{"id":16823,"date":"2023-03-03T00:19:47","date_gmt":"2023-03-03T00:19:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/03\/03\/the-biggest-talking-points-ahead-of-strade-bianche-women-preview\/"},"modified":"2023-03-03T00:19:47","modified_gmt":"2023-03-03T00:19:47","slug":"the-biggest-talking-points-ahead-of-strade-bianche-women-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/03\/03\/the-biggest-talking-points-ahead-of-strade-bianche-women-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"The biggest talking points ahead of Strade Bianche Women &#8211; Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p>One of the most celebrated one-day races of the year is upon us at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/strade-bianche-women\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Strade Bianche Women<\/a>, set to take place on March 4 along the white gravel roads of Tuscany into Siena.<\/p>\n<p>The Women&#8217;s WorldTour has already begun at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/women-s-tour-down-under\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Women&#8217;s Tour Down Under<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/cadel-evans-great-ocean-road-race\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/uae-tour-women\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UAE Tour Women<\/a>. Now the Spring Classics are finally in full swing after opening weekend&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/omloop-het-nieuwsblad-elite-women\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Omloop Het Nieuwsblad<\/a>.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"hawk-nest paywall\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\"\/>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Once the kick-off to the top-tier series, Strade Bianche now settles into the fifth round, adding to the excitement as riders and teams have had several weeks to find their legs before tackling the tough races of the spring.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\"><em>Cyclingnews<\/em> highlights the biggest talking points ahead of Strade Bianche.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\"><em><strong>Learn more about the Women&#8217;s WorldTour in\u00a0Cyclingnews&#8217;\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/features\/womens-worldtour-the-definitive-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em><strong>definitive guide<\/strong><\/em><\/a><em><strong>\u00a0for 2023, and join Cyclingnews for\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/features\/join-cyclingnews-for-live-coverage-of-the-womens-spring-classics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em><strong>live coverage of the 2023 Spring Classics<\/strong><\/em><\/a><em><strong>. Also check in after each race for our full reports, results, galleries, news and features.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"no-pressure-for-lotte-kopecky-2\" class=\"paywall\">No pressure for Lotte Kopecky<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"paywall van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:66.80%;\"><picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" alt=\"Belgian rider Lotte Kopecky of SD Worx celebrates after winning the womens oneday cycling race Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for the first time part of the Womens World Tour races 1322 km from Gent to Ninove on February 25 2023 Photo by KURT DESPLENTER Belga AFP Belgium OUT Photo by KURT DESPLENTERBelgaAFP via Getty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-320-80.jpg.webp 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm.jpg\"\/><source type=\"image\/jpeg\" alt=\"Belgian rider Lotte Kopecky of SD Worx celebrates after winning the womens oneday cycling race Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for the first time part of the Womens World Tour races 1322 km from Gent to Ninove on February 25 2023 Photo by KURT DESPLENTER Belga AFP Belgium OUT Photo by KURT DESPLENTERBelgaAFP via Getty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-320-80.jpg 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-1200-80.jpg 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm.jpg\"\/><img alt=\"Belgian rider Lotte Kopecky of SD Worx celebrates after winning the womens oneday cycling race Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for the first time part of the Womens World Tour races 1322 km from Gent to Ninove on February 25 2023 Photo by KURT DESPLENTER Belga AFP Belgium OUT Photo by KURT DESPLENTERBelgaAFP via Getty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-320-80.jpg 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm-1200-80.jpg 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xYjYW9atCgJ5xWocYUx2Cm.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Lotte Kopecky of SD Worx <\/span><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/lotte-kopecky\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lotte Kopecky<\/a>&#8216;s victory at last year&#8217;s edition of Strade Bianche, where she out-positioned and out-powered Annemiek van Vleuten on the steep Via Santa Caterina into the Piazza del Campo, was one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/features\/the-10-most-dramatic-moments-in-pro-cycling-