Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney nonetheless remembers the day she fell in love with the steep white gravel roads of Strade Bianche. It occurred in 2014 when she got here to Siena to race the granfondo L’Eroica, along with her earlier group Rabobank.
“We had a lot enjoyable [racing L’Eroica]– it was extraordinarily tough however lovely, and we simply loved the entire day,” Niewiadoma mentioned in a group launch.
That identical day, the organisers introduced the Strade Bianche Women for 2015.
“I keep in mind sitting on the announcement once they had been exhibiting the course. I simply immediately fell in love as a result of I really like the steep gravel roads, the wonder, and the way the race will all the time be onerous – whether or not you win it or not, there’s all the time an enormous sense of satisfaction that comes on the finish,” she mentioned.
“I believe these reminiscences from once I was tremendous younger and dreaming of profitable the race have someway caught with me for all these years. Motivation is all the time there as a result of anytime I lose, I would like it much more for some cause.”
That motivation nonetheless animates the Canyon-Sram zondacrypto rider who claimed 9 top-10 finishes in ten begins, together with three runner-up spots, and a 3rd place.
For the eleventh version of the race, the 136km route of undulating terrain throughout the scenic however unforgiving hills of Tuscany, options 13 gravel sections that add as much as 10km extra unpaved roads, now as much as 50.3km in comparison with final yr’s parcours.
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After opening her season at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, and racing the one-day Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Niewiadoma-Phinney made her method to the world to recon the primary a part of the race.
There she targeted on about 90km of the route, together with the brand new gravel sector, Serravelle. The riders received’t have a lot time to relaxation after the brand new 9.3km uphill sector, because the sixth sector, Grania, begins lower than two kilometres later.
Though Serravelle comes removed from the end, sitting 78km from Siena, Niewiadoma-Phinney thinks that this modification will “positively” make an impression.
“There’s little or no restoration between the brand new sector and the subsequent,” she mentioned. “Everyone will wish to keep within the entrance and naturally that’s inconceivable – there’s going to be an enormous washer impact, and also you’ll positively want a little bit of luck to not puncture or crash.
“Some gravel sections additionally look fairly unfastened and ‘weirdly’ contemporary. I believe that the race will likely be more durable, however the further gravel part will someway make it simpler earlier than the next 9km gravel part which is often the opening of the race. Because we received’t enter it from a giant street anymore, however as an alternative from small gravel roads, I do consider that it’s higher for us as a group.”
With Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, the Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto comes into the race with two contenders for the victory. The former FDJ-Suez was on the rostrum in her final participation in 2023 and has seven top-10 finishes in seven appearances. After three weeks of coaching following her season debut at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana along with her new group.
“Valencia was an important expertise. I felt good on the market and it was incredible to get that first race of the season beneath my belt, particularly with a brand new group. The vibe was nice, and the vitality from the ladies made it even higher,” Uttrup Ludwig mentioned.
The Dane needed to skip final yr’s Strade Bianche after sustaining a fracture of the sacrum in a crash at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
“Missing out on Strade final yr was robust, so I’m past excited to be racing it once more this time round. We have such a powerful lineup and I can’t await us to place our mark on the race. I’m actually trying ahead to it.”
Joining Niewiadoma-Phinney and Uttrup Ludwig in the beginning in Siena for Strade Bianche will likely be Antonia Niedermaier, Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka, Soraya Paladin, and Alice Towers.
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