Strade Bianche

Unable to really contend the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad due to an ill-timed mechanical incident, and right before heading into her first altitude camp in Tenerife, Annemiek van Vleuten heads with the Movistar Team into another Strade Bianche, the Italian classic featuring no changes compared to a 2022 race where she was again the main reference, taking 2nd in Siena.

The gravel sectors of Lucignano d’Arbia and, most importantly, the Monte Sante Marie are the only big changes of the women’s course (136km) compared to the men’s version.

There will be four ‘warm-up’ sectors in the beginning; the long San Martino in Grania (67km) as likely first selection; and the three shorter, fully decisive ones into the last 25km: Vico d’Arbia, Colle Pinzuto (a tough uphill) and Le Tolfe. From there, a fast run-in into Siena will take the riders to the brutal finishing slope of Via Santa Caterina and the Il Campo arrival.