Strade Bianche 2026: Preview, Favorites & How to Watch

Strade Bianche embodies heroism and an unwavering passion for the sport. The Tuscan sterrati – the white gravel roads – give this Italian race its unique character, captivating the hearts of cycling fans worldwide, including the sport’s biggest stars. Many consider Strade Bianche the sixth Monument, but the 2026 edition marks only the twentieth running of this classic. World Champion Tadej Pogačar is aiming for his fourth victory in five years. WielerFlits previews the race!

History

Ask a cycling enthusiast to name their favorite one-day race after the Monuments, and Strade Bianche will likely be at the top of the list. In a short period, this Italian gravel classic has gained immense popularity. It’s no surprise, given what makes Strade Bianche so special. It arguably sparked the gravel revolution of the last decade, with many races attempting to replicate the success of the Italian sterrati, but none have matched its beauty.

Last Edition



In Tuscany, the roads were white and treacherous, as if the landscape itself held its breath. A breakaway featuring young Dutchman Pepijn Reinderink animated the early stages, but all eyes were on Tadej Pogačar, the World Champion seeking a third win on these dusty roads. As his team controlled the pace, the peloton thinned, and anticipation grew: when would the Slovenian launch his decisive attack? However, it was Tom Pidcock who made the first move.

The race took a dramatic turn when Pogačar crashed in a descent, sliding off the road and into the bushes, shaken but not broken. After a quick bike change and with scrapes, he resumed the chase, fueled by sheer willpower. Pidcock initially pressed on, but sportingly waited to check on Pogačar. They rejoined, and a fragile truce settled over the final kilometers.

The moment arrived on the Colle Pinzuto. Pogačar accelerated even as seated, powerfully and relentlessly. Pidcock tried to respond, clinging on, but was forced to concede after several hundred meters. From that point on, the Slovenian rode solo, pain etched on his face but victory in his eyes. He stormed into Siena over the Via Santa Caterina, reaching the Piazza del Campo alone: battered, magnificent, and untouchable. Pidcock held on for second place, and Tim Wellens completed the podium for UAE Emirates.

Course

The formula for Strade Bianche has changed. Organizers have decided to remove a total of sixteen kilometers of gravel sections, making the race twelve kilometers shorter than the 2025 edition. The spectacular finale remains unchanged, but the question arises: is the organization attempting to address Pogačar’s dominance in recent years? And is this an invitation for riders like Mathieu van der Poel?

Let’s examine the changes. The sections of La Piana (6.4 kilometers) and Seravalle (9.3 kilometers) have been removed. These gravel passages featured in the early stages of last year’s race, before the final climbs. The first gravel section of the day – Vidritta – has too been halved, from 4.4 kilometers to just 2.4 kilometers.

In total, riders will face 64.1 kilometers of gravel roads, down from eighty kilometers. The total race distance has been shortened by twelve kilometers, from 213 to 201 kilometers.

The finale of Strade Bianche remains unchanged. This means riders will again face the long gravel stretches of San Martino in Grania (9.4 km) and Monte Sante Marie (11.5 km), followed by the unpaved passages of Monteaperti (0.6 km), Colle Pinzuto (2.4 km), Le Tolfe (1.1 km), Strada del Castagno (0.7 km), Montechiaro (3.3 km), and again Colle Pinzuto (2.4 km) – which was renamed after Pogačar last week, and will receive a commemorative stone – and Le Tolfe (1.1 km).

After the challenging climb of Le Tolfe, the route leads to the world-famous finish in the center of Siena, on the Piazza del Campo, after the steep climb of Via Santa Caterina. That finish has turn into so iconic, delivering truly heroic images. It’s so attractive that we chose a cover photo from Strade Bianche again for our spring issue of RIDE Magazine. You can order the magazine here.

Favorites

As every year, organizer RCS Sport can count on a strong field of participants. Mathieu van der Poel is currently skipping the race, but with the Dutchman from Alpecin-Premier Tech, you never grasp. Perhaps he will be convinced by the changed course. But for now, let’s focus on the riders who are participating!

Will Pogacar raise his arms for a fourth time in Siena? – foto: fotopersburo Cor Vos

Starting with the top favorite. Despite not having raced a meter in 2026, that won’t be a problem for Tadej Pogačar. In 2023 and 2024, it was the same story, and he unleashed solo attacks of 36 kilometers (Clásica Jaén 2023) and 82 kilometers (Strade Bianche 2024) in his season debut. He has also won three of the last four editions of this classic over the sterrati. In the missing year, he didn’t even start. With his explosiveness, winning mentality, and strength, it will take a strong rider to beat him.

Someone who could theoretically challenge him is Tom Pidcock. The 26-year-old Brit has raced Strade Bianche three times since his debut in 2021, with a strong track record: the Pinarello-Q36.5 team leader has never finished outside the top-5. He won in 2023 and challenged Pogačar fiercely last year, but ultimately had to concede in the finale. But: a new race, new opportunities. Pidders has started the season well and impressed with his victory in the final stage of the Ruta del Sol.

