Ben Healy eyes Strade Bianche result with measured approach

For Healy, the atmosphere around the race already stood out during reconnaissance earlier in the week. “Racing Strade Bianche is special. It’s definitely an iconic race now,” he said on the website of his team. “Even during the recon today, the fans were out, the cameras were out. It’s cool, for sure.”

The Irishman expects another extremely hard edition, especially with the longer route that has been used in recent years. “With this longer parcours that we've had for the past couple of years, it's just an absolute slog. You’ve got to try and follow Tadej [Pogačar] when he goes on Santa Maria, and from there, just hold on. It is such a battle of attrition.”

Because of that, Healy believes the race has to be approached carefully. “You have to race quite conservatively and save enough to hit them in the finale. Strade is just becoming more and more iconic with more fans, more noise. It is a super cool thing to be a part of.”

Even the famous finish in Siena offers little relief after hours on the gravel roads.

“Coming onto the piazza at the end, I don't think you're really feeling anything over the pain. It’s just been an absolute slogfest and you’re chewing the handlebars. Maybe once you cross the finish line and you've caught your breath, you can really take in the spectacle that is the piazza with the fans and everything else. It has got to be one of my favourite races of the year.”

So far, a fourth place in 2025 remains his best result at the race, after finishing 12th in 2024. In his pursuit of another strong result, Healy will be joined by Richard Carapaz. The Ecuadorian says the terrain of Strade Bianche reminds him of the roads where he first started cycling.

“Strade is a race I really like because it reminds me of my beginnings when I started out,” Carapaz said. “When I was a kid, all the roads around my house were dirt roads. It was all dirt tracks.”

Despite that familiarity, results in Siena have been elusive for him so far. “It is a world class race, one of the best classics. It is a lot of fun, but the level of competition is very high. In past times I haven’t had good fortune here, but whenever I come here I do it with all the excitement of the moment. I always want to do well.”

Carapaz believes EF has the depth to play multiple cards.

“Right now I’m doing very well. I’ve tried to prepare myself in the best way possible. Ben is in really good form and he has done well in this race in previous years. I will try to contribute as much as I can and if I get a chance I will try to make it my own. We have a very strong team.”

Healy and Carapaz will be joined by Mikkel Honoré, Vincenzo Albanese, Lukas Nerurkar, James Shaw, and Michael Valgren on the sterrato roads of Tuscany.