Siena, 1 March 2024 – The cycling season has begun and the most important races are also arriving. One day races – looking forward to Sanremo which will open the program of classic monuments – they begin with the highly anticipated and spectacular Roads White 2024, scheduled for Saturday 2 March. Tough race, with 12 sectors of dirt road in the Siena hills, with ups and downs that will break the runners’ legs and then the grand finale on Fontebranda with gradients in double figures to reach Piazza del Campo. Race for sprinters, long-distance runners, over 200 kilometres, suitable for champions and with a roll of honor that speaks for itself. These are the latest winners: Pidcock 2023, Pogacar 2022, Van der Poel 2021, Van Aert 2020 e Alaphilippe in 2019. The race, with this name, has been running since 2012 and saw Fabian Cancellara as the first winner, followed by Moreno Moser, Michel Kwiatkowski and Zdenek Stybar. So far no one has managed to win it twice in a row, but two riders have won it twice: Cancellara in 2012 and 2016, Kwiatkowski in 2014 and 2017.
Summary
Traveled a lot wavy and wavy both in planimetric and altimetric terms, without long climbs, but dotted with more or less steep climbs, especially on dirt roads. There are just over 40 km of dirt roads divided into 12 sectors. The route is 215 kilometers long, starting from Siena in the Stadium area and finishing traditionally in Piazza del Campo. The first undulating kilometers are on asphalt until you reach the 1st dirt sector (2.1 km) which is perfectly straight and constantly slightly downhill. The first uphill sector is number 2 of 5.8 kilometers with 10% gradients. You reach Radi where you meet the 3rd sector (4.4 km) and the 4th sector “La Piana” (6.4 km) until you reach Ponte d’Arbia, then Cassia to reach Monteroni. Here begins the fifth sector of San Martino in Grania, almost 10 kilometers long among the Crete Senesi. Long sector dotted with ups and downs. An asphalt stretch follows with few difficulties up to Monteaperti, where the road climbs with double-digit gradients and in fact the tough finale of Strade Bianche 2024 opens up. Shortly afterwards you arrive at Colle Pinzuto, another tough sector of 2.4 kilometers with slopes up to 15%. Subsequently it will be the turn of the Tolfe sector, a very difficult dirt road with a descent and then a steep climb at 18% which precedes the new sector, which is Strada del Castagno of 1.3 kilometres. It will then be the turn of the tenth sector, that of Montechiaro, but the race will heat up again with the second passage on Colle Pinzuto and Tolfe located 17 and 12 kilometers from the finish line. The last km wind for the first part outside the town of Siena on wide roads and long straights connected to each other by wide curves, then, 2 km from the finish line, you take Via Esterna di Fontebranda with gradients of up to 9 %. 900 m from the finish you pass the Porta di Fontebranda and the paved pavement begins. The gradient exceeds 10% until it reaches peaks of 16% around 500 m from the finish line, in via Santa Caterina. Followed by a sharp right turn into via delle Terme and entering via Banchi di Sotto. From 300 m the road always goes slightly downhill. At 150 m turn right into via Rinaldini. At 70 m you enter the field, the last 30 m downhill at 7%, flat finish line.
One of the great protagonists of the Strade Bianche 2024 will be missing. Wout Van Aert, who will be at the Giro 2024, announced his withdrawal in recent days, but should be at the Tirreno Adriatico from March 6th. Some small ailments for Van Aert: “I haven’t been well in the last few days, now it’s better but it’s better to take a few days of time” are his words. So, Thomas will take the favorites Pidcockwinner 2023, and Tadej Pogacarwinner 2022. The Briton, above all, will be looking for a consecutive encore that no one has ever managed at the Strade Bianche and alongside him will be the two-time winner Michel Kwiatkowski. Among the possible outsiders we mention Christophe Laporteat this point captain of the Jumbo, together with his companion Attila Walterpoi Benoit Cosnefroy of AG2R, without forgetting Quinn Simmons of Lidl, Magnus Cort Nielsen of Uno X and Matej Mohoric of Bahrain. At Groupama, however, maximum attention is paid to Valentin Madouas. Obviously Julian should not be forgotten Alaphilippe of Soudal. Lotto’s Lennert Van Eetvel possible surprise. And the Italians? The main card seems to be the usual Alberto Bettiol of EF, but also Andrea BagioliDavide Formolo and Simone Velasco they can have their say.
The departure of the Strade Bianche is set for Saturday 2 March at 11.10am from Siena, while the arrival is estimated between 4.29pm and 5.04pm in Piazza del Campo. The main passages are: Monteaperti between 3.06pm and 3.31pm, first passage from Colle Pinzuto between 3.20pm and 3.48pm, first passage over the Tolfe between 3.27pm and 3.55pm, second passage from Colle Pinzuto between 3.59pm and 4.31pm, second passage at Tolfe between 4.13pm and 4.46pm.
The appointment with the Sienese race, and for cycling enthusiasts and others, is set for Saturday 2 March with double live television. In a race that will last around five hours, national TV will be live starting from 12.45pm Raisport HD, channel 58, for the women’s race. On Rai 2 from 2pm until the end of the race for the men’s race. Streaming on Raiplay. Live paid streaming on Discovery Pluswhile on Eurosport 2 the race will be broadcast from 3.15pm. It will be, as always, a great spectacle for the first truly important one-day race of the year.
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