Chabbey times it to perfection to win thrilling Strade Bianche Donne

Elise Chabbey (FDJ United-Suez) claimed a stunning victory at Strade Bianche Donne, navigating the gravel mayhem and winning an explosive battle that came down to the final metres. 

It was a chaotic race, with the situation on the road changing all the time. Eight riders remained in contention heading towards Piazza del Campo, including Chabbey, and a tense and explosive finish was on the cards. 

The finish didn’t disappoint as Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ), Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//Sram Zondacrypto) and Chabbey’s teammate Franziska Koch (FDJ United-Suez) were all still in contention for victory in the final few hundred metres once the gradients shallowed towards Piazza del Campo.

In the end, Chabbey was able to hit the front when it mattered most with 200 metres remaining, and powered to victory ahead of Niewiadoma in second and Koch in third. It marks the sixth victory of Chabbey's career, and her first WorldTour one-day race, and first on Italian soil.

The first crunch point came when there was a split in the peloton on the San Martino in Grania gravel sector, the fourth of the race, stretching nearly 10km in length. By the time the riders exited the sector with over 60km remaining, the front of the race had dwindled in size to 24 riders, and a flurry of attacks followed, but none managed to stick.

The European champion Vollering was well supported by four FDJ United-Suez teammates, Elise Chabbey, Léa Curinier, Franziska Koch, and Amber Kraak, making the French team the most well-represented in the leading pack. Vollering’s teammates took responsibility for controlling the tempo of the peloton. 

The majority of the pre-race favourites had all made the selection, including Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//Sram Zondacrypto), who had suffered a crash earlier in the race. Notable absentees were Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal Team) and Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime), who had suffered a mechanical earlier on in the race.

Onto the first ascent of Colle Pinzuto with around 50km remaining, Chabbey attacked and was joined by Dominika Włodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ), as the group behind continued to reduce in size, and Lotte Kopecky was one of the riders distanced, but the former World Champion was able to return to the pack following the gravel sector.

The front duo built an advantage of around half a minute heading into the next gravel sector, Le Tolfe, with 42km remaining. This sector would prove costly for some of the pre-race favourites, 

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike) suffered a mechanical issue on the ascent and was stuck, waiting a long time for assistance, and Vollering shortly had a puncture whilst following an attack from Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ).

Onto the Strada del Castagno sector with 39km remaining, the front duo were caught by the chase pack, which was now around 15 riders in size, but Vollering, Kopecky and Ferrand-Prévot were not present.

Vollering, Kopecky and a returning Le Court formed part of a chasing group, which was around a minute behind the front group with 35km remaining. But disaster then struck for the chasing group, who went the wrong way on the course following a motorbike, costing them significant time and putting them out of contention

The incident occurred with just under 33km remaining when a chasing pack veered off course, following a race motorbike that took a right-hand turn onto a gravel road. The riders ended up a few hundred metres off the course, and lost significant time as they returned to the correct road, all but ending the hopes of the chase.

The gap was a little over a minute before the incident, but quickly swelled to around the three-minute mark as a result. 

Chabbey and Longo Borghini went toe to toe on the second ascent of Colle Pinzuto and pulled clear of the rest, trading attacks with one another. 

Niewiadoma attacked on an uphill drag and closed the gap to the front duo before there were attacks from the front group, which was now 10 riders in size, leading into the final ascent of Le Tolfe. 

Chabbey led the group onto Le Tolfe, but it was Longo Borghini and Niewiadoma who proved to be the strongest on the steep slopes, pulling clear, with Pieterse bridging across over the crest of the climb.

The trio weren’t initially cooperating and instead attacking each other, leading to an inconsistent tempo and keeping the hopes of Chabbey, Koch, Vallieres, and Vos behind with the duo at 20 seconds from the front.

There was a near-miss for Longo Borghini, who caught the back wheel of Pieterse in front and nearly hit the deck. The chasing quartet returned to the front with 6km remaining, and there was a period of Detente. 

Monica Trinca Colonel (Liv AlUla Jayco), was able to return and launched an immediate attack, but it didn’t land. Koch also tried her hand with a couple of attacks, but was also marked, and the German champion eventually focused on controlling the group, leading into the final ascent. 

The pace was high on the climb to Piazza del Campo, and Longo Borghini led to the all-important right-hand corner, but Niewiadoma, Chabbey and Koch were locked on the Italian champion's wheel, leaving four riders with a chance of victory. Chabbey came past the trio with little over 200 metres from the finish, and would take the biggest victory of her career.