Strade Bianche 2026, March 7, one-day race

[Rob5091]

Will the winner be just the guy who avoids the potholes?!
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/racin...route-and-it-wasnt-the-gravel-that-shocked-me

The eponymous white roads are pockmarked with potholes that would make a British council wince, and are hard to avoid at my lowly speed, let alone the pace of the peloton, packed out across the road, with little room to manoeuvre. These are potholes that risk throwing you out of rhythm, out of line, and into someone else or off the road at worst.

 

[Pantani_lives]

The Strade Bianche is full of paradoxes. It's a spring classic, but it's still winter. It's a relatively new race, but it has an old-fashioned character.

Visually it's one of the most compelling races, with the gravel roads swirling among the olive groves. This will be a dry, dusty edition. Riders adjust their material, with wider tyres and lower pressure. They need to excel at bike-handling, endurance and short, steep ramps.

The decisive sectors are usually the Monte Sante Marie, the Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe. If no one gets away solo there is still the steep final km to the Piazza del Campo. On this combination of gravel and climbing only the toughest can stay in front.

 

[Netserk]

despite the pointless loop in the end i think id be very excited for this race if the winner had been in doubt

its just not the same to watch the battle for second

pidders sexass gregoire would have been a fantastic podium

 

[Krzysztof_O]

despite the pointless loop in the end i think id be very excited for this race if the winner had been in doubt

its just not the same to watch the battle for second

pidders sexass gregoire would have been a fantastic podium

It's gravel. Maybe Teddy will have a flat tire and suddenly it's a tight race! I actually have a feeling it will happen.

 

[Extinction]

This is different than "used to do CX", though. The current WC of CX is not doing it because he's trained for other races and knows what it takes to be competitive, especially when you're a race favorite. I'd love for delToro and Seixas to throw down and stir the race. Not knowing what you have to do this race will reveal who guesses correctly. IMO Pidcock and Pogacar, barring wrecks/mechanicals; will be in the race critical position with very few companions. And they both are coming to win it confidently, I'd guess.

MvdP's problem is the race is too hard with Pog and others like Pidcock, del Toro and, yes, I'd also include Seixas now. That's why he decided against coming. I'm truely curious to see Seixas on the strade bianche, which I suspect he'll manage magnificently, and how he handles the big attacks, especially from Pogi. However, if there is any issue with his rivals, I wouldn't be surprised if Paul makes a serious move deep in the race. If, of course, he himself stays out of trouble and at the front.

 

[KoopaCycling]

MVDP is great. But we also have to be honest. If they raced Paris Roubaix 10 days in a row. Same Parcours, just rode it 10 consecutive days instead of just the one day. MVDP would probably win the first race. Compete for the second, and start being nowhere from the third day onwards. Pogacar would probably win the 2nd and 3rd race. From the 4th day Van Aert would well and truly come into the mix. And from the 5th day he'd likely dominate. You gotta respect Van Aert engine.

On a different note. Gilbert has put Seixas ahead of Pogacar for favourite to win. This is why beyond the technical aspects i don't put stock to what they say. Complete madness. Not that i would mind Seixas winning it. But you just can't put him ahead of a blond bleached fully UAE prepped Poagacar.

 

[Red Rick]

It's gravel. Maybe Teddy will have a flat tire and suddenly it's a tight race! I actually have a feeling it will happen.

He tried his best to yeet himeslf into a hospital last year and failing to do that he still won by about a three quarters of a lunar cycle

 

[Netserk]

From the 4th day Van Aert would well and truly come into the mix. And from the 5th day he'd likely dominate. You gotta respect Van Aert engine.

lol

 

[canina82]

MVDP is great. But we also have to be honest. If they raced Paris Roubaix 10 days in a row. Same Parcours, just rode it 10 consecutive days instead of just the one day. MVDP would probably win the first race. Compete for the second, and start being nowhere from the third day onwards. Pogacar would probably win the 2nd and 3rd race. From the 4th day Van Aert would well and truly come into the mix. And from the 5th day he'd likely dominate. You gotta respect Van Aert engine.

