Strade Bianche 2025, March 8, one-day classic (men's)

[scribers]

What this has to do with SB?

Nothing. But it doesn’t mean we can’t have some pictures of oumi too!

 

[scribers]

The non- group thing is probably bcs the last muro creates gaps

Gravel sectors are really leaving bodies everywhere tho

 

[Sciatic]

Sat in the sun and enjoyed some good food, rather than watching this probable nonsense of a race. What a great decision! Can recommend.

Sat with my early morning coffee and watched a lovely bike race rather than sleeping in. Can recommend.

 

[Coffeeplanter]

Sat with my lovely early morning coffee and watched a lovely bike race rather than sleeping in. Can recommend.

I agree, the women's race was very good. Enjoyed it very much. Real ciclismo.

 

[Red Rick]

If they wanted to make it 250 they should just keep the old 180 km route with 70km of extra flat asphalt run in.

 

[Rule #9 apostle]

Gravel sectors are really leaving bodies everywhere tho

For sure. Absolutely among the hardest days on the calendar. But I dont think the 'single finisher' thing says that much in itself, esp when comparing to PR.

 

[Sciatic]

I agree, the women's race was very good. Enjoyed it very much. Real ciclismo.

Unfortunately the women’s race finished around 0500, I didn’t get up THAT early (but did watch the replay).

 

[Netserk]

If they wanted to make it 250 they should just keep the old 180 km route with 70km of extra flat asphalt run in.

They could move the start to Firenze. Would work with km0 outside Bartali's museum in Ponte a Ema.

 

[Rule #9 apostle]

If they wanted to make it 250 they should just keep the old 180 km route with 70km of extra flat asphalt run in.

As a Norwegian I have to support this wholeheartedly. A fairytale career conclusion with win nr 100 for Kristoff in the first edition of the 6th Monument

 

[scribers]

If they wanted to make it 250 they should just keep the old 180 km route with 70km of extra flat asphalt run in.

There isn’t a reason to make it that long. It’s clearly plenty hard now. It’ll never be a monument as those races have history as long as cycling itself. But cycling deserves an important and beautiful white gravel romp through Italy.

ETA: lol. If I misread a 70k flat finish? Or run in to sectors?

 

[Netserk]

As a Norwegian I have to support this wholeheartedly. A fairytale career conclusion with win nr 100 for Kristoff in the first edition of the 6th Monument

Good luck.

Strade Bianche: Firenze (Ponte a Ema) > Siena

248.8 km, +4355 m. Bike ride in Firenze, Toscana

ridewithgps.com

 

[armchairclimber]

Firenze then Pisa and onto the normal route

And btw, I heard commentators mention that Pidcock waited for Pog when Pog crashed. True?

 

[Red Rick]

There isn’t a reason to make it that long. It’s clearly plenty hard now. It’ll never be a monument as those races have history as long as cycling itself. But cycling deserves an important and beautiful white gravel romp through Italy.

ETA: lol. If I misread a 70k flat finish? Or run in to sectors?

I mean start. Basically like how Roubaix doesn't have cobbles until like 70k in.

It's about the hypothetical where you want it to work to higher status. It would also need a different calendar slot, probably in the fall.

That said, it's never gonna be a monument, these are set in stone, and the term itself is an ancient relic of a bygone era.

 

[AmRacer]

Firenze then Pisa and onto the normal route

And btw, I heard commentators mention that Pidcock waited for Pog when Pog crashed. True?

Pog chased Pidcock, so yes Pidcock waited.

 

[Tanakka]

... It’ll never be a monument as those races have history as long as cycling itself. But cycling deserves an important and beautiful white gravel romp through Italy.

...
That said, it's never gonna be a monument, these are set in stone, and the term itself is an ancient relic of a bygone era.

Yeah, I don't know how feasible would be to add a monument at this point.
Let alone a race born in the 21st century and not, let's say, as old as 'La Flèche Wallonne'.
Or perhaps we will all be dead by then.

Nonetheless, the meteoritic rise of SB is quite impressive.
Created in 1997, it became a professional race in 2007.
In 2015 it turned into a 1.Pro race and only a couple of years later, in 2017, it became a 1.UWT race.
Obviously it was a cat.6 at the beginning, but it has quickly reached cat.5*.
Possibly, it will be a cat.4* soon.

Pretty remarkable for a race that doesn't have huge petrol-dollars, or whatnot, behind it.
And, indeed, it's the only race for which you hear the '6th monument' argument brought up so often.



*I don't fully understand how the 'categories' of the 1.UWT races work though.
I think some of the cat.5 are more prestigious than some of the cat.4 ones.
My guess is that some political, geographical, influences, come into play with those UCI points.

 

[Tanakka]

And btw, I heard commentators mention that Pidcock waited for Pog when Pog crashed. True?

Meh... did he actually? I'm not so sure I buy it.

RAI's stance was that Pidcock started waiting for Pog only when the slovenian was already no more than 10-12 seconds behind him.
Not from the start.

Though I wasn't on the race's motorbike who was following him, so I don't know.

 

[Salvarani]

Meh... did he actually? I'm not so sure I buy it.

RAI's stance was that Pidcock started waiting for Pog only when the slovenian was already no more than 10-12 seconds behind him.
Not from the start.

Though I wasn't on the race's motorbike who was following him, so I don't know.

