Preview Strade Bianche women 2025 | Vollering vs Van der Breggen, or is the top favorite Italian?

In contrast to the men, the women's starting list for Strade Bianche is once again very competitive. All the top riders in the peloton will be there again on Saturday, except for the world champion. Defending champion Lotte Kopecky will not be participating, so we will have a new winner and a tremendous battle between women. IDLProCycling.com gives you a preview.

The fact that different riders have won Strade Bianche in recent years says a lot about the difficulty of this race and the increasingly broad range of top riders in the world. Kopecky arrived solo last year, but the year before, she lost in a sprint to her then-teammate Demi Vollering. Kopecky, in turn, won in 2022, while Chantal van den Broek-Blaak was the best in 2021. Some other name could easily be at the top of the podium on Saturday.

Because several things have changed in the women's peloton this winter, Vollering left SD Worx-Protime, where Anna van der Breggen, the outgoing leader, had just returned as a rider. Elisa Longo Borghini left Lidl-Trek for UAE Team ADQ, but Lidl picked up Riejanne Markus and Anna Henderson as new stars at Visma | Lease a Bike, which in turn shows off their leader, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who switched from mountain biking.

When we leave early on Saturday morning, all of them will be at the start. Unlike the Flemish races, the women in Italy finish before the men, so it is early in the morning. I'm sure it will be fine, as the adrenaline of this gravel race usually excites many fans.

Practical information Strade Bianche women 2025

• Siena - Siena (136 km)
• Saturday, March 8, 2025
• Participants
• Classification: WWT

In this article

• Latest winners
• Course, weather and times
• Favorites
• TV information

Latest winners of Strade Bianche

2024: Lotte Kopecky
2023: Demi Vollering
2022: Lotte Kopecky
2021: Chantal Van den Broek-Blaak
2020: Annemiek van Vleuten
2019: Annemiek van Vleuten
2018: Anna van der Breggen
2017: Elisa Longo-Borghini
2016: Lizzie Deignan
2015: Megan Guarnier

Course, weather and times Strade Bianche 2025 - elite women

The women's Strade Bianche has been legendary for years, and the organization hasn't changed its course since last year. The distance of 136 kilometers remains virtually the same as in the years before 2024, but just like the men, the ladies will do two final laps, with the Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe as the final hurdles. The finish line is in the Piazza del Campo in Siena, just as it is for the men.

So, what are the differences between the men's and women's routes? In addition to the length, the women will have fewer gravel strips. The opening phase is the same, but where the men turn right at Ponte d'Arbia for an extra loop with two gravel strips, the women continue straight ahead. This means that the San Martino in Grania will be the sixth gravel strip of the day for the women and the eighth for the men.

After this long stretch, the women turn left toward Arbia, thus making a loop around the notorious Monte Sante Marie. The men so fear this stretch because exciting things can happen there. For the women, this usually happens 'only' in the final stretch so that we will make two short laps this time. The route is the same as for the men, just as after the second time, we turn left at Le Tolfe towards Siena, where the feared and extremely steep approach to the Piazza del Campo awaits.

Weather:
Spring has arrived in Italy. After weeks of rain and wind, it has been sunny since Monday, and temperatures are expected to rise to under 20 degrees during the week. This is fantastic racing weather, especially since the wind will not play a role on Saturday. Therefore, the mud on the sections will have plenty of time to dry, turning Saturday's race into a dusty affair.

Times:
Start: 03:50 AM EST
Finish: around 07:44 AM EST

Check below again our exploration of the Monte Sante Marie strip, from 2024. A strip that is not included in the women's race.

Favorites Strade Bianche 2025 - elite women

The top of the women's field is more diverse, but not all can win the Strade Bianche. That much is clear, especially now that almost all the best riders are here. Starting with Demi Vollering, the leader of FDJ-SUEZ, who rode away from the rest in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. She did so with Puck Pieterse of Fenix-Deceuninck on her wheel, the second name to mention.

The duo was strong in Flanders, but Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE) and Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) did not participate. The Italian won the UAE Tour and has not been seen since. How good is Longo Borghini in front of her home crowd in the race she would love to win one day? Van der Breggen already showed she is up to the task in a direct battle with Vollering in the Tour of Valencia. But can she also do well in such a tough race?

Read more below the photo.

In Omloop Het Niuewsblad, Vollering attacked impressively hard

Don't focus only on these four names because a few women have made the Tuscan gravel race their primary goal. Olympic champion Kristen Faulkner has already proven herself several times in Strade Bianche and will go for the win on Saturday on behalf of EF. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot also dreams of this for her new team, Visma | Lease a Bike. The French rider will have a slight advantage with her mountain bike experience.

Looking further down the list, we come across the established names who never disappoint. Kasia Niewiadoma and her new teammate Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Canyon//SRAM) usually do well in Tuscany, and Juliette Labous, Vollering's teammate at FDJ-SUEZ, is also a dangerous competitor. Pieterse, in turn, can count on the Dutch Fenix trident, including Yara Kastelijn and Paulina Rooijakkers.

Read more below the photo.

Tour winner Niewiadoma is there!

As mentioned, Lidl-Trek has a strong team, with newcomers Riejanne Markus and Anna Henderson, as well as the strong Niamh Fisher-Black (transferred from SD Worx). Movistar has always had a strong leader in Liane Lippert, now supported by Marlen Reusser. Van der Breggen has a luxury domestique with Mischa Bredewold at her side, just as Silvia Persico has that with UAE, of course, next to Longo Borghini.

How about a quick list of outsiders? Let's do it! How good is the clever Mavi Garcia from Liv AlUla Jayco, for example? Moreover, Marta Cavalli is coming back to life at Picnic-PostNL after years of mental and physical setbacks. If only she could find her old legs again...

Who are the favorites for Strade Bianche 2025, according to IDLProCycling.com?

Top favorites: Demi Vollering (FDJ-SUEZ) and Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ)
Outsiders: Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck), Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime), Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly), Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM)
Long shots: Riejanne Markus (Lidl-Trek), Liane Lippert and Marlen Reusser (Movistar), Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime), Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ), Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Canyon//SRAM), Juliette Labous (Picnic-PostNL) and Paulina Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck)

TV Strade Bianche 2025

As in previous editions, the organization has planned the women's race before and not after the men's. This means we will see the entire women's final live on TV. Eurosport will broadcast the race from 05:45 AM EST on Eurosport 1 and HBO Max.

Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])     

Read also

Gravel in the Giro means Soudal Quick-Step focuses on Landa at Strade Bianche; Picnic PostNL ready to attack

Preview of Strade Bianche 2025 | Pogacar can show off his skills again, Van Aert, Van der Poel, Evenepoel and Vingegaard are absent

Participants Strade Bianche 2025 | Pogacar's challengers revealed, and who will succeed Kopecky?

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