Strade Bianche, here is the first classic of 2025
White Streets, here is the first classic of 2025
After watching him train pedaling 'at full throttle' up the Santa Caterina climb that, in Siena, leads to Piazza del Campo, few had any doubts. Tadej Pogacar è again, the big favorite of the Strade Bianche, the Tuscan race that the Slovenian phenomenon has already won twice and that many consider a true Classic.
Saturday’s will be the 19th edition of this trial, which takes place among fabulous scenery and was born as 'rib' of the Eroica. If indeed Pogacar will make it a trio he will join the Swiss Fabian Cancellara for number of successes, while the only Italian to have won it è was Moreno Moser in 2013. This year, the course for the men's race è is 213 kilometers, while the women's is 136. In total, the men will have to cover 82 kilometers of gravel roads, hence the name Bianche, divided into 16 sectors, while the women’s race includes 13, for a total of 50 kilometers, on gravel.
As always, unforeseen events, punctures first and foremost, will be possible at any time during the trial, but Pogacar didn't think too much about it when he pulled away from everyone 80 kilometers from the finish line last year to fly on those dusty roads on which he began to build his triumphant 2024, the year in which he won, in addition to Siena, Giro, Tour, World, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Giro di Lombardia. Pogacar aside, the parterre è is full of illustrious names, such as those of Tom Pidcock, who has already scored four victories this early in the season and is accustomed to imposing himself even off the asphalt (he won two Olympic gold medals in the'XC, the cross country) and therefore certainly does not fear the gravel roads, Michal Kwiatowski, Marc Hirschl, Matej Mohoric and, to try to hold high the honor of Italy, that Davide Formolo who at 'Strade Bianche' è was once second and three times è entered the top 10.
The field of participants in the women’s race is also very rich, with Elisa Longo Borghini and Demi Vollering in pole, both of whom have already gone to the top in 2017 and 2023, respectively. There will also be Tour 2024 winner Katarzyna Niewiadoma, European champion Lorena Wiebes and cyclocross rainbow winner Fem van Empel, among others. Meanwhile, to the caravan è came the news that to take part in the upcoming World Championships in Rwanda it will be compulsory to vaccinate for yellow fever. It’s all about finding, during the course of the season, the right time to do it and then manage any side effects. No small problem, but now è the time to enjoy the Strade Bianche.