You are correct.

 

[Gratemans]

To us who follow cycling on the other side of he world its just complaining like a spoiled child. Do people in Europe sit in front of a TV for 5 hours watching these races drinking beer?

Me: * Looks around suspiciously for a hidden camera *

 

[Gigs_98]

If you also move it to a suitable spot in the calendar. Like the week after San Sebastian or the week after Worlds.

I think this is the crucial point that does not get enough attention. There is way too much focus on the route change and not enough focus on the last few years no longer having the same kind of starter field that this race had throughout the 2010's. Yes 2021 was perhaps the peak of this race with Pogacar, WvA, MvdP, Alaphilippe and Bernal fighting for the win, but I can guarantee you that such an epic fight would not have happened this year regardless of the route, because literally only a single rider of that caliber was on the startlist. Perhaps you can argue the route changed led to the exodus of top tier riders but considering this trend already started in 2022 and the top cobbles riders never even tried their chances on the new route I don't buy it.

I'm not sure what led to this development. Some have mentioned that combining SB with Tirreno Adriatico and MSR is no longer as convenient due to Tirreno starting two days earlier. I think it might also have something to do with some of the top cobbles riders trying to extend their peak into the Ardennes classics which means they time their peak a little later. I think the same thing might be damaging Omloop and KBK as well. And then there is probably the factor of riders not even bothering to show up if Pogacar is on the startlist. Whatever it is, I think finding a different place on the calendar is probably the best way to "fix" this race. I also agree that the weekend after worlds is probably the best spot. I think the cycling calendar would massively benefit if the year ended with four consecutive weekends going: WCRR - SB - Il Lombardia - Paris Tours
I'm aware Paris Tours' status is probably beyond saving but let me dream. I think if there is a conventional worlds route most good one day riders would probably try to stay in shape to contend in those races.

 

[Andy262]

Why doesn’t the boy wonder have a go at SB anyway?

 

[jono]

You have to go as far down as 12th at over 5 and a half minutes for the first non- lone rider crossing the line.

There is a strong argument that it is a tougher race than Paris-Roubaix given how bedraggled the field comes in all the way through and that it has over 38% of non-asphalt roads compared to just over 20% in Paris Roubaix.

Finishing on a steep climb rather than a flat and easy run-in followed by 1.5 laps of a velodrome is the reason that riders don't finish in groups.

 

[Netserk]

I think this is the crucial point that does not get enough attention. There is way too much focus on the route change and not enough focus on the last few years no longer having the same kind of starter field that this race had throughout the 2010's. Yes 2021 was perhaps the peak of this race with Pogacar, WvA, MvdP, Alaphilippe and Bernal fighting for the win, but I can guarantee you that such an epic fight would not have happened this year regardless of the route, because literally only a single rider of that caliber was on the startlist. Perhaps you can argue the route changed led to the exodus of top tier riders but considering this trend already started in 2022 and the top cobbles riders never even tried their chances on the new route I don't buy it.

I'm not sure what led to this development. Some have mentioned that combining SB with Tirreno Adriatico and MSR is no longer as convenient due to Tirreno starting two days earlier. I think it might also have something to do with some of the top cobbles riders trying to extend their peak into the Ardennes classics which means they time their peak a little later. I think the same thing might be damaging Omloop and KBK as well. And then there is probably the factor of riders not even bothering to show up if Pogacar is on the startlist. Whatever it is, I think finding a different place on the calendar is probably the best way to "fix" this race. I also agree that the weekend after worlds is probably the best spot. I think the cycling calendar would massively benefit if the year ended with four consecutive weekends going: WCRR - SB - Il Lombardia - Paris Tours
I'm aware Paris Tours' status is probably beyond saving but let me dream. I think if there is a conventional worlds route most good one day riders would probably try to stay in shape to contend in those races.

Earlier in this thread:

Up to 2021 as well. Back when Tirreno started Wednesday.

Then in 2022 RCS made a mess of their calendar, and the ugly loop last year only further worsened it.

Perhaps the 2021 Tirreno was too successful. Pogi, Van Aert and Van der Poel were not as dominant afterwards, going deep in both Strade and Tirreno. So the general lesson was not to compromise the big spring targets (the actual monuments) with too difficult racing too early.

 

[Lequack]

Just managed to watch a replay, after watching the women's race. And what a race it was, that Pog crash had me worried, not for the race but for his season going on. But what a tough guy, won bloodied and bruised, all kudos to him. And to Pidcock for giving him a good run for his money. Hopefully Pog recovers for his SanRemo attempt.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Ah, the irony of people who claim disinterest in a certain race yet take the time to come on a message board and inform everyone of their said disinterest.

Guilty

 

[Sandisfan]

I think he just missjudged the corner

Yup, just went too fast there.

Isn’t that the same corner that Ferrand-Prevot crashed on? Might be slippery there for some reason.

What I saw in the replay was that the road where the tires of the cars go are mostly swept clean-ish, Tadej started the turn form the inside tire lane the leaned over a lot but as his tire got to the middle of the road he washed out and I surmise that, and from what it looks like to me, the middle has gravel, dust, dirt and pebbles and when his tire hit that as he was drifting from inside tire lane to outside lane he lost traction and went down because of that. Though if someone had gone to that turn and swept it clean he may still have gone down but I think he would have made it.