Strade Bianche 2026, March 7, one-day race

[canina82]

And when the Cipressa is raced like last year, there are precisely two plausible scenarios:

1. Pogacar drops Van der Poel and solos to the finish
2. Pogacar doesn't drop Van der Poel and loses the ensuing sprint, just like last year

It was really cool to see the Cipressa define the race for the first time in my lifetime, but it objectively makes the race less dynamic if that becomes the new norm, because there are a bajillion different ways the 2017-2024 norm can play out (and it did in fact play out quite differently every single year except maybe 2017 and 2020). The main argument for 2017-2024 is not unpredictability in the winner, it's unpredictability in the way the race is won. And the final 15 minutes of Sanremo did a better job at that than any other race in the world in the 2017-2024 meta (and that is obviously completely different from a sprint race, which you are conveniently ignoring).

That is no different from many races you probably called boring. LBL is a prime example of that. It has been won (since 2017) in multiple ways (Jungels won from a solo on a descent; reduced sprints; solos after la redoute, after RaF).

 

[Devil's Elbow]

I don’t know how you define “the vast majority” but there are plenty of plain ole’ cycling fans like myself who look forward with anticipation to MSR. It’s the 1st monument of the year, and always an interesting cast of characters.

I thought it was pretty clear that the discussion was about anticipation as in actively hyping up the race, not as in privately being excited for it.

 

[Berniece]

Basically, MVP doesn't show up because he thinks he will lose against Pogacar and Pidcock.

“If you run into Pidcock or Pogacar at 100% it would be very hard” – Roodhooft explains why Mathieu van der Poel avoids Strade Bianche showdown

Mathieu van der Poel will not return to Strade Bianche in 2026, despite having won the race in spectacular fashion just five years ago. The Dutchman’s absence from the Tuscan gravel Classic has again...

cyclinguptodate.com

Yeah weird he also doesn't go for a GC result in the TDF. He doesn't show up because he loses the TDF, what a weakling.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Milano Sanremo is the best race of the year. There is no better advert for cycling than the spell from the bottom of the cipressa to the via Roma.

Some people may say, oh, but rarely they attack cipressa and after they just ride in the bunch to poggio. But there you are sitting there wondering, ok in 5 mins we hit poggio, I have no idea what will happen or how it will be raced. Which teams will try which strategy. The anticipation before it all kicks off is amazing. And then it can be lots of different outcomes, riders have to be smart. They have to make decisions. They have to be well positioned. And then it all explodes.

You can watch many of the finals in the last 10 years and be on the edge of your seat the whole team even though you know the result.

I hate this idea that in cycling the strongest has to win. In cycling the first across the line wins. It's a a sport, a race, no a watt contest. Sanremo is the last great bastion of true cycling.

I love it.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

That is no different from many races you probably called boring. LBL is a prime example of that. It has been won (since 2017) in multiple ways (Jungels won from a solo on a descent; reduced sprints; solos after la redoute, after RaF).

This is impressive levels of misrepresenting Liège. Jungels did not attack on the descent, and more importantly Liège had a big route change in 2020 that you're completely glossing over. Since that year, we have only had sprints of 5 riders and solos from Redoute. Before that, we had many years of everyone waiting as long as humanly possible with the exception of that one Jungels solo - the last winning RaF attack before that was in 2009.

So yeah, on the current route, Liège has only ever been won in two ways (neither of which is dynamic - nothing really happened in 2020 or 2021 bar that ridiculous sprint in the former year, and every single solo has been immediately race-ending) and continues to be a straight up bad race (it also sucked on the previous route but for different reasons). Thank you for proving my argument that Sanremo, whatever else is true of it, is/was unique in a good way. And you'll find that I have held this opinion for as long as I've been a regular here...

In any case, Liège should take priority for a redesign among the hilly classics, that's also little more than a one-climb race right now when it really, really shouldn't be. Even Sanremo is better in recent years.