On a different note. Gilbert has put Seixas ahead of Pogacar for favourite to win. This is why beyond the technical aspects i don't put stock to what they say. Complete madness. Not that i would mind Seixas winning it. But you just can't put him ahead of a blond bleached fully UAE prepped Poagacar.

"We also have to be honest". Who is with you on this?

 

[canina82]

How much race will we lose of live coverage?

 

[KoopaCycling]

"We also have to be honest". Who is with you on this?

Anyone who has watched Van der Poel. Though I suppose it's my opinion. I did not realize it was controversial. Van der poel can dig real deep in a one day race. But he's never had the engine of a Van aert. It is why no one ever suggested he could win tirreno, win a mountain stage, ... .

 

[canina82]

Anyone who has watched Van der Poel. Though I suppose it's my opinion. I did not realize it was controversial. Van der poel can dig real deep in a one day race. But he's never had the engine of a Van aert. It is why no one ever suggested he could win tirreno, win a mountain stage, ... .

He can't win Tirreno because he can't climb (it doesn't matter if it's a mountain stage after 2 weeks of hard racing or a mountains classic like GdL). Not because his engine is poor or gets worse day by day.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

How much race will we lose of live coverage?

Rai 2 begin their programme at 14:20 and it ends 17:05 CET
If that helps, any.

 

[KoopaCycling]

He can't win Tirreno because he can't climb (it doesn't matter if it's a mountain stage after 2 weeks of hard racing or a mountains classic like GdL). Not because his engine is poor or gets worse day by day.

Lets' put it like this. MVDP can win a prologue but not a TT. MVDP can perform some days during a GT but not the whole GT. It's clear MVDP has less endurance imo.

 

[Netserk]

pogi must have less endurance / engine than van aert too if hed go from winning on day 2 and 3 to getting dominated by van aert afterwards

 

[HashRouge]

He tried his best to yeet himeslf into a hospital last year and failing to do that he still won by about a three quarters of a lunar cycle

Though the way things are going for UAE this year, he'll probably get crashed out of the race by a loose horse and break his ribs or something.

 

[AmRacer]

pogi must have less endurance / engine than van aert too if hed go from winning on day 2 and 3 to getting dominated by van aert afterwards

And Pogi recovers way better than anyone.

 

[KoopaCycling]

pogi must have less endurance / engine than van aert too if hed go from winning on day 2 and 3 to getting dominated by van aert afterwards

Not less endurance, less mass
If we're talking a different race i would not say WVA starts dominating Pogacar.
I believe WVA can handle the impact on the body better.

 

[AmRacer]

Not less endurance, less mass
If we're talking a different race i would not say WVA starts dominating Pogacar.
I believe WVA can handle the impact on the body better.

Wout will fade away day 3

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

Rai 2 begin their programme at 14:20 and it ends 17:05
If that helps, any.

PCS has the ETA at 16:00. Which then gives us 1,5 hours of racing (going by that schedule).

 

[QueenStagiaire]

PCS has the ETA at 16:00. Which then gives us 1,5 hours of racing (going by that schedule).

Well, that would mean demolishing the average speed record, so not gonna happen, Maybe 16:35 for the ETA from my perspective, but I can‘t access PCS at the moment.

 

[Extinction]

Interviewed by Gazzetta dello Sport, when asked what his tactic would be, Tadej responded: "I'll wait for Isaac to make the first move. He, like his last name says, is really a bull...I can't wait." Pogacar the said the goal is for the team to win, it doesn't matter who.

 

[topcat]

Capelli bianchi at strade bianche.
But, as Gilbert says, Seixas to win.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

He tried his best to yeet himeslf into a hospital last year and failing to do that he still won by about a three quarters of a lunar cycle

If they had the same rules as XC MTB, then he couldn't have changed bikes.......and either DNF, or carried on with a damaged bike. I actually think this is the way to go, no spare bikes at all. It's all part of bike racing, looking after your equipment.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Though the way things are going for UAE this year, he'll probably get crashed out of the race by a loose horse and break his ribs or something.

<Wout van Aert enters the chat>