Cool Cucumber Wout van Aert storms to Strade Bianche Victory

Annemiek Van Vleuten overhauls breakaway attacker Mavi Garcia to win the womens race 

Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) put in a late attack against his breakway companions Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), Davide Formolo (UAE Team Emirates), Alberto Bettiol (EF Pro Cycling) with 12 kms to go.

Van Aert managed to hold off Schachmann and Formolo as he entered Sienna for the final ardulous climb to finish with 19 seconds lead to take victory on what turned out to be a hot and dramatic day of racing.

Cool Cucumber Wout van Aert storms to Strade Bianche Victory

In the womens race, Annemiek Van Vleuten attacked the leading group to chase down a huge gap to Mavi Garcia that looked too big cross. American Leah Thomas who lost her chain and came off at one point in the race,put in an incredible performance to finish 3rd.

Wout van Aert said afterwards, "the heat was exhausting but I really focussed on hydration and keeping cool and, in the end, I got something left."

The mens race was full gas from the gun was full of punctures and crashes.

6 riders have a establised a breakaway: Benjamin Declercq (Arkéa-Samsic), Corne van Kessel (Circus-Wanty Gobert), Nicola Bagioli en Simon Pellaud (Androni), Quentin Pacher (B&B) and Iuri Filosi (Bardiani). Pellaud went solo after Montalcino climb. 1'10'' for Declerq, Bagioli and Pacer.  2'02'' for the peloton with 121km to go.

Pellaud built up a lead of 3'34'' but with 77km togo  Bob Jungels (Deceuninck-QuickStep), Marcus Burghardt (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Lawson Craddock (EF Pro Cycling) put in an attak from the peloton to bring him back.

Drama in the peloton as Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) fell and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) suffered a puncture. Nibali and Alaphilippe were involved in the fall  too

Benoot and Krag Anderson have abandoned the race, and Van der Poel and Alaphilippe punctured but mamaged to get back into the peloton.

Apparently the White Roads had't been maintained as usual due to Covid, hence the crashes and punctures.

Vincenzo Nibali abandoned the race. He was suffering from a pain in his left hand after a crash.

60 kms to go and Simon Clarke has attacked the front group of around 30 riders.

As wonderful as it could be to see the pros again in action as hard it can be, with the immense heat at 38°C the race was hard consideing it's usually done in March in 12°C.

Four riders chased down Clarke as  Alaphilippe and van der Poel were dropped with 50kms to go.

Out front were Fuglsang (Astana), Formolo (UAE), Bettiol (EF), Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Schachmann (Bora) and Greg van Avermaet (CCC).

Behind Stybar joined by Gogl and Bookwalter chased them down with 25 km to go.

Greg van Avermaet was dropped with 18 km to go as the leaders hit Colle Pinzuto, the 3.4km sterrato sector.

Bettiol (EF) attacked and Fuglsang (Astana), Formolo (UAE), Bettiol (EF), Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Schachmann (Bora) chased him down.

But with 12.3 kms to go Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) attacked and opened up a lead.

Davide Formolo (UAE Team Emirates), Alberto Bettiol (EF Pro Cycling) dropped Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) as they chased.

But it was too late Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) has 11 secs lead with 4.7 kms to go as he entered Sienna.#

Van Aert said afterwards, "If you get two third places in a row, of course you have confidence to come here. Today was one long day of suffering and nobody felt that great. The heat was exhausting but I really focussed on hydration and keeping cool and, in the end, I got something left.

"Maybe there was not really a guy that I had to be afraid of in the last uphill but I think the attack is always the best offence. I knew from the previous edition that attacking is never a disadvantage here and I started attacking in a downhill and came with a little advantage on the steep part. From there, it was a man-to-man fight and it worked.

"I think the victory in the Tour de France was really big but victory at Strade Bianche is one of the nicest one-day races on the calendar. I really fell in love with this race two years ago and it was my goal to win. I’m 25 and I’ve already done it. I’m really happy."

2020 Strade Bianche Men's Top 10

1 Wout van Aert (Bel) Team Jumbo-Visma 4:58:56
2 Davide Formolo (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:30
3 Maximilian Schachmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:32
4 Alberto Bettiol (Ita) EF Pro Cycling 0:01:31
5 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 0:02:55
6 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Deceuninck-Quickstep 0:03:59
7 Brent Bookwalter (USA) Mitchelton-Scott 0:04:25
8 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) CCC Team 0:04:27
9 Michael Gogl (Aut) NTT Pro Cycling 0:06:47
10 Diego Rosa (Ita) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:07:45

VIDEO: 2020 Strade Bianche Men's Race

2020 Strade Bianche Women's Top 10

1 Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Mitchelton-Scott Women 4:03:54
2 Mavi Garcia (Spa Alé BTC Ljubljana 0:00:22
3 Leah Thomas (USA) Equipe Paule Ka 0:01:53
4 Anna Van der Breggen (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam 0:02:05
5 Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Trek-Segafredo Women 0:02:11
6 Marianne Vos (Ned) CCC-Liv 0:02:26
7 Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:02:40
8 Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro 0:03:26
9 Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam 0:04:20
10 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale' BTC Ljubljana 0:05:21

