Preview Strade Bianche. Explosive battle to take place in the gravel roads of Tuscany

On March 5th World Tour racing resumes, now in Italy as the peloton will go through the gravel roads of Tuscany for the Strade Bianche, one of the most unique events on the calendar which also always lures in many of the best riders in the world, who seek a big win in Siena after going through the many steep climbs and sketchy descents that the route has to offer.

The 184 kilometers that Strade Bianche will present this year are a replica of the last few editions where it has provided for some of the most exciting racing year-long. Making a loop around Tuscany, with start and finish in the city of Siena, the route includes 3100 meters of climbing and a lot of those take place in gravel roads which makes this an unique race in the World Tour calendar.

Over the course of the race there are 63 kilometers of gravel roads separated into 11 sectors of very variable distances. They are spread all across the race with the final sectors being shorter as the riders approach Siena, with the most important sectors being Monte Sante Marie (43Km to go), Colle Pinzuto (17Km to go) and Le Tolfe (11Km to go). The decisive finale in Siena is usually settled in the brutal Via Santa Caterina which features 16% just a few hundred meters before the technical finish at Piazza del Campo.

The final startlist includes the likes of Greg van Avermaet, Benoît Cosnefroy, Pello Bilbao, Matej Mohoric, Simon Clarke, Jakob Fuglsang, Quinn Simmons, Michael Gogl, Michael Matthews, Lorenzo Rota, Domenico Pozzovivo, Richard Carapaz, Jhonatan Narváez, Sergio Higuita, Patrick Konrad, Miguel Ángel López, Gianni Moscon, Tim Wellens, Tiesj Benoot, Julian Alaphilippe, Mikkel Honoré, Kasper Asgreen, Tadej Pogacar, Diego Ulissi, Alessandro Covi, Thibaut Pinot, Alejandro Valverde, Gonzalo Serrano and Warren Barguil.

You will be able to keep up with the race here on CyclingUpToDate as we bring you the race report and interviews surrounding the opening weekend.