As it Happened - Final sprint to the Piazza del Campo decides 2026 women's Strade Bianche after punctures and mechanicals shake up race
Two fewer gravel sectors and five fewer kilometres, but still a brutal 133km route on offer at Italian Classic on the roads to Siena
Strade Bianche Women 2026 - Preview
Strade Bianche Women 2026 - Route
Race Situation
Elise Chabbey wins ahead of Kasia Niewiadoma and Franziska Koch
Welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of the 2026 women's Strade Bianche. It's set to be a humdinger of a battle on the white roads of Tuscany, with a wide-open fight for glory in Siena.
The riders are due to set off for the neutral start in just under half an hour, while the race proper begins at 10:20 CET.
After a true festival of gravel last year, when the race organisers ramped up the distance the riders raced on the looser surface, RCS have toned things down for this year, with two fewer gravel sectors on the route.
After her storming win at Omloop het Nieuwsblad last week, Vollering comes in as favourite to defend her title. Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney was close to the European Champion last week though.
Other riders hoping to challenge include 2025 Tour de France Femmes winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, the SD Worx-ProTime pair of Lotte Kopecky and Anna van der Breggan, Elisa Longo-Borghini and last year's Liége-Bastogne-Liége winner Kim Le Court-Pienaar.
Since finishing third last year, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot has gone on to win both Paris-Roubaix and the Tour de France Femmes. Teaming up once more with Marianne Vos for Strade Bianche, the Frenchwoman is feeling confident in Tuscany.
It's set to be unseasonably warm today in Siena, with temperatures reaching around 16 degrees celsius. Could that mean we're in for a quick edition?
In all, there are eleven gravel sectors for the riders to contend with today. There is one five-start sector, the San Martino in Grania and two very important four-star stretches of gravel, Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe, which are the final two sectors before the finish.
Here's world champion Magdeleine Vallieres signing on this morning.
The riders are making their way through a rolling section from Siena to Sant' Andrea a Montecchio, before taking on the first gravel sector.
Vollering and Niewiadoma-Phinney were locked in a tight battle last weekend at Omloop het Nieuwsblad before the FDJ-SUEZ rider romped away in the final metres. Is this set to be the rivalry of the spring?
The riders are all together in the opening stages
SD Worx-ProTime's Lotte Kopecky is a two-time winner of this race, in 2022 and 2024. However, following back problems over the last year, she has been well short of that form of late.
Vidritta is regarded as one of the easiest sectors of the race as it's almost pan-flat.
It won't be long until the peloton hits the second sector, which is much more challenging.
The first two groups are now back together, with at least one group further back.
Ferrand-Prévot was among those distanced, but she is back now. It's unclear whether she was part of that early fall.
The peloton is back together on the climb.
Bagnaia is a tough sector, with ramps up to 15%. Being so early in the race, it shouldn't have too much bearing on the final result.
Puck Pieterse is making her road season debut at Strade Bianche, five weeks after finishing third at the Cyclo-cross World Championships.
The second sector of gravel is complete and the riders are heading for the third.
The riders are all together, although EF Education-Oatly's Henriette Christie has had a mechanical problem.
Rijnbeek has a 17-second lead over the peloton.
All eyes on the defending champion.
Rijnbeek's move was short-lived. She's been caught ahead of the third sector of sterrato.
Here's a shot of the riders leaving Siena earlier.
A mechanical issue for Josie Talbot (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) on the gravel. Radi is almost complete.
The riders are off the Radi sector now. There are around 11 kilometres until another short sector, almost a blip on the route map. After that, there are another 17km until the highest-ranked sector, the San Martine in Grania.
The peloton kicking up dust on an early sector.
The peloton is all together, with FDJ-SUEZ, Lidl-Trek and EF Education-Oatly riding on the front.
Vollering's FDJ-SUEZ team were on song last weekend at Omloop het Nieuwsblad. The French squad have been attentive in the opening hour, leading the bunch through Léa Curinier.
It's the build-up to the big one now.
A few of the smaller teams are trying to send riders up the road, but the big teams are not letting anything go at the moment.
Attack by Alison Jackson (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93).
Jackson has been caught.
The big teams are keeping the pace high on this flatter section. They know that the next hour of racing will be important. The next gravel sector is coming up in three kilometres.
