The Strade Bianche is one of the most popular cycling races in the world. The race starts and finishes in Siena, Tuscany, and runs largely on unpaved white gravel roads, the only real strade bianche. Would you like to watch the race not just as a spectator, but to cycle the Strade Bianche yourself? We'll tell you all about it.
How many kilometres is the Strade Bianche?
How many kilometres is Strade Bianche anyway? The men ride 184 kilometres, the women 136 and the GranFondo follows the course of the Strade Bianche for women. The route takes you through the Tuscan hills and over 30 kilometres of gravel lanes. So this tour is especially for those who love epic rides. The start is at the Fortezza Medicea in Siena.
How do you get a starting ticket for the Strade Bianche?
The fastest option; buy a starting ticket through the organisation and arrange your own trip to Siena. Make sure you get there in time, though. Start tickets for the Gran Fondo are often completely sold out in a few weeks. And the easy option? Book a package holiday. These come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. For example, you can travel to Siena with Wielerbus, but there are also organisations like Velotours and CYCLOsportive that will transport your bike for you so you can travel comfortably by plane. You'll often stay a few days in Siena, giving you time to do some exploring and watch the finish line of the pros.
Read a blog about a travel with Wielerbus to the Strade Bianche.
GPX of the Strade Bianche
Don't fancy the crowds of the GranFondo and want to cycle the route yourself at another time? On these Komoot page you will find the routes of the Gran Fondo Strade Bianche and the Medio Fondo. Want to cycle the men's route, which is a whopping 180 kilometres long? Then you will also find this route on Komoot. By the way, this one is suitable for a short cycling holiday. It passes through the village of Buonconvento twice, at kilometres 55 and 100, so you can easily divide the route into 2 or 3 stages.
Which bike for Strade Bianche?
During the Gran Fondo, you will see everything passing by, from road bikes to gravel bikes and mountain bikes. The best option as far as we are concerned? A road bike on which you mount slightly thicker tyres. That way you have good tyres and a good gear on the bike. Because in the end, there are many asphalt kilometres in the Strade Bianche, out of 130 kilometres, 100 kilometres are asphalt. And in this area, you are assured of quite a few altitude metres, so this is where a road bike comes into its own.
Which tyre for the Strade Bianche?
And now that you know which bike it will be, you can think about the right choice of tyres. In the race, you cycle alternately over asphalt, gravel and small stones. And what are the weather conditions like? Are the strips muddy or dusty and dry? With tyres 30 mm or wider, you will ride comfortably on the gravel tracks, but most of the Strade Bianche kilometres are on asphalt. So you don't want to stick too wide tyres. Tyres of 28 or 30 mm are therefore a good compromise: a bit more safety on the gravel tracks, but also speed on the asphalt.
What tyre pressure for the Strade Bianche?
With 30 kilometres of gravel lanes - and the occasional abrupt transition between asphalt and gravel - you don't want the tyre pressure to be too high. There are large potholes in the gravel strips, and if you cycle over them at full speed with high tyre pressure... you guessed it. We recommend a maximum of 5 bar if you ride tubeless and 6 bar with inner tubes. I myself (Aniek) cycled the Strade Bianche with inner tubes, at around 5.5 bar. Without a puncture, fortunately
What do I take for the Strade Bianche?
You can find a fine packing list for Gran Fondo. What to bring in any case? At least plenty of cycling clothes. March can be warm, but it can also be pouring rain. Make sure you have good clothes with you so you are prepared for all weather conditions. The start is early in the morning, when it is still quite cold in Siena. So consider a warm jacket that you can shed just before the start. Polishing gear is not a luxury either; after all those gravel roads, your bike could use a polish.
In conclusion. If you love gravel paths and amazing views, this ride is a must for you. Do you want to cycle the Strade Bianche and have more questions? Let us know and we will do our best to answer them for you!
Photos: Sportograf
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