{"id":2633,"date":"2025-03-04T16:59:45","date_gmt":"2025-03-04T16:59:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cyclist.co.uk\/strade-bianche-all-you-need-to-know\/"},"modified":"2025-03-04T16:59:49","modified_gmt":"2025-03-04T16:59:49","slug":"strade-bianche-all-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cyclist.co.uk\/news\/strade-bianche-all-you-need-to-know","title":{"rendered":"Strade Bianche 2025 preview: Routes, favourites, how to watch and start lists"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Taking place on Saturday 8th March, Strade Bianche is the second significant one-day road race of the season, coming the weekend after the spring Classics opene at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad<\/a> last weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The youngest of the spring Classics<\/a>, the Italian race Strade Bianche has enjoyed a meteoric rise in fame and prestige since its inception in 2007, including promotion to WorldTour level in 2017. Famous for its gravel sectors, this long loop out from Siena through the beautiful Tuscan countryside is favoured by one-day specialists who aren\u2019t fazed by its sharp, punchy (and mostly gravel) climbs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The name comes from the Italian for \u2018white roads\u2019, referring to the gravel that makes this race so difficult (and exciting and unpredictable). Both the men and women’s races see a slight increase in gravel \u2013 16 sectors for the men totalling 81.7km in their 19th edition, and 13 for the women reaching 50.3km in their 11th edition.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/a> notched his second victory in the race with a 81km solo attack in the men’s race, while Lotte Kopecky powered away from Elisa Longo Borghini up the brutal Via Santa Caterina climb into Siena for her second win in the race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Strade Bianche 2025 key information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Tim de Waele\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n