How could the Strade Bianche become one of the most coveted and celebrated races in just a few years? Well, that is because of a perfect blend of elements. The white roads and dust typical of the stunning Tuscan countryside play their part, but so does the breathtaking finish in Piazza del Campo, one of Italy’s – and the world’s – most amazing squares. The entire finale is something special, with the race remaining wide open until the very last kilometer, thanks in no small part to the brutal ramp of Via Santa Caterina, a climb as legendary for its gradients as for the roaring fans lining its edges, urging the riders toward their final, agonizing effort.
After passing under the flamme rouge, the riders hit 500 meters of cobbled hell with an average gradient exceeding 13%. They’re desperate to crest the top, where a sharp right-hand turn onto Via delle Terme signals the beginning of the final run through Via Banchi di Sotto and Via Rinaldini, before bursting into the grandeur of Piazza del Campo. On these stones, cycling has seen its greatest champions rise: Philippe Gilbert‘s masterclass in 2011, Moreno Moser holding off the charging peloton in 2013 (still the only Italian to have won this race among the men), Michal Kwiatkowski outfoxing Peter Sagan in 2014, and Fabian Cancellara overpowering Zdeněk Štybar in 2016. Then came Julian Alaphilippe in 2019 and the unforgettable rocket launch of Mathieu Van der Poel in 2021.
The women’s race has delivered equally dramatic duels in the heart of Siena. Lizzie Deignan edged out Katarzyna Niewiadoma in 2018, who then suffered another heartbreak the following year at the hands of Elisa Longo Borghini. In 2021, Longo Borghini herself was denied victory by Chantal Van Den Broek-Blaak, while Lotte Kopecky used Via Santa Caterina as her springboard to victory in both 2022 and 2024. In 2023, she was heartbreakingly outsprinted on the line by her teammate Demi Vollering, in one of the closest and most thrilling finishes in the race’s history.
Overlooking Via Santa Caterina, Siena’s Gothic windows whisper tales of its medieval grandeur. Beyond the Sanctuary of Saint Catherine, one of the street’s most important landmarks is the Basilica di San Domenico, a towering Gothic masterpiece. Inside lies the chapel preserving Saint Catherine’s relic, a place of deep reverence. Built in the 13th century, the basilica is steeped in the memory of the saint who once walked its halls.
In recent years, Via Santa Caterina has become sacred ground for cycling fans too, because it’s right on those savage cobbles that the Strade Bianche finds its winner.