There has been a crash in the peloton and Anna van der Breggen has had a mechanical issue in the early part of this sector.
Riders from Visma-Lease a Bike and Fenix-Premier Tech came down in that crash.
The peloton is breaking up on San Martino in Grania as they take on the first little climb on the sector. However, so often at Strade Bianche, it can be the tricky gravel descents that can cause separation.
Around 30 riders are at the front of the race as they take on another rise.
Crash
Another fall in the bunch with multiple riders on the groud. EF Education–Oatly, Movistar and Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto all have riders held up.
One of the many winding descents the riders have to take on today.
They are on the descent now off the San Martino in Grania. The front group is now around 20 riders as three attempt to break clear on this fast downhill.
FDJ-SUEZ are present in this front group with numbers. Amber Kraak is currently on the front keeping the pace high. Elise Chabbey is there too, as is Franziska Koch and one other to support Vollering.
Missing from this front group is Kim Le Court-Pienaar. It appears that Anna van der Breggen is also distanced after her earlier crash. Lotte Kopecky is there though for SD Worx-ProTime.
There are five FDJ-SUEZ riders in this front group. It's a real show of strength from the French team today.
Visma-Lease a Bike have a strong trio in Ferrand-Prévot, Vos and De Vries. Lidl-Trek also have three as do UAE Team ADQ.
Kopecky is at the back of the group seeking some attention from the car. She's all alone.
The group stretched out over that climb, but all stayed together. FDJ-SUEZ are keeping the squad in tact with key sections still to come.
The front group are on the descent towards the four-star Colle Pinzuto.
Puck Pieterse and Millie Couzens (Fenix-Premier Tech) are both in this front group.
Chabbey attacks at the foot of Pinzuto with Włodarczyk in pursuit.
The group is shattering on this sector. Chabbey and Włodarczyk have a ten-second lead.
Vos is attacking to get across, but Koch covers the move for Vollering. Now Lidl-Trek chase.
Kopecky, Lippert, Couzens and Nelson are all dropped from the chasing group.
World Champion Magdeleine Vallieres attacks but is chased down. Next it's Van Anrooij and Vos once more.
Chabbey and Włodarczyk are being closed down because of the relentless attacking behind. They are now off the Colle Pinzuto and are heading towards Le Tolfe, another four-star sector.
45km to go
Kopecky and her companions have returned to the group as Włodarczyk and Chabbey extend their lead once more. It's now 25 seconds.
FDJ-SUEZ have a rider up the road, so it's now Visma-Lease a Bike leading the chasing group with super domestique Femke de Vries. Ferrand-Prévot and Vos are sitting in for now.
Kopecky moves herself to the front ahead of Le Tolfe, giving herself some sliding room.
A nervy moment for Włodarczyk whose back wheel slides out on a gravel corner.
Mechanical
It looks like Ferran-Prévot is out of contention as she has a mechanical issue on Le Tolfe. She's waiting for the team car.
It's chaos out there. Letizia Borghesi goes wide on a corner and is collected by the waiting spectators. She didn't come down and will have to chase back now.
Vollering is all alone now, although Chabbey and Koch are in the group ahead. The European champion is pulling a small group with Kopecky, Brand and Blasi.
The front duo have been caught.
Vollering has a lifeline as Kim Le Court-Pienaar and Letizia Borghesi catch her and immediately start working. Kopecky also now has team-mates in that group in Nienke Vinke and Anna van der Breggen.
After being caught, Włodarczyk is now riding on the front in the lead group in support of Longo Borghini.
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That was a breathless half hour.
Włodarczyk is impressive. After being on the attack, she is really driving this group on now.
The chase group has gone the wrong way. They have been directed down a gravel sector that was not part of the route.
The riders have gone a long way down that track on a descent. They are now climbing back up and onto the course with a deficit of almost two minutes.
The riders were instinctively following the motorbike ahead of them and turned right instead of left. Ferrand-Prévot had just re-joined this group and also went the wrong way.
Group 2 is out of contention now. They are almost three minutes behind the leaders after that incident.
Well, with that, it's down to the front 13 to contend for the win.
Chabbey, Koch (FDJ-SUEZ), Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) Vallieres, Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly), Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech), Van Anrooij, Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek), Trinca Colonel (Liv-AlUla-Jayco), Lippert (Movistar), Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike), Longo Borghini and Włodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ).
