Richard Carapaz , Rui Costa , Ben Healy , Mikkel Honoré , Archie Ryan , James Shaw , and Michael Valgren , will race the Tuscan classic for EF Education-EasyPost.
Nina Berton , Letizia Borghesi , Cédrine Kerbaol , Nina Kessler , Sarah Roy , and Noemi Rüegg will race for EF Education-Oatly.
From the start near Siena’s Medici Fortress our squads will roll into the hills south of the city for a furious race through the vineyards and olive groves. The 213-kilometer men’s race includes 16 sectors of white gravel, known as sterrato , for a total of 81.7 kilometers on cypress-lined dirt. The women’s race packs 12 white-gravel sectors into 136 kilometres, twisting up and down through the countryside.
If it is dry, a huge cloud of dust will follow the peloton across the landscape, making it hard for the riders to see, as they plummet down narrow farm roads, dodging potholes and other riders to try to stay at the front of the peloton. In the wet, the white gravel becomes a slippery gray clay, that cakes the riders and their bikes and makes every corner treacherous.
“ It’s a special race because of the gravel sectors,” says Nina Berton. “It is also a really historic race, so it’s super fun that we are able to do it. Racing on the white roads is a lot of adrenaline, but you have to keep the focus and control your bike, while going still as fast as possible, so you save […]
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