Strade Bianche: August 1, 2020

[Pantani_lives]

Dirt roads, white streets, sterrato, the Hell of the South... Call them what you want, but these long and winding roads among the Tuscan vineyards means an exciting race every year. Start and finish are in Siena. Eleven unpaved sectors will separate the men from the boys.

1. Rosia (2,100 m) [166.4 km]
2. San Rocco a Pilli (5,800m) [159 km]
3. Ville di Corsano (4,400m) [147.1 km]
4. Vescovado (5,500m) [136.4 km]
5. Torrenieri (11,900m) [108.2 km]
6. Lucignano d’Asso (8,000m) [95.3 km]
7. Monteroni d’Arbia (9,500m) [72.3 km]
8. Asciano (11,500m) [54 km]
9. Monteaperti (800m) [24 km]
10. Vico d’Arbia (2,400m) [19.4 km]
11. Monteliscai (1,100m) [13 km]

Previous winners:
2007 Alexandr Kolobnev
2008 Fabian Cancellara
2009 Thomas Löfkvist
2010 Maxim Iglinsky
2011 Philippe Gilbert
2012 Fabian Cancellara
2013 Moreno Moser
2014 Michal Kwiatkowski
2015 Zdenek Stybar
2016 Fabian Cancellara
2017 Michal Kwiatkowski
2018 Tiesj Benoot
2019 Julian Alaphilippe
2020 ???

 

[Akuryo]

My favorite race of the year returns. Cant wait for this years edition. Many of the usual suspects are behind their form currently so we might see a "surprise" winner in 2020. Only thing we can be certain is a top 10 for Stybar. Between Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix he has missed the top 10 in these 2 races only once in the last 7 years.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I hope for a fit Van der Poel, but otherwise I hope for a fit Van Aert

 

[sir fly]

Shall the winner become the Olympic tt champion?

 

[RedheadDane]

I have recently come to the realisation that this race has the coolest name ever; basically named for its main feature. Using similar naming conventions, Paris-Roubaix should be named "Routes Cahoteuses".

 

[WKA311]

Max Schachmann to win this bike race.

 

[tobydawq]

Nice that it is not cancelled but now we again have to suffer from the ridiculous decision to only broadcast 90 minutes of this magnificent race.

 

[RedheadDane]

Nice that it is not cancelled but now we again have to suffer from the ridiculous decision to only broadcast 90 minutes of this magnificent race.

According to the schedule on Eurosport Player, it's on from 13:53 to 15:53, so two hours.

 

[tobydawq]

According to the schedule on Eurosport Player, it's on from 13:53 to 15:53, so two hours.

I assume they don't schedule the coverage to end at the exact time of the expected finish.

 

[SafeBet]

Last December I went to Siena and the surrounding area for the first time in my life. I can't describe how beautiful those roads are in real life. You can sit on a terrace while sipping some Chianti and admire the cypresses and the sterrato and the tiny hills on the background for hours.

Strade Bianche has been among my favorite races since the day Moreno Moser won it in 2013. But now it's in my heart.

The fact it is not broadcasted from km 0, despite the mounting enthusiasm that the whole cycling community shows for this race year after year, is frankly inexcusable and should warrant a class action against RCS, RAI and whoever else is in charge of these decisions.

 

[Pantani_lives]

I just want to see the dirt on their faces.

 

[RedheadDane]

I assume they don't schedule the coverage to end at the exact time of the expected finish.

I doubt they're planning to continue broadcasting for 30 minutes after arrival.

 

[tobydawq]

I doubt they're planning to continue broadcasting for 30 minutes after arrival.

It's just way, way too short a distance they show, the race has always exploded to pieces when they begin, I don't get why you seem to think that that is perfectly fine.

 

[RedheadDane]

It's just way, way too short a distance they show, the race has always exploded to pieces when they begin, I don't get why you seem to think that that is perfectly fine.

I'm not saying that it's perfectly fine. As far as I'm concerned every race should be full coverage. Just that it's more than 90 minutes, and - judging by what's next on the schedule - Eurosport probably aren't going to pull the same *** they did a few years ago, and suddenly decide not to broadcast at all, because the race was threatening to spill over into the schedule for some football match. Yeah... I'm still bitter about that one.

 

[tobydawq]

There's really no need for all races to be shown in full. But Strade really, really should.

 

[Boes]

**** Vandepoel, Fulsang, Van Aert
*** Stybar, Benoot, Stuyven
** Lampaert, Sagan, Valverde, Lutsenko
* Gilbert, Vanmarcke, Bettiol

 

[Velolover2]

Van Aert is very human. I can't see him riding away from the rest of the favorites. But if Van der Poel is fit, we could be witnesses to an OP performance.

Without MVDP and Alaphilippe, it's very open.

 

[Velolover2]

Asgreen is riding it! Could be a good race for a strongman like him.

Asgreen vs. Fuglsang?

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Fuglsang has to be the favorite, I think. Looking forward to a great race (as always).

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Van Aert is very human. I can't see him riding away from the rest of the favorites. But if Van der Poel is fit, we could be witnesses to an OP performance.

Without MVDP and Alaphilippe, it's very open.

He rode away from all the favorites bar Ala and Fuglsang last year, and this year Alaphilippe isn't here. But when he goes to the finish, just like MvdP, i don't think he can afford to bring the punchy climbers with him into the final kilometer. Though, with Alaphilippe out of the way, chances have improved for both of them considerably imho.

Shall the winner become the Olympic tt champion?

No Dennis, Evenepoel, Dumoulin, Campenaerts (if he'd even get to go) or Roglic at the start. So who is your pick for Olympic ITT gold? Küng? Van Aert? Asgreen? ...

 

[Lequack]

Will it be raced or not? I hope so.

 

[sir fly]

No Dennis, Evenepoel, Dumoulin, Campenaerts (if he'd even get to go) or Roglic at the start. So who is your pick for Olympic ITT gold? Küng? Van Aert? Asgreen? ...

I'll tell you after the race.

 

[SKSemtex]

Last December I went to Siena and the surrounding area for the first time in my life. I can't describe how beautiful those roads are in real life. You can sit on a terrace while sipping some Chianti and admire the cypresses and the sterrato and the tiny hills on the background for hours.

Strade Bianche has been among my favorite races since the day Moreno Moser won it in 2013. But now it's in my heart.

The fact it is not broadcasted from km 0, despite the mounting enthusiasm that the whole cycling community shows for this race year after year, is frankly inexcusable and should warrant a class action against RCS, RAI and whoever else is in charge of these decisions.

The same here. After this particular race, I become a hardcore spring classic fan. And the Strade is still my second most favorite. (RVV, STRADE, PR).
If there will ever be another official "monument" race it will be this one.

What a pity that Moreno completely lost the form /heath after this race. Together with Sagan they could collect a lot of wins if he stayed in form like in this race.

 

[SKSemtex]

https://www.velonews.com/2020/03/ne...escheduled-as-coronavirus-wreaks-havoc_505842

???

 

[RunningRouleur]

Back and forth again. Please let this race happen. I’d even be fine if they cancel Tirreno-Adriatico if the White Road is raced.