Vollering, Kopecky, Longo Borghini, Ferrand-Prévot: a luxury showdown at Strade Bianche Women

Wow. Just looking through the start list for Strade Bianche Women 2026 is enough to make fans’ mouths water ahead of what could unfold on Saturday, March 7. Lining up in Siena are all the major contenders the international female cycling movement.

Hunting for hat-trick

It’s difficult to know where to begin, but the spotlight probably belongs to Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez), the defending champion and already a two-time winner in Piazza del Campo. She has started the season in formidable fashion, claiming victory at the Setmana Ciclista Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and, above all, at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. A third triumph at Strade Bianche would earn her a dedicated milestone on one of the gravel sectors — and she would become only the third rider ever to achieve that honour, after Fabian Cancellara and Tadej Pogačar.

But she is not the only rider chasing that landmark. Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) has also won the race twice, in 2022 and 2024, and she has always thrived in this event. The powerful Belgian rider, however, has struggled to rediscover the same peak form that carried her to victory at last year’s Tour of Flanders. Still, Siena’s gravel roads might just be the place where she finds her legs, and her confidence, again.

Italy and France

Flying the Italian flag will once again be Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ), who has also begun her season in impressive fashion by winning her team’s home race, the UAE Tour. The rider from Piedmont has stepped onto the podium in Piazza del Campo five times, though the top step has eluded her since 2017 – now nine years ago. Like a fine Brunello di Montalcino, however, the years seem only to make Elisa stronger, more solid and harder to beat.

Among the “fantastic four” at this year’s Strade Bianche, the only one yet to win in Siena is Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike). After dominating last year’s Tour de France Femmes, she raced only twice more: at the Classic Lorient Agglomération and at the World Championships in Rwanda. The French superstar – Olympic champion in cross-country and world champion in almost every discipline that involves a bicycle – chooses her race schedule carefully, and Strade Bianche, where she finished third last year and which marks her season debut, was never going to be missing.

The outsiders

Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon/SRAM zondacrypto) will once again try to break her Strade Bianche curse. She has finished second three times, third once, fourth twice and sixth twice, yet has never managed to raise her arms in victory. At Omloop Het Nieuwsblad she showed she is in good form, beaten only by Vollering in the sprint. SD Worx, besides Kopecky, will also rely on Anna van der Breggen, winner in 2018, and Mischa Bredewold, while Vollering’s FDJ-Suez squad can count on Juliette Berthet, fourth last year, and Elise Chabbey.

Among the other riders to watch are Kimberley (Le Court) Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal), last year’s Liège–Bastogne–Liège winner; Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek); Yara Kastelijn and Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck); Liane Lippert (Movistar); the evergreen Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Mavi García (UAE Team ADQ); as well as Noemi Rüegg and Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly).

Beyond Elisa Longo Borghini, Italy’s hopes also rest on Monica Trinca Colonel (Liv AlUla Jayco), Letizia Borghesi (AG Insurance-Soudal), Silvia Persico, and Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ), the latter crowned European gravel champion just a few months ago.