Strade Bianche – The Iconic White Roads

First held in 2007 and then known as the Monte Paschi Eroica, the Men’s race re-branded its name to the now beloved “Strade Bianche” in 2013, while the organisers began a Women’s edition in 2015. After gaining WorldTour status in 2017, much like the sun-kissed rolling hills of Tuscany in early March, the race has blossomed into one of the must-watch one-day races on the calendar.  

Fervent fans fill the famous Piazza del Campo early on the Saturday morning, hoping to catch a glimpse of their heroes and heroines. Instead of witnessing the famous civic celebration The Palio and a rush of horses which lasts about a minute, those lucky enough to be in the beautiful square will get to see the riders mount their very own steeds as they set off on an epic journey; only to return several hours later. 

Gritty by name, gritty by nature 

The name “Strade Bianche” comes from the Italian for “White Roads”, and it is those iconic gravel roads which define the race. The 2024 edition of the Men’s race sees the toughest and longest route yet with the parcours extended to over 200 kilometres for the first time. More than just a sprinkling of dust awaits the bunch as they’ll face roughly 71 kilometres of gravel roads across 15 sectors along the route, with 13 of those shared on the Women’s race, who themselves do 40 kilometres worth of gravel in 137 kilometres. 

Of course, the white gravel roads make the headlines, quite literally too, but the race is by no means a flat gravel affair as several punchy climbs make for a grippy day in the saddle. Which given the nature of the under-wheel conditions, you want to have plenty of!  

Weather Watch 

As expressed, the parcours alone brings its difficulties but the race becomes a different beast and challenge depending on what the weather gods have intended. Over the years we’ve seen a variety of weather conditions but there are two in recent memory which stand out more and showcase the race in two completely different lights, both symbolically and literally.  

Searing temperatures, sun-scorched roads, and all-out racing; the special August edition of Strade Bianche in 2020 saw a brutal race for everyone. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the race was shifted to August 1st and kicked off the return to action for everyone in what was a “new normal”. The blistering heat had completely dried up the gravel making it both fast but also loose at the same time, with the dust plumes visible for miles as the race snaked its way through the Tuscan vineyards. 

Conversely, one of the editions that will stand-out in most people’s minds when they think about the race is the epic and wet conditions that the bunch took on in 2018. Completely the opposite to the searing temperatures from 2020, the dusty white roads had turned greyer in nature with the loose gravel coagulating into a paste that stuck to the bikes, and the riders. The wet nature of the course also brought handling challenges too as everything was slicker under-wheel with less traction, with the riders having to grind their way up the climbs in the saddle. Arriving across the finish line in Siena, riders were wet to the bone and caked in mud; a truly epic day out – and one that will long in the memory for those at race and those lucky enough to be sat in the warmth of their home watching along. 

Often the race takes place under more picturesque conditions but with it being held on the first weekend of March – you are never quite sure what type of race you will get until the day itself. So, we’re sure that riders, coaches, mechanics, and fans alike will be waiting with bated breath until they draw open the curtains come the morning. Either way, we are prepared as possible. 

Tech talk 

With the mix of parcours, whether that be the combination of both gravel and asphalt road sections, or the faster flat sections and rolling hills, then a balance must be struck with material choice to ensure that the best overall set-up is available for the riders.  

We caught up with Team dsm-firmenich PostNL R&D Expert Piet Rooijakkers who gave more insight: “With the route of Strade we need to consider the gravel sections, but two thirds of the race also take place on normal roads, so it is important to not only focus on the dirt. For our Men’s program we will mostly use Shimano C50 wheelsets while our Women’s program adopts the C36 option, so we can take on the hills that are on the route. Equipped on the wheels, we use Vittoria’s 30mm Corsa Pro Control tyres which offer us some valuable extra protection over the gravel and dirt, where we can minimise our risk of punctures. Finally, to make sure that drivetrain and components run as smoothly as possible we also choose which Weldtite lube we use based on the potential weather conditions.”  

With that, our Men’s and Women’s program are set to take on a challenging but beautiful parcours. 

An iconic finish  

Much like the race, we’ve overcome the trials and tribulations and as the blog approaches the finale, we have one last obstacle to tackle – the slog up the steep ramp into the famous Piazza del Campo. 

Building to a crescendo the noise follows the riders as they grind their way up the 500-metre final ramp, which averages a leg-sapping 11 percent in gradient with some pitches closer to the 20 percent mark. With those gradients coming after a brutal day in the saddle it is no surprise that some riders have been overcome by cramp in the finale. Maybe the square should be given the nickname of Piazza del Crampo… 

Recognised by UNESCO as the “ideal embodiment of a medieval city” the main square was built deliberately where it was due to it being the perfect intersection of three main roads which lead to and from Siena, and a place where political and civic holidays could be celebrated. But who will be the team and rider celebrating come the end of the day? 

 The square itself holds a distinctive shape and is paved in a fishtail style design, with the red brick split into nine different sections that all lead to the civic headquarters, the Palazzo Pubblico. A natural amphitheatre, you can hear the roars from the crowds all throughout the town as the famous Italian tifosi cheer on their favourite heroes upon their noble steeds all the way to the line. Given the piscatorial nature of the finish square and in the dazzling crisp spring sunlight we think it is an incredibly beautiful place to end a bike race – and that’s ofishial.