The routes for the 2026 Strade Bianche Weekend have been officially unveiled. Organised by RCS Sport, the pro cycling event will open the Italian UCI WorldTour Classics season on March 7, 2026, followed by the 11th edition of the Gran Fondo Strade Bianche Estra for amateur riders on March 8, 2026.
Both the men’s and women’s professional races will feature route modifications for the 2026 season. The men’s race, Strade Bianche Crédit Agricole, will cover 201km with 14 gravel sectors totalling 64.1km. The women’s race, Strade Bianche Women Elite Crédit Agricole, will cover 131km including 33km of gravel across 11 sectors.
The weekend’s activities in the Crete Senesi region in Tuscany, Italy, will commence on March 6, 2026, with team presentations at the Fortezza Medicea.
Paolo Bellino, CEO of RCS Sports and Events, said “The Great Strade Bianche Weekend represents one of the most defining events on our calendar and, over the years, has become a benchmark for international cycling.
“Opening the season of the Italian WorldTour Classics in a unique setting like Siena combines sporting excellence with the promotion of the territory.”
The men’s route includes challenging sectors such as San Martino in Grania (9.4km) and the 11.5km sector at Monte Sante Marie, which is considered the hardest of the race. The finale features a 30km circuit including the steep climbs of Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe, the latter of which reaches a maximum gradient of 18%.
The women’s race shares 11 sectors with the men’s course, including the punchy Monteaperti sector which features double-digit gradients. Both races will conclude with the traditional finish in Siena’s Piazza del Campo, following a final climb on Via Santa Caterina with gradients reaching 16%.
Giusy Virelli, Project Manager for Strade Bianche Crédit Agricole, said “The 2026 routes of Strade Bianche and Strade Bianche Women Elite fully preserve the technical identity of the race, built on the alternation between gravel and asphalt and on an extremely selective finale.”
Historical statistics released alongside the route unveiling note that the Netherlands dominates the women’s race with six victories, followed by Belgium with two. The United Kingdom, Italy, and US-based riders have each secured one win.
In the men’s event, Fabian Cancellara and Tadej Pogačar hold the record as the most successful riders with three wins each. Moreno Moser, who won in 2013, remains the youngest winner and the only Italian to have claimed the title.
The weekend concludes on March 8, 2026, with the Gran Fondo Strade Bianche Estra for amateur riders. This event has already surpassed previous entry records, with over 8,500 participants registered to tackle a 140km route including 42km of gravel.
Luca Onofrio, Head of Mass Events at RCS Sports & Events, said “Riding on the same roads and gravel sectors tackled by the WorldTour champions, with a finish in the extraordinary setting of Piazza del Campo, is an experience that each year attracts enthusiasts from all over the world.”
The Gran Fondo route includes 10 gravel sectors, including the 9.5km San Martino in Grania sector and the final challenges of Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe before finishing in the heart of Siena.