VIDEO: 2020 Strade Bianche Women's Race

 
Tag: classics
 
Mar 28 2024 - NEWS: Kopecky and Van der Poel are back for 2024 Tour of Flanders
Mar 27 2024 - NEWS: Tiesj Benoot Takes The Blame for high speed Dwars door Vlaanderen horror crash
Mar 27 2024 - NEWS: American Jorgenson wins Dwars door Vlaanderen as van Aert breaks collarbone
Mar 25 2024 - NEWS: Vollering and Laporte are back to defend Dwars door Vlaanderen titles
Mar 24 2024 - NEWS: Pedersen wins Gent-Wevelgem in a sprint against van der Poel
Mar 22 2024 - NEWS: Van der Poel crushes his rivals with multiple attacks at E3 Saxo Classic
Mar 21 2024 - NEWS: Can Wout van Aert make it a hattrick at E3 Saxo Bank Classic
Mar 16 2024 - NEWS: Jasper Philipsen wins Milan-San Remo from a bunch sprint
Mar 02 2024 - NEWS: Tadej Pogacar crushes his rivals on the White Roads of Tuscany
Feb 29 2024 - NEWS: Pogacar launches his Giro-Tour bid at Italy's Strade Bianche
Jan 31 2024 - NEWS: More gravel at this year's Strade Bianche
Feb 24 2024 - NEWS: Tratnik surprises with late attack to win Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Feb 25 2024 - NEWS: Wout van Aert powers to Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne Victory
Feb 18 2024 - NEWS: Omloop het Nieuwsblad marks the start of the Classics Season
Jul 30 2020 - NEWS: Giro Livestream
Apr 01 2015 - RESULTS: Gorge Roubaix Grinder a Great Success
Mar 16 2015 - RESULTS: Rouge Roubaix Classic Race and Gran Fondo
Feb 16 2020 - EVENT: Willesden CC Reliability Rides
Feb 24 2024 - EVENT: 2024 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Feb 25 2024 - EVENT: 2024 Kuurne Brussels Kuurne
Mar 13 2024 - EVENT: 2024 MilanoTorino
Mar 16 2024 - EVENT: 2024 Milano Sanremo
Mar 22 2024 - EVENT: 2024 E3 Saxo Classic
Mar 24 2024 - EVENT: 2024 GentWevelgem
Mar 27 2024 - EVENT: 2024 Dwars Door Vlaanderen
Mar 30 2024 - EVENT: Fish Rock
Mar 30 2024 - EVENT: Ronde van Vlaanderen Cyclo
Mar 30 2024 - EVENT: Classics Story The Northern Way
Mar 31 2024 - EVENT: 2024 Tour Of Flanders
Apr 03 2024 - EVENT: 2024 Scheldeprijs
Apr 06 2024 - EVENT: Strada Bellamy
Apr 06 2024 - EVENT: The Lowell 50
 
Tag: stradebianche
 
Mar 05 2024 - NEWS: Frignani and Lenehan fastest at the 2024 Gran Fondo Strade Bianche Enel
Mar 05 2023 - NEWS: Sold Out Strade Bianche sees 6,500 cyclists tackle the White Roads
Mar 04 2023 - NEWS: Brit Tom Pidcock attacks to solo to Strade Bianche Victory
Feb 10 2023 - NEWS: New routes for sold out Gran Fondo Strade Bianche
Mar 05 2022 - NEWS: Pogacar leaves rivals in the dust with stunning solo attack at Strade Bianche
Mar 05 2022 - NEWS: Horrrendous crash after freak gust of wind decimates Strade Bianche peloton
Mar 05 2022 - NEWS: Lotte Kopecky outsprints Annemiek van Vleuten to win Strade Bianche
Aug 01 2020 - NEWS: Cool Cucumber Wout van Aert storms to Sizzling Hot Strade Bianche Victory!
Mar 04 2020 - NEWS: Gran Fondo Strade Bianche cancelled due to Corona-Virus Fears in Italy
Oct 28 2018 - NEWS: Limited Edition VIP: Experience Italy’s Strade Bianche with Garda Bike Hotel
Oct 28 2018 - NEWS: Italian Flair and Style: Pinarello's new dedicated gravel bike called the Grevil
Feb 28 2018 - NEWS: Strade Bianche will be a Mud Fest Tomorrow as Snow Melts
Feb 27 2018 - NEWS: Peter Sagan is back this weekend on the White Roads of Tuscany at Strade Bianche
Mar 17 2017 - NEWS: 5,000 Tackle Gran Fondo Strade Bianche
Mar 02 2017 - NEWS: Strade Bianche Route Revealed
Mar 02 2024 - EVENT: 2024 Strade Bianche
Sep 15 2024 - EVENT: Strade Bianche Peel and Hei