The 2024 route for Strade Bianche includes an extra loop and more gravel sectors, elevating the Tuscan race even closer to the status of professional cycling’s sixth monument.
The 2023 men’s race covered 184 km and 11 gravel sectors. This year’s race on Saturday, March 2 will cover 215 km and 15 gravel sectors. The extra racing covers much of the traditional final loop of the race to the east of Siena.
Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) won the men’s Strade Bianche with a long-range solo attack.
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The 2024 climbs of Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe, where the decisive attacks are often made, will be covered twice, before the climb up to central Siena and the finish in the spectacular Piazza del Campo.
The extended routes for Strade Bianche were presented in Siena in January. The new routes arguably make the races even more demanding, with the final climb up to Renaissance Siena likely to reveal the eventual winners.
The men will race a total of 71 km on the spectacular gravel roads or ‘strade bianche’ of Tuscany.
The map of the 2024 Strade Bianche men's race (Image credit: RCS Sport)
Starting near the Stadium/Fortezza Medicea in Siena, the first half of the race includes the longer rolling gravel road sections during a loop south towards Montalcino. Coming in 21km into the race, the 5.8km sector 2 will be the first tricky bit of the race, with a short descent followed by a long climb featuring sections over 10%.
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When the wind doesn't tear the race apart, the main difficulties of Strade Bianche include the 9.5km long San Martino in Grania section that climbs for more than half of the stretch of gravel and has gradients of up to 12%, the Monte Sante Marie that kicks up to 18% and is 11.5km long. These back-to-back gravel sections come between 102km and 84km to go, and in the past were often the breaking points for the race.
The map of the extended final circuit of the 2024 Strade Bianche men's race (Image credit: RCS Sport)
After eight gravel sections, the riders will tackle the 30-km circuit which includes the 2.4km sector 10, the climb toward Colle Pinzuto, with gradients peaking as high as 15% followed by sector 11, Le Tolfe, (1.1 km), marked by a fast-running descent followed by a very punchy climb with a maximum gradient of 18%.
Shortly after Le Tolfe, upon the first passage, the route takes a first-ever ride on the Strada del Castagno (12th sector, 1.3 km), which leads to some challenging passes on paved roads to the 13th sector (Montechiaro 3.3 km), which was covered in the first editions of the race. The circuit ends at the end of this sector, in Vico d’Arbia.
The sectors of Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe will be repeated inside of 20km to go providing another point for attacking before the route turns towards Siena.
The race concludes with the climb up through the narrow Via Santa Caterina with gradients of 16% to central Siena. With 150 m to go, a right turn leads into Via Rinaldini, and enters the Piazza del Campo with just 70 metres to go leading to the final downhill 30 metres dash to the finish line.
"This year we wanted to make some changes to the route, and so we created this double circuit, which will increase the difficulty and mileage of both races, as well as give the fans at the roadside the chance to enjoy the show multiple times,” Mauro Vegni, the head of cycling at RCS Sport explained at the route presentation in Siena.
“As a result of this decision, for the first time, the men's race will be longer than 200 km. We will see how the race will develop. Every year, this event gives us strong emotions and great cycling moments such as in 2023 the photo-finish victory of the women's race by Demi Vollering, or the winning attack by Thomas Pidcock in the men's race."
Stephen is one of the most experienced members of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. Before becoming Editor-at-large, he was Head of News at Cyclingnews. He has previously worked for Shift Active Media, Reuters and Cycling Weekly. He is a member of the Board of the Association Internationale des Journalistes du Cyclisme (AIJC).