Pidders was the best of the rest in Strade last year – foto: fotopersburo Cor Vos

We’ll overlook Pidcock’s rookie mistake in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad by not dressing warmly enough, and the fact that Isaac Del Toro never finished higher than 33rd in Strade Bianche. The 22-year-old Mexican has all the characteristics needed to make the competition suffer. The question is how the roles will be divided within UAE Emirates. With Pogačar clearly the leader, there are more riders in form, including Del Toro, who impressed by winning two stages and the overall classification in the UAE Tour.

This Strade Bianche will give us our first glimpse of the successors to Pogačar. In addition to his teammate Del Toro, another super talent is at the start: Paul Seixas. The 19-year-old Frenchman made his professional debut last year and had a strong autumn: he won the Tour de l’Avenir, finished thirteenth at the World Championships in Rwanda, third at the European Championships in his own country, and seventh in the Lombardy Tour. In recent weeks, he won a demanding stage in the Volta ao Algarve and soloed to an impressive victory in the Faun-Ardèche Classic.

These were only the first two professional victories for Seixas, but good things come quickly. That was also the feeling with Romain Grégoire. The also recently turned 23-year-old Frenchman is a true puncheur who feels right at home on finishes like Siena. Unfortunately for Grégoire, he also has to digest many heavy gravel sections and climbs in the earlier stages. But normally he can handle that. He won the Drôme Classic last weekend and showed himself in the Ruta del Sol.

Christen won the final stage and therefore also the overall classification in the AlUla Tour – foto: fotopersburo Cor Vos

We initially wanted to exit the last star on the preview list blank after Tim Wellens’ broken collarbone. However, there are already a number of particularly dangerous outsiders on the preliminary start list. After the Opening Weekend, we now prefer to highlight Florian Vermeersch. The 26-year-old Belgian impressed in both races, but only managed a third place in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. If he doesn’t have to empty himself for Pogačar, the Belgian might be able to surprise in the finale.

Can Alaphilippe as a dark horse win again? – foto: fotopersburo Cor Vos

Outsiders

Although the start list is not yet complete at the time of writing, there are already many notable names. The main outsiders for victory in Strade Bianche are – hypothetically, given Pogačar’s presence – Ben Healy (fourth last year, but lost in the Ardèche and Drôme Classic last weekend), Giulio Pellizzari (the Italian talent from Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe who showed good form in the Vuelta a Valencia), and Lennert Van Eetvelt (in form in the UAE Tour and eleventh and ninth in Strade Bianche in the last two years).

Also preserve an eye on former winner Julian Alaphilippe, Roger Adrià, Egan Bernal, Pello Bilbao, Valentin Madouas, Matej Mohorič, Quinn Simmons, Attila Valter, and Gianni Vermeersch. They have all finished in the top-10 of Strade Bianche in the past. Also, watch out for debutants like Tibor Del Grosso, Axel Laurance, Tobias Halland Johannessen, and Clément Champoussin. For now: to be continued.

Van Aert won the Strade Bianche stage in the Giro d’Italia last year – foto: fotopersburo Cor Vos

Favorites

As each year, organizer RCS Sport can count on a fantastic field of participants. Mathieu van der Poel is currently skipping the race, but with the Dutchman from Alpecin-Premier Tech, you never know. Let’s first focus on the riders who are here!

Will Pogacar spread his arms for a fourth time in Siena? – foto: fotopersburo Cor Vos

Starting with the top favorite. Although he hasn’t raced a meter in 2026, that won’t be a problem for Tadej Pogačar. In 2023 and 2024, it was the same story, and he conjured up solo attacks of 36 kilometers (Clásica Jaén 2023) and 82 kilometers (Strade Bianche 2024) out of thin air in his season debut. He has won three of the last four editions of this classic over the sterrati. In the missing year, the Slovenian didn’t even start. With his explosiveness, winning mentality, and strength, anyone looking to defeat him will have their work cut out for them.

Someone who could theoretically challenge him is Tom Pidcock. The 26-year-old Brit has raced Strade Bianche three times since his debut in 2021, with a strong record: the Pinarello-Q36.5 team leader has never finished outside the top-5. He won in 2023 and challenged Pogačar fiercely last year, but ultimately had to concede in the finale. But: new race, new opportunities. Pidders has started the season well and impressed with his victory in the final stage of the Ruta del Sol.

Pidders was the best of the rest in Strade last year – foto: fotopersburo Cor Vos

We’ll overlook the fact that the British climber made a rookie mistake in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad by not dressing warmly enough, and the fact that Isaac Del Toro never finished higher than 33rd in Strade Bianche. The 22-year-old Mexican has all the characteristics needed to make the competition suffer. The question is how the roles will be divided within UAE Emirates. With Pogačar clearly the leader, there are more riders in form, including Del Toro, who impressed by winning two stages and the overall classification in the UAE Tour.

We’ll get our first glimpse of the successors to Pogačar in this Strade Bianche. In addition to his teammate Del Toro, another super talent is at the start: Paul Seixas. The 19-year-old Frenchman made his professional debut last year and had a strong autumn: he won the Tour de l’Avenir, finished thirteenth at the World Championships in Rwanda, third at the European Championships in his own country, and seventh in the Lombardy Tour. In recent weeks, he won a difficult stage in the Volta ao Algarve and soloed to an impressive victory in the Faun-Ardèche Classic.