This was still the worst monument of the year, like every Liège has been the worst monument of its year since at least 2017.

Liège was the same version of the same bad race in 2022 and 2023.

 

[Netserk]

the major change was in 2019 , since then you had a slight change to the finish and a change to redoute

agree fully with how godawful and static the race has been

 

[Krzysztof_O]

And when the Cipressa is raced like last year, there are precisely two plausible scenarios:

1. Pogacar drops Van der Poel and solos to the finish
2. Pogacar doesn't drop Van der Poel and loses the ensuing sprint, just like last year

It was really cool to see the Cipressa define the race for the first time in my lifetime, but it objectively makes the race less dynamic if that becomes the new norm, because there are a bajillion different ways the 2017-2024 norm can play out (and it did in fact play out quite differently every single year except maybe 2017 and 2020). The main argument for 2017-2024 is not unpredictability in the winner, it's unpredictability in the way the race is won. And the final 15 minutes of Sanremo did a better job at that than any other race in the world in the 2017-2024 meta (and that is obviously completely different from a sprint race, which you are conveniently ignoring).

Cipressa attack last year was great but it seems Van der Poel is too good on those shallow gradients. This year UAE is missing the firepower of Narvaez, Wellens is also missing plus the wind was also good last year. It will be more difficult to detonate Cipressa this time. UAE maybe will try two-men tactics (Pog + Del Toro attacking one after another), especially if an initial attack by Pog fails.

 

[Red Rick]

Cipressa attack last year was great but it seems Van der Poel is too good on those shallow gradients. This year UAE is missing the firepower of Narvaez, Wellens is also missing plus the wind was also good last year. It will be more difficult to detonate Cipressa this time. UAE maybe will try two-men tactics (Pog + Del Toro attacking one after another), especially if an initial attack by Pog fails.

Cipressa has a tailwind in most years.

 

[Berniece]

UAE maybe will try two-men tactics (Pog + Del Toro attacking one after another), especially if an initial attack by Pog fails.

Only reason why I think they might not do that, is because in the end they want Pogacar to win and not Del Toro.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Only reason why I think they might not do that, is because in the end they want Pogacar to win and not Del Toro.

Yes, they obviously do. Maybe then attack with Del Toro first (kinda suicidal, super strong surge) and make MVP work harder (and after he bridges then Pog counters). Pogacar's tried brute-force attack by himself in 4 editions already and no success to date (although last year only MVP prevented it).

 

[Berniece]

Yes, they obviously do. Maybe then attack with Del Toro first (kinda suicidal, super strong surge) and make MVP work harder (and after he bridges then Pog counters). Pogacar's tried brute-force attack by himself in 4 editions already and no success to date (although last year only MVP prevented it).

I agree, that if UAE wants to win the race, they should attack one by one. Even then if MVDP collapses, Pogacar can attack behind him and drop him.

 

[proffate]

do we know how Seixas is on gravel, especially going downhill?

 

[Unchained]

Perfect if you want a climber to win… you wouldn’t see WVA or MVDP win if Pogacar wasn’t riding it

People feel in love with the race because of the gritty gravel sections and taking out gravel and adding more climbing was silly. Race was fine ...the new and improved version is neither. I am also bummed that riders like Wout and Van Der Poel won't be able to hang on climbing.

 

[Unchained]

do we know how Seixas is on gravel, especially going downhill?

Saw a podcast that hid did races in Italy as a young junior that had gravel.

 

[Unchained]

Only reason why I think they might not do that, is because in the end they want Pogacar to win and not Del Toro.

With all the hype and hysteria surrounding Del Toro they will likely send him flying and cause everyone to chase the rabbit and Tadej Pogacar will just be waiting until he feels warmed up enough to take off,
There are @20+ riders who can really heat up climbs and burn a bunch of guys off. There is something mental about Del Toro and Italy.. He is in his comfort zone for sure.