Strade Bianche 2024: Favourites

After winning the race in 2022 with a 50 kilometres solo attack Tadej Pogacar returns to the white roads, as does title holder Tom Pidcock. Last year, the Briton tracked down breakaway riders De Marchi and Bystrøm with 42 kilometres remaining. The trio kept the chasers at bay before Pidcock left the other two behind on the penultimate dust road and rode alone to Siena.

The winners of 2021 and 2020, Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, are not competing in Tuscany this time, which is a shame, as those two should be able to withstand the sheer power of Pogacar and possibly Pidcock. Yet, let’s hope other riders emerge to challenge the two previous winners.

Dirt roads and relentless climbs are emblematic of the Strade Bianche. The race is gaining prestige every year and it’s an important aim for a variety of riders from a broad church. Michal Kwiatkowski is the only active rider who won the Strade Bianche twice, but that is a while ago – in 2014 en 2017. In theory, the Pole can make it three as he lines up in Tuscany. As is former World Champion Julian Alaphilippe, who won the race in 2019, but – to be frank – he is merely a shadow of his former self.

While the Strade Bianche is famous for its gravel pitches, the finale in Siena is an attraction in its own right. The steep climb on paving slabs peaks out at 16%. Which is where Mathieu van der Poel left fellow attackers Julian Alaphilippe and Egan Bernal behind in 2021 to enter the Piazza del Campo solo. But as mentioned, Pidcock and Pogacar didn’t wait that long in the previous two editions. Those races were won with longe-range solo attacks.

Favourites 2024 Strade Bianche
***** Tadej Pogacar, Tom Pidcock
**** Tim Wellens, Alberto Bettiol, Attila Valter
*** Ben Healy, Davide Formolo, Lenny Martinez, Quinn Simmons
** Simon Yates, Lennert Van Eetvelt, Matej Mohoric, Toms Skujins
* Romain Bardet, Warren Barguil, Valentin Madouas, Romain Grégoire