Cancellara (Sui), Radioshack-Nissan
2011: Philippe Gilbert (Bel), Omega Pharma-Lotto
2010: Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz), Astana
2009: Thomas Löfkvist (Swe), Team Columbia-HTC
2008: Fabian Cancellara (Sui), CSC ProTeam

Strade Bianche Rosa: Recent winners

2025: Demi Vollering (Ned), FDJ-SUEZ
2024: Lotte Kopecky (Bel), SD Worx-Protime
2023: Demi Vollering (Ned), SD Worx
2022: Lotte Kopecky (Bel), SD Worx
2021: Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned), Team SD Worx
2020: Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned), Mitchelton-Scott
2019: Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned), Mitchelton-Scott
2018: Anna van der Breggen (Ned), Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team
2017: Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita), Wiggle-High5
2016: Lizzie Deignan (GBr), Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team

External links: Official website | Official X feed
Strade Bianche Donne official website