The iconic white gravel roads of Strade Bianche

We could not start anywhere else but here. From the iconic white gravel roads of Strade Bianche.

Gravel is one of the key components adding up to the charm of this race. The feature that made this event one of the best-loved by riders and cycling enthusiasts alike, in just a few years.

You may be wondering why gravel has become so successful.

Most frequently, you will be told that gravel reminds us of the so-called ‘heroic’ cycling, the pioneering ‘golden age’ of this sport, with radio commentaries, Coppi and Bartali racing with tires wrapped around their bodies, and so on…

Another possible answer, perhaps less apparent, is that gravel somehow shakes up the ordinary, disrupting the status quo, and showing the great champions faced with obstacles and unexpected events, struggling like we all do in our daily lives.

These, however, are just a few assumptions…