Strade Bianche 2026 - News
07.03
Tadej Pogačar won the 2026 Strade Bianche after launching a decisive attack on the gravel sector of Monte Sante Marie and riding solo for 79 km to the finish in Siena. The world champion finished more than a minute ahead of Paul Seixas, with Isaac del Toro taking third place. It was Pogačar’s fourth victory in the race and another dominant display. The win immediately sets the tone for the rest of the Classics season.
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How to watch?
Curious about how to watch the 2026 Strade Bianche? Discover it in our complete how-to-watch guide, featuring a full overview of all broadcasters and streaming options.
Route
The 2026 route has changed slightly but remains brutally hard: 202 kilometres with 3,500 metres of climbing, created not by mountains but by relentless short, steep ascents.
Riders face 64 kilometres of gravel across 14 sectors, from 600 metres to 11.7 kilometres, spread throughout the course. It is a race of attrition where positioning, tactics and a bit of luck matter as much as power.
The first decisive test is Lucignano d’Asso, the longest sector, where crashes, punctures and splits are common and the real racing begins. Monte Sante Marie follows and often sparks selection, featuring varied gradients and a key kilometre at 10 percent.
Later, Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe offer final chances to open gaps on strength. A loop added in 2024 brings a San Giovanni a Cerreto descent before Pinzuto and Tolfe return. The finish is decided on Siena’s Via Santa Caterina, with ramps up to 16 percent.
Read our preview for more information.
Favourites
Pogacar is the clear favourite. On this kind of course he is usually the strongest rider and UAE also bring the deepest team, which matters when the race can be decided by positioning, punctures and timing. They can still make it brutal from far out, but they do not have to. With Isaac del Toro as a second card, plus riders like Jan Christen and Florian Vermeersch, UAE can control the race and still have options if someone follows.
Pidcock looks like the most believable challenger. He was excellent here last year and his gravel handling lets him force situations rather than simply follow wheels. Matching Pogacar is one thing, making the race awkward is another, and that is where he can play.
Seixas is the wildcard. Decathlon can help early, but the big question is how long he can stay with the very best once the selections start. The route is not about long climbs, yet it is decided on repeated steep efforts, and on current form he should be in the front group.
Visma are not here with the usual UAE rivalry. Van Aert is back, but this race suits climbers more than it used to. A top ten is realistic, with Jorgenson likely the protected rider.
Outside the favourites, gravel specialists like Quinn Simmons and Gianni Vermeersch can feature, while experienced names like Bernal, Alaphilippe, Carapaz and Bilbao, plus punchy outsiders such as Romain Grégoire and Ben Healy, are worth watching.
Read our preview for more information and check out the start list via this link.
