OPINION: Is it too soon to call Strade Bianche the sixth monument?

Strade Bianche may be a relatively new race on the cycling calendar, but it has quickly forged a reputation as one of the most exciting and prestigious one day events, and is already a favourite of fans and riders.

Held on the "Strade Bianche" or white gravel roads of Tuscany, this race blends modern professional cycling with the sport’s nostalgic past. In just a short time since its 2007 inception, Strade Bianche has captivated fans and riders alike with its unique character, dramatic races, and rapid ascent in status.

Below, we are going to take a dive into the history and evolution of this race, the cultural significance of its gravel roads, legendary editions and winners, and its place in the classics season.

Strade Bianche’s story begins with a love of cycling history. In 1997, a recreational granfondo event called L’Eroica (“the heroic”) was founded around Siena for vintage bikes, aiming to recreate the “heroic era” of early 20th-century cycling when races were run on dirt roads. And, the success of L’Eroica inspired organizers to create a professional race on these same white roads.

In October 2007, the first edition of the pro race – then called Monte Paschi Eroica (after the Siena-based bank Monte dei Paschi) – was held from Gaiole in Chianti to Siena. Russian rider Alexandr Kolobnev took that inaugural victory on October 9, 2007, just days after that year’s World Championships. Even in this debut, the race’s character was clear: it featured multiple unpaved sectors and finished in the historic heart of Siena.

After the success of the debut, organisers wasted no time moving the race to a more prominent slot and by 2008 it shifted to early March, aligning with the spring classics season. That year, Swiss star Fabian Cancellara won the second edition, signalling that top classics specialists were already taking notice.

In 2009, the name changed to Strade Bianche – Eroica Toscana, and by 2010, it was simplified to just Strade Bianche, firmly establishing its branding that we are familiar with in 2025. The route was extended and additional gravel sectors added, with about 57 km of the course on dirt by 2010, and these tweaks only increased the race’s challenge and appeal.

Throughout the 2010s, Strade Bianche grew exponentially in prestige, with each year more and more fans flocking to the region.

The start location moved to San Gimignano in 2014 and then back to Siena (hosting both start and finish) by 2016 as the event’s profile increased. In 2015, a women’s Strade Bianche was introduced (on the same roads, shorter distance), and the men’s race was upgraded to 1.HC status on the Europe Tour. By 2017, Strade Bianche had earned a spot on the elite UCI WorldTour calendar. In just a decade, it went from upstart to top-tier race, an almost unheard-of trajectory.

As commentator Matt De Neef noted, by its 12th year, “many have been speaking of the Tuscan one-day race with the sort of reverence normally reserved for the likes of Milano-Sanremo and Paris–Roubaix.” The race had effectively become an “instant classic,” and some whisper and call it the sixth monument.

Despite (or perhaps due to) its youth, Strade Bianche attracted an international roll of honour from the start, with big names like Cancellara, Philippe Gilbert, and Michał Kwiatkowski headlined the winners of the first ten editions.

In 2013, Moreno Moser delivered the first Italian victory, delighting home fans. By 2016, Cancellara – nicknamed “Spartacus” – claimed his third win, becoming the first triple champion and even earning a gravel sector named in his honour for his exploits. The rapid rise of Strade Bianche from a spin-off Granfondo to a race every classics specialist wants on their palmarès is a testament to its unique allure and the vision of its organizers.

The white gravel roads of Tuscany provide the race’s unique character, winding through the rolling hills and vineyards of the Chianti and Crete Senesi regions. These strade bianche (Italian for “white roads”) are typically farm lanes of packed chalky gravel that give the countryside a distinctive pale hue.

Racing on them brings a sense of nostalgia – a throwback to bygone days of cycling. Italian sprinter Daniele Bennati described his first experience on these roads as “a sensation of turning back in time” on remote paths where you rarely see anything but a tractor.

Finishing the race in Siena’s medieval Piazza del Campo, a UNESCO World Heritage site, further adds to the old-world atmosphere. It’s the same plaza famous for the centuries-old Palio horse race, and Strade Bianche’s finish there links this modern bike race to the deep cultural heritage of the region.

Beyond aesthetics, the gravel roads dramatically influence race tactics. Roughly one-third of the course (around 60–65 km of a 180 km route) is on unpaved sectors. These sectors range from flat, dusty straights to twisty, hilly tracks that include steep climbs and tricky descents. Such terrain demands exceptional bike-handling skills, puncture luck, and clever positioning.

Unlike a typical road race where the peloton might stay together longer, Strade Bianche often feels like a chaotic battle of attrition akin to the Northern Classics.

In just a handful of editions, Strade Bianche has amassed a list of memorable moments and legendary performances. From heroic solo exploits to dramatic duels on Siena’s streets, the race seems to deliver excitement every year.

In 2018, Tuscany had seen heavy snowfall, and on race day, cold rain poured nonstop. The white roads turned into unforgiving stretches of mud. Only 53 of the 147 starters made it to the finish that day, and fans were treated to images of mud-caked riders struggling across the line.

The extreme conditions emphasised raw nature of the race, and many observers compared it to the memorable muddy editions of Paris–Roubaix. In the end, Tiesj Benoot emerged as the hero of the day, conquering the mud in heroic fashion.

After his stunning solo win in 2022, Tadej Pogacar lifted his dust-caked bike in celebration on Siena’s finish line. That year, the young Slovenian attacked with 50 km to go on the Monte Sante Marie sector and never looked back. It was an unprecedented feat in the race’s history, in its first 16 years, nobody had ever won Strade Bianche from such a long solo move.

And guess what? Pogacar did it again 2024, this time with a ridiculous 80km attack that set the tone for his record breaking year. Can the world champion win again this weekend?

Strade Bianche’s emergence has significantly shaped the modern classics season, but where does it rank when compared to the five monuments?

Taking place in early March, it slots in just after the “Opening Weekend” in Belgium and before Milano-Sanremo. Strade Bianche is held the weekend before Tirreno–Adriatico, effectively serving as an early spring precursor to the cobbled classics in April.

With its challenging course and growing cachet, a debate has arisen: has Strade Bianche become the unofficial “sixth Monument” of cycling? The five Monuments (Milano-Sanremo, Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, and Il Lombardia) are the sport’s oldest and most venerated one-day races.

Strade Bianche, barely a teenager in comparison, lacks that deep historical lineage. Yet, many feel that in terms of sporting stature and excitement, it already belongs in the same conversation. Regardless of official designation, the consensus is that Strade Bianche has joined the top tier of one-day races.

Strade Bianche has seamlessly blended old-school racing ethos with new-age cycling, and that’s what makes it so special. Tactically, it rewards courage and versatility in a way that resonates with the current generation of racers who aren’t afraid to attack early, yes we’re looking at you Mr Pogacar.

It has carved out its own place in cycling lore, not by copying the Monuments, but by boldly creating something new and unique on the canvas of Tuscany. And as the dust (or mud) settles each year in the Piazza del Campo, one thing is clear: this young race has already become a classic.