Refresh
Amongst these seven riders is Toms Skujiņš. Given the shape he confirmed every week over throughout Opening Weekend, certainly he gained’t be allowed up the street.
205KM TO GO
Assaults have been made, and a gaggle of seven at present have a small hole forward of the peloton.
As for that all-important climate forecast – you possibly can see from this picture of the ladies’s race that, although dry in the mean time, there are some menacing-looking clouds within the sky. Ought to the heaven’s open, the gravel roads will grow to be mud baths, and alter the entire nature of the race. However the forecasts are predicting the rain to remain away this afternoon.
215KM TO GO
They usually’re off!
The riders have rolled out of the unofficial begin and into the neutralised zone. We await the official begin with bated breath!
In addition to Pogačar, defending champion Tom Pidcock can also be among the many favourites, whereas others to look at embrace in-form younger expertise Lennert Van Eetvelt, Ben Healy, and Sepp Kuss, who’s testing himself on the unfamiliar gravel roads. For a extra detailed have a look at every one’s probabilities, have a learn of our preview analysing the contenders.
Simply 5 minutes till the neutralised begin, and the thrill is palpable.
This being one of many greatest prizes of the season, the beginning checklist is filled with expertise. However one identify stands above all of the others – Tadej Pogačar. It looks as if an age since we final noticed the good man race, and was certainly virtually 5 months in the past, at Il Lombardia final autumn – which, inevitably he gained. He additionally gained the final time he competed at Strade Bianche in 2022, and, within the absence of Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel, is the recent favorite to take action once more right this moment.
The route of this yr’s Strade Bianche would be the longest but, exceeding 200km for the primary time within the race’s 17-year historical past. An additional loop close to Siena signifies that 15 sectors of the race’s emblematic gravel roads will probably be tackled, up from 11 final yr. We’ll discover out right this moment whether or not that provides to the spectacle, or upsets the stability of the race by making it too demanding.
Whereas we watch for the lads, the ladies are already off and racing – you possibly can observe all of the motion of that race right here.
Simply half an hour to go earlier than the lads set off for what many now take into account to be the primary main basic — and probably even monument — of the season – Strade Bianche! Whether or not or not it deserves that significantly weighty degree has been debated with rising depth previously few years, however in any case, it’s undoubtedly one of many spectacles of the season.
Howdy and welcome to our stay protection of the 2024 males’s Strade Bianche
