Strade Bianche Race Report: When Tadej Pogačar and Tom Pidcock rode away from the rest of the race, it looked like the race was over… then the World champion crashed on a bend. A battered and bruised Pogačar fought his way back Pidcock and then left him in his dust to solo to his third win in the Italian gravel Classic.
*** The full PEZ Race Report coming soon. ****
Tadej Pogačar wins his third Strade Bianche
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates XGR) won Strade Bianche for the third time in his career. The World champion crashed fifty kilometres from the finish, but managed to get back to Tom Pidcock (Q36.5) and then rode away from the British rider. He finished solo in Siena. Tom Pidcock was second and Tim Wellens (UAE Emirates XGR) was third.
2025 Strade Bianche Parcours:
The route of the 2025 Strade Bianche is a little bit harder. A new gravel section has been added to the route, so there are now sixteen strips of rough roads. The new section is 9.3 kilometres long, so now there is a now a total of 81.7 kilometres of gravel. The start and finish are still in Siena. The first six gravel sections are the same as last year. The first, Vidritta, comes after 14 kilometres, it is nearly four and a half kilometres long and slightly downhill. Each sector of sterrati is different, some sections are relatively short, others are kilometres long. Some almost flat, other sectors are steep and leg sapping. The appeal of Strade Bianche is that it is impossible to predict where the race will kick off. Previously the first real split has come on the 11.9 kilometre Lucignano d’Asso, which almost immediately transitions into the 8 kilometre Ponte d’Arbia, but that is still 120 kilometres from the finish.
2025 Strade Bianche profile
After that first selection, the riders hit the new three star section of Serravalle. Tough, but nothing compared to the next bit of gravel: San Martino in Grania and Monte Sante Marie. Both are long and uphill and both have five stars. After the 11.5 kilometre Monte Sante Marie, also known as the Settore Fabian Cancellara, but also where Tadej Pogačar made the difference last year, there are more than 20 kilometres of ‘proper’ road. The longest sections are now over, but the finale is not easy. Fifty-three kilometres from the finish is the Monteaperti section of 600 metres. This is followed by the Strade di Colle Pinzuto (2.4km) and Le Tolfe (1.1km). Up until 2023, the race went to Siena after that last sector, but since last year, an extra loop was added. This starts almost immediately after Le Tolfe with the Strada del Castagno (1.3km). Fourteen kilometres later, is the Montechiaro (3.3km). The route repeats the Strade di Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe again as the final climbs. These climbs have ramps of over 10% in places. After the last section of Le Tolfe, there are 10 kilometres of undulating roads to Siena.
2025 Strade Bianche map
The finish in the Piazza del Campo in Siena, is the setting for the Palio, the famous horse race. In the Nobile Contrada dell’Oca, there is a very nasty climb. The riders pass under the 13th century Porta di Fontebranda and the road starts to climb, but when the cobbles of the Via Santa Caterina start, it gets really steep. The maximum gradient is 16%. At the top, there is still a half kilometre to the finish. The tricky last corner is on the border between the districts of Civetta, Leocorno and Torre and the race winner is usually the first to appear round that bend.
Sterrati:
- Settore Sterrato 1: Vidritta (4.4 kilometres) – *
- Settore Sterrato 2: Bagnaia (4.8 kilometres) – ***
- Settore Sterrato 3: Radi (4.4 kilometres) – **
- Settore Sterrato 4: La Piana (6.4 kilometres) – **
- Settore Sterrato 5: Lucignano d’Asso (11.9 kilometres) – ****
- Settore Sterrato 6: Pieve a Santi (8 kilometres) – ****
- Settore Sterrato 7: Serravalle (9.3 kilometres) – ***
- Settore Sterrato 8: San Martino in Grania (9.4 kilometres) – *****
- Settore Sterrato 9: Monte Sante Marie (11.5 kilometres) – *****
- Settore Sterrato 10: Monteaperti (0.6 kilometres) – **
- Settore Sterrato 11: Colle Pinzuto (2.4 kilometres) – ****
- Settore Sterrato 12: Le Tolfe (1.1 kilometres) – ****
- Settore Sterrato 13: Strada del Castagno (0.7 kilometres) – **
- Settore Sterrato 14: Montechiaro (3.3 kilometres) – **
- Settore Sterrato 15: Colle Pinzuto (2.4 kilometres) – ****
- Settore Sterrato 16: Le Tolfe (1.1 kilometres) – ****
Total gravel: 81.7 kilometres.
Tadej Pogačar expecting nice weather with white shorts
Dry and dusty
UAE were in control
All Tom Pidcock had to do was watch Pogačar
The break had no chance
It looked like it would be a two man race
Pidcock and Pogačar caught Connor Swift from the early break
Pogačar lost his rear wheel on a bend
Crashed but not out
Pogačar got back to Pidcock after his spectacular crash
Pogačar left Pidcock in his dust
Strade Bianche Result:
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Emirates XRG
2. Tom Pidcock (GB) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team
3. Tim Wellens (Bel) UAE Emirates XRG
4. Ben Healy (Irl) EF Education-EasyPost
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