"Back then, riders like Cancellara could still compete for the win" - Former Strade Bianche winner recalls changes throughout the years

Philippe Gilbert, Fabian Cancellara, Zdenek Stybar... These are some of the riders who have won Strade Bianche in the 2010's, but nowadays with the tougher and longer course it would be very hard for them to do so. Michal Kwiatkowski, who has won here back in 2014 and 2017, goes through the years and can tell the difference in the race nowadays. 

"That was a different time. The race has changed a lot since then. Now, we already hit a tough gravel sector after just 14 kilometers. Back then, riders like Cancellara could still compete for the win," Kwiatkowski argues with CyclingPro.net.

"With the current amount of climbing, that’s completely different. They’ve added more sectors, extra kilometers—it’s a much harder race, one that suits climbers more than classic specialists". Tadej Pogacar and Tom Pidcock won the last three editions with long solo attacks, and with 30 extra kilometers and 700 climbing meters there is a much harder time for those who aren't climbing specialists.

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Kwiatkowski however is a rider that through the years maintained his motivation, his bike handling skills and his talent. Recently he took a very important solo victory at the Clasica Jaen Paraiso Interior which is the most similar race to Strade Bianche in the calendar, and is without a doubt a leader for INEOS Grenadiers this Saturday in Tuscany.

"A lot has changed, but my drive to compete has always stayed the same. I still believe I’m at the level to fight for the win. We’re mainly going to focus on our own race, like staying out of trouble. We’ll see what Tadej has in store for us. He’s the best rider in the world and the biggest favorite for the win," the Pole aknowledges. "We’ll have to adapt to his way of racing. We need to figure out how to be at our best and how we can win this race."

"He’s not afraid to ride alone for a long time. That means his team will be working very hard in the hours leading up to his move. So, I expect a fast pace right from the start. Then, Tadej will make his move. Wind doesn’t play a role when riders arrive there one by one, so I think Tadej will use the sector before it to go solo".

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