Strade Bianche

Where: Siena, Italy
When: Saturday, March 5 2022
Rank: UCI WorldTour/Women's WorldTour
Distance: Not yet announced

You will be hard pressed to find a cycling fan who does not like Strade Bianche, a refreshing idea that began in 2007, this race has quickly gained popularity amid the Cobbled Classics season.

In 2022 the men's and women's races are set to take place on Saturday, March 5, coming just before Tirreno-Adriatico and the first Monument of the year, Milan-San Remo.

Dry, and this race is a near-impossible challenge tackling the uneven gravel sections on steep uphill kicks and rapid descents. Wet, and this race is mayhem with the gravel quickly turning into clay-like mud that cake the riders.

Not to mention the viciously steep Via Santa Caterina that leads the riders to the finish in the Piazza del Campo in the centre of the ancient city.

The race was given WorldTour status in 2017. A women's edition of the race that takes place earlier in the day first began in 2015 and is also now a WorldTour event in the women's racing calendar.

There is also a sportive the following day for any fans of the race that want to get a taste of the gravel roads themselves.

The race seems to favour anyone and everyone. If you're able to get over the steep climbs you should be good here with the likes of Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers), Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) all performing well in the race. 

But puncheurs also suit and are more likely to perform on the sharper kicks that require a good acceleration. The uneven gravel also means that Cobbled Classics riders, cyclo-cross and mountain bike riders do well.

Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck - Quick-Step), Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Peter Sagan (TotalEnergies), defending champion Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) and Fabian Cancellara are just some who have done well in the race.

The women's race is often far shorter than the men, much like any other women's race compared to the male equivalent for no apparent reason.

However, the racing is still epic with some amazing battles taking place. Mavi García's  (Alé-BTC-Ljubljana) amazing solo ride in 2020 almost made it all the way but was caught by the charging Dutch star of Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) who was defending her title.

The Dutch, much like in most top-level women's racing, have dominated the race with the last four of the seven editions going to a Dutch woman. Only Van Vleuten has managed to win it twice with Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (SD Worx) being the last winner.

British rider Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) managed to back up her second place in 2015 with a win in 2016, being the only Brit to ever win the event.

Strade Bianche: Recent winners

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
2007: Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus), CSC ProTeam.

Women's Strade Bianche: recent winners

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: Elizabeth Deignan (GBr), Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team
2015: Megan Guarnier (USA), Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team

Key info: Start list | TV Guide

Previous editions: 2021 / 2021 W | 2020 / 2020 W | 2019 / 2019 W | 2018 |2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011

External links: Official website | Official twitter feed