Preview Strade Bianche Donne 2026 - Vollering, Kopecky, Longo Borghini, Ferrand-Prévot and Le Court go head-to-head
Cycling
On the 7th of March the women's peloton takes on one of its most unique and prestigious classics: Strade Bianche Donne. In the gravel roads of Tuscany the riders find every year a brutal route that goes through steep hills, extensive off-road sectors and scenic landscapes that quickly turned the race into one of the sport's landmarks. The women's race is expected to start and finish at 10:20 and 14:00CET.
The women's race had its first edition back in 2015, eight years after the men's event proved to be a huge success. And right from the start this was a race with major names crowning themselves winners, with Megan Guarnier taking the first title that year. All hits, no misses in this race's winner books: Lizzie Deignan, Elisa Longo Borghini, Anna van der Breggen, Annemiek van Vleuten, Chantal van den Broeck-Blaak, Lotte Kopecky and Demi Vollering.
In 2025 Vollering took a high-level win after beating her former DS Anna van der Breggen in the final climb up to Siena; whilst Pauline Ferrand-Prévot completed the podium with a performance that would foreshadow what she would achieve later in the year.
Profile: Siena - Siena
Siena - Siena, 131.3 kilometers
11 gravel sectors in what is one of the most exciting races of the year. Without a doubt there will be a lot of spectacle amongst the climbers and classics specialists who have a route full of opportunities to make the difference. The riders do not take on Monte Sante Marie however, but the 9-kilometer long San Martino in Grania (end with 67Km to go) can prove decisive before the final two-lap circuit.
Several dozens of kilometers on gravel roads in a total of 131 kilometers, with the first half of the race having the longest sectors, and the second half the hardest and steepest. The riders will have to tackle a two-lap circuit with the brutal Colle Pinzuto (600; 7%) and Le Tolfe (600m; 7%) before heading into Siena where the traditional finale at the Piazza del Campo will decide the race after the climb of the Via Santa Caterina (700m; 9%).
Prediction Strade Bianche Donne 2026:
*** Demi Vollering, Elisa Longo Borghini, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
** Kim Le Court, Katarzyna Niewiadoma, Lotte Kopecky
* Elise Chabbey, Cecillie Uttrup Ludwig, Magdeleine Vallieres, Puck Pieterse, Shirin van Anrooij, Niamh Fisher-Black, Lucinda Brand, Liane Lippert, Marianne Vos, Anna van der Breggen
** Kim Le Court, Katarzyna Niewiadoma, Lotte Kopecky
* Elise Chabbey, Cecillie Uttrup Ludwig, Magdeleine Vallieres, Puck Pieterse, Shirin van Anrooij, Niamh Fisher-Black, Lucinda Brand, Liane Lippert, Marianne Vos, Anna van der Breggen
Pick: Vollering
How: Sprint win from a small group of riders.
Original: Rúben Silva
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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