The White Roads beckon in this 17th edition of Strade Bianche. The riders depart from the town of Gubbio, the first Strade don’t come until the 114k mark, the riders will reach the famous finish in Siena in 178k.
The organizers think this is still a puncheurs race.
The first attackers are Eekhoff, Page, and Van Uden
6 more riders join the front 3 and the peloton closes down further attacks giving us a 9-rider break. The additions are Pringle, Losch, Batmunkh, Kench, Yechezkel, and Masengesho. 9 different teams in the break, nobody able to double up. 164k to.
La Cima is the longest climb in the race but it comes with 130k still to go (4.2k 7.5%). Bagnara leading the peloton, the gap is 4’27
The peloton can see the break with 85k to go but it is a long road as the gap is 3’03. About 20k to the beginning of the white roads.
The break hits the first of the white roads, the climb of Il Poggione. with a lead of 2’45. Behind Raugala, Arrieta, and Paleni on the front of a complete peloton
A badly timed puncture leaves Zepuntke stranded on the second section of white roads, the Pievi a Salti segment.
Scotson leads the peloton off the Pievi a Salti section with a gap of 2’05. After this about 7k of normal roads and then the longest block of gravel in the race. Zepuntke is 2’40 down with a few dropped riders, EKOI have not sent anyone back for him.
Early in the next sector Zepuntke regains the peloton but he is right at the back and the peloton is stretched.
With just under 50k to go the first riders are dropped from the break – Pringle and Batmunkh.
The break quickly disintegrates on the white roads and with 45k left it is just Eekhoff, Page and Kench left at the front. Peloton at 2’08, small numbers of riders being dropped.
About the same point the break fell apart the peloton shows the first signs of splitting, 24 riders get a small gap.
When the leaders hit the longest sector of white roads, the 9k San Martin in Grania, it is just Page and Eekhoff at the front. The group off the front of the peleton has grown to 37 but still very fluid.
As the peloton completes the first ridge in the series of climbs in the San Martin in Grania sector work from Zwift (Kozhatayev), Gjensidige (Vangstad), IESE (Jensen) and McCormick (Hecht) has almost closed the gap.
37.7k to go and it is over for the break, Van der Poel leads a 17-rider group across. The 78 rider peloton is 1’17 down.
The race continues to form and split, just as a small group bridges up to the leaders a new attack draws 8 riders clear. They are Hirschi, Stannard, Benoot, Gesbert, Van Niekerk, Jorgenson, Quita, Van der Poel and Wisniowski. Most of the puncheur favorites here but Lutsenko a notable absentee.
Van der Poel and Hirschi draw a little ahead while Wisniowski is quickly dropped. They are about to reach the steep final part of the sector, then back to normal roads.
Over the top of the climb 6 strongmen come together – it is Hirschi, Van der Poel, Stannard, Benoot, Jorgenson and Van Niekerk. 54 seconds already the gap to Quita with the field spread out behind.
The defending champion, Stannard, is on his limit over the top and he lets a gap go.
The race situation with 25k to go and 6k to the next obstacle for the leaders – the Vico d’Arbia (0.5k at 8.4%).
The leaders crest the climb together.
On the next climb the Casabianca (0.7k at 6.8%) Van der Poel attacks. 1’17 behind Stannard has been caught by the next group and bad news for Assa Abloy as both Wisniowski and Gesbert have been dropped.
As they hit the Colle Pinzuto, the last sector of white roads Van der Poel has a 13 second edge. Behind the two Assa Abloy riders have rejoined the others.
Van der Poel is caught on the initial slope but over the top he attacks again and opens a new gap. Benoot and Jorgenson are the next two then a gap to Van Niekerk and another gap to Hirschi. The chase group of 7 is well out of it at 2’21 and then group of 29 at 3 minutes.
10k banner. Jorgenson made it up to Van der Poel but is having trouble staying on his wheel. Benoot at 28 seconds, Hirschi and Van Niekerk already a minute down.
Jorgenson can’t hold on to Van der Poel and as they hit the outskirts of Siena the gap is already 30 seconds. 7k to go. It looks like Van der Poel is going to make up for his mismanagement of Viano.
Van der Poel begins the climb to the famous palazzo with a gap of 52 seconds. Benoot is another 52 seconds behind Jorgenson. Further back, Wisniowski, Gesbert, Pithie and Kozhatayev have dropped the other 3 from their group and will be fighting it out for 6th.
Van der Poel wins Strade Bianche in style.
Jorgenson proves, once again, that he is one of the most complete riders in the peloton with an impressive 2nd.
Benoot gets the last spot on the podium, he might have been hoping for more.
Van Niekerk edges Hirschi for 4th.
Pithie completes an outstanding ride by outsprinting Gesbert for 6th. Wisniowski shows the cobbles might have a say here going forward by taking 7th. Two in the top 10 for Bolt-Eesti and Assa Abloy. Behind the chase group has caught the other 3 from this group.
Kozhatayev also gives Zwift two in the top 10 by holding on for 9th ahead of Quita Bystrom, Stannard and Narvaez. Not a great day for the defending champion.
Strade Bianche 
