Montepaschi Strade Bianche

Montepaschi Strade Bianche
Race details
Date Early March
Region Tuscany, Italy
Local name(s) Montepaschi Strade Bianche (Italian)
Discipline Road
Competition UCI Europe Tour
Type Single-day
Organiser RCS Sport
History
First edition 2007 (2007)
Editions 5 (as of 2011)
First winner  Alexandr Kolobnev (RUS)
Most wins The five winning cyclists have won once each
Most recent  Philippe Gilbert (BEL)

The Montepaschi Strade Bianche, formerly known as Monte Paschi Eroica, is a road bicycle race held annually near Siena, in the region of Tuscany, Italy. The race was first organised in 2007 as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour and was held in October. From 2008 on the event has found a space in early March as part of the European classics season.[1] It is held the week before Tirreno–Adriatico as a warm weather precursor to the cobbled classics of the north. The field is usually made up of riders taking part in Tirreno–Adriatico.

The race starts in Gaiole in Chianti and finishes in the famous public space Piazza del Campo in Siena. The route consists of 190 kilometres around the city of Siena, including 70 kilometres of gravel roads, called sterrati in Italy.[2] Parts of the route were originally used in a recreational race, or gran fondo.[3] The organizers of the race, RCS sports, were inspired by the Ronde van Vlaanderen with its bergs, and Paris–Roubaix with its cobblestone sections.[2]

Before the 2009-edition, the race changed its name to Montepaschi Strade Bianche. The race was also lengthened 9 km (5.6 mi) and one more gravel sector was added, taking the total unsealed sections to 57.2 km (35.5 mi). The riders now left Gaiole in Chianti and headed south towards the first of the eight sectors of le strade bianche (English: white gravel roads).[4]

Winners

Rider Team
2007 Kolobnev, AlexandrAlexandr Kolobnev (RUS) Team CSC
2008 Cancellara, FabianFabian Cancellara (SUI) Team CSC
2009 Lovkvist, ThomasThomas Lövkvist (SWE) Team Columbia-High Road
2010 Iglinsky, MaximMaxim Iglinsky (KAZ) Astana
2011 Gilbert, PhilippePhilippe Gilbert (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto

References

  1. ^ Second Edition of Monte Paschi Eroica - Eroica's status grows with new springtime date Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
  2. ^ a b First Monte Paschi Eroica presented Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
  3. ^ 2nd Edition Monte Paschi Eroica at the Daily Peloton - Pro Cycling News Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
  4. ^ 3rd Montepaschi Strade Bianche - Eroica Toscana - 1.1 Retrieved on 2010-03-07.

External links