25km to go
Włodarczyk is still on the front. She's not asked for any help at all over the last 15 kilometres.
Włodarczyk takes a corner wide on this descent and Vallieres does the same on the next bend.
They are off that sector now and Włodarczyk is back on the front once more, trying to set up Italian champion Longo Borghini.
Fisher-Black has taken Chabbey, Rüegg, Vos and Longo Borghini with her, but the gap is small.
Chabbey and Longo Borghini are going clear on the hardest section. Pieterse is being dropped.
Fisher-Black is trying to bridge across but is fading. She is swept up by a chasing group.
Immense effort from Longo Borghini and Chabbey. They are pulling clear.
It's a 20-second lead for Longo Borghini and Chabbey as Vallieres pulls the chasing group. She has Rüegg, who was 9th last year, in the group.
20 seconds for the leading pair at the top of Pinzuto. Just Le Tolfe to go ahead of the Via Santa Caterina climb in the final kilometre.
Longo Borghini and Chabbey are on the tarmac descent now. Chabbey is refusing to come through, she has Koch waiting patiently in the group behind.
Behind, Rüegg is now leading the chase. It looks like the Swiss and world champion Vallieres have now swapped roles, with Rüegg now in support.
Koch tries an attack as soon as her team-mate Chabbey is caught, but isn't given any room.
Now Trinca Colonel accelerates with Vos in the wheel, but she can't get clear.
Pieterse moves to the front as the climb bites, Niewiadoma in her wheel.
Pieterse's legs buckle beneath her. It's now Longo Borghini and Niewiadoma in the lead.
What a battle between the Polish and Italian champions. They have a lead over the top of Le Tolfe. Will they work together?
Longo Borghini is on the front, but Pieterse is now coming back to the leading pair.
This trio have a decisive lead now and are continuing on with the pace.
Chabbey and Vallieres at still chasing hard and will believe they can come back.
It's an up-and-down approach to Siena now ahead of the decisive final ramp.
Niewiadoma had a small crash earlier today, but on balance these are the three strongest riders who all avoided incident on the roads of Tuscany. That's what bike-racing can all come down to.
Vallieres and Koch are doing a lot of the pulling behind and the gap is coming down on a short drag.
Almost disaster for Longo Borghini who catches the back wheel of Pieterse. She keeps it vertical though as the gap drops below 10 seconds.
Koch tries an attack but is brought back. She sits back on the front of the group, with Chabbey at the back.
The group slows and Trinca Colonel comes back, attacking straight off the front but followed by Chabbey.
The riders are coasting now. All focus is on the final climb.
The Via Santa Catarina is one of the most iconic stadia in cycling. The gradients top 20% on the approach to the Piazza del Campo.
Vallieres gets to the front and lifts the pace.
Pieterse now on the front into the steep section.
There go Longo Borghini and Niewiadoma. Chabbey is there too.
The Italian champion leads with 400 metres left.
Koch comes round the outside but Niewiadoma takes the lead.
Elise Chabbey wins the 2026 women's Strade Bianche.
She timed her move to perfection and came around Niewiadoma ahead of the final bend.
The Polish champion was second, with Chabbey's team-mate, Koch, in third.
Longo Borghini was fourth and world champion Vallieres in fifth place.
What a ride from the former Swiss champion. She was away with Włodarczyk, then she was away with Longho Borghini and did a lot of work on the front.
In the end, it wasn't the steep percentages of the Via Santa Catarina that separated the top four, it was the final corners over the top.
It wasn't the FDJ-SUEZ rider we were expecting, but that team rode impeccably throughout, especially after Vollering's untimely puncture.
Pieterse gave her instant reaction to TNT Sports after finishing the race in 6th place.
Here are the full results of the 2026 women's Strade Bianche, powered by FirstCycling.
And here is Cyclingnews' full report from a scintillating morning in Tuscany:
After falling foul of a puncture and then a mis-direction from a race motorbike, Demi Vollering celebrates her team-mate's victory.
The race might have panned out differently had the chasing group not been taken off course by one of the race motorbikes. The incident took the likes of Vollering, Kopecky and Ferrand-Prévot out of contention for the win.
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