Wout van Aert finally takes deserved win at Strade Bianche 2020 after consecutive near misses
The cyclocross and road star turned his bronze medals into gold at the third time of asking
Wout van Aert has finally taken his deserved Strade Bianche title in the 2020 edition, having finished third in his first two attempts.
The Jumbo-Visma rider was ruthless in his delivery of the victory on the white roads of Tuscany, comfortably holding his place in the front group of favourites in the final 50km before launching the hammer blow 12km from the line.
Despite an honourable chase from climbers Davide Formolo (UAE Team Emirates)) and Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), Van Aert climbed the ramp to Siena alone to win a thrilling day.
The 25-year-old debuted in Strade Bianche in 2018 and finished third in both his previous efforts, but this time the glory was all his.
How it happened
Strade Bianche unexpectedly found itself as one of the most important races of 2020.
After being the first Classic cancelled when the coronavirus pandemic hit Italy earlier this year, it was given the prestigious spot as the first WorldTour race of the new season.
This year’s edition followed the same 184km course of the previous two years, starting in Siena and finishing in the iconic Piazza del Camp in the centre of the city.
The race also featured 11 of the white roads that give it both its name and unique character, the last segment of which came 6km from the finish, before the leaders would fight for victory on the 1km, 4.8 per cent climb back up into Siena.
The heat was expected to have as much of an impact on the race as the gravel paths themselves, as temperatures hit 37 degrees in Tuscany.
As pace-setters for the day, a breakaway of six riders managed to get clear of the bunch, pulling out a two-minute lead in the opening 20km.
The break consisted of Corné Van Kessel (Circus-Wanty Gobert), Benjamin Declerq (Arkéa-Samsic), Iuri Filosi (Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè), Simon Pellaud, Nicola Bagiolo (Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec) and Quentin Pacher (B&B Hotels-Vital Concept).
But the peloton was determined to keep the escapees on a tight leash, bringing them back under a minute which prompted Pellaud into an attack.
After a respectable solo ride away from the peloton, Pellaud’s advantage rapidly fell away when some of the race favourites put in an attack just under 100km from the line.
Reigning champion Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck- Quick-Step) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) both sparked the move, which was met by a flurry of accelerations within the peloton and helped establish a group of around 20 favourites.
That group included Alaphilippe, Van der Poel, Van Aert, Greg Van Avermaet (CCC Team), Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) and Michał Kwiatkowski (Team Ineos), as they hit the toughest of the gravel stretches, sector eight, with 50km to the line.
Alaphilippe and Van der Poel were both dropped like a stone on the brutal sector however as Fuglsang, spurred on by his near miss last year, attacked just inside the 50km mark and pulled out a 30-second advantage over the rapidly thinning group of favourites.
Fuglsang was finally picked up with just over 40km to race bringing the front group to just six riders, with Max Schachmann, Van Avermaet, Alberto Bettiol (EF Pro Cycling(, Van Aert and Davide Formolo completing the elite group, 90 seconds ahead of a chasing trio.
At the 20km mark it was Formolo who launched a huge attack as he grew concerned about Zdenek Štybar (Deceuninck – Quick-Step) who was single-handedly pulling the chasing trio back within range.
Van Aert was quickest to follow and the rest of the favourites upped the pace too, but Van Avermaet fell casualty to the acceleration and lost touch.
Inside 15km, Van Avermaet and Štybar partnered up to try and catch the leaders but with 12km to race Van Aert launched the decisive move of the final and vanished up the road.
Bettiol, Formolo and Schachmann were also willing to set off in pursuit but Fuglsang had burnt all his matches and was left behind.
Van Aert committed on the gravel ascents and threw himself into the descents in the final 10km, with his advantage over the chasers fluttering between 10 and 15 seconds.
But Formolo and Schachmann lost their motivation inside the final 5km and by the foot of the final climb to Siena victory was Aert’s for the taking.
He raised his hand across the line, taking his first win since a nasty crash suffered on the time trial stage of the 2019 Tour de France.
>>> Annemiek van Vleuten says ‘winning is not normal…and not easy’ after Strade Bianche victory
Formolo outsprinted Schachammn in the final 100m to take second, 30 seconds behind the winner.
Results
Strade Bianche 2020: Siena to Siena (184km)
1. Wout van Aert (Bel) Jumbo-Visma, in 4-56-58
2. Davide Formolo (Ita) UAE Team Emirates, at 30 seconds
3. Max Schachmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 32s
4. Alberto Bettiol (Ita) EF Pro Cycling, at 1-31
5. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana, at 2-55
6. Zdenek Štybar (Cze) Deceuninck - Quick-step, at 3-59
7. Brent Bookwalter (USA) Mitchelton-Scott, at 4-25
8. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) CCC Team, at 4-27
9. Michael Gogl (Pol) NTT Pro Cycling, at 6-47
10. Diego Rosa (Ita) Arkéa-Samsic, at 7-45
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers. Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
-
Build it and they will come: the rise of Zwift
We tracked down the virtual riding platform's top brass to find out how it all began, and where it's going
By James Shrubsall Published
-
'Absorb the world around you and let your mind wander' - you may find that it's more addictive than data
Leaving the bike computer at home when heading out for a ride could help reboot your cycling
By Hannah Bussey Published
-
Visma-Lease a Bike say they want to be the All Blacks or Chicago Bulls of cycling, but is this possible?
The Dutch super team might be winning it all, but can they create a legacy?
By Adam Becket Published
-
'I don’t know': Not even Tadej Pogačar could explain his incredible Strade Bianche attack
The Slovenian was so dominant on Saturday that everything seems hyperbolic
By Adam Becket Published
-
Tadej Pogačar cruises to Strade Bianche victory after 81km solo attack
Slovenian wins by almost three minutes in Siena after dominant display in Tuscany
By Adam Becket Published
-
Lotte Kopecky storms to Strade Bianche victory with stinging attack
Belgian beats Elisa Longo Borghini to take her first WorldTour win in the rainbow jersey
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Tough new Strade Bianche course 'tips the scales' in favour of climbers, Matej Mohorič says
Slovenian says adjustments to the route will make race a 'journey into the unknown’
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Demi Vollering: Revamped Strade Bianche course could play into SD Worx's hands
Defending champion predicts ‘spicy’ race on Saturday
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
‘It doesn’t change anything’ - Tom Pidcock’s coach on Tadej Pogačar at Strade Bianche
Kurt Bogaerts says the pressure is off for Pidcock as he looks to defend the title he emphatically won last year
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Everything you need for Strade Bianche: Key information, route, start lists and riders to watch
The Italian Classic and its white gravel returns on Saturday 2 March
By Tom Thewlis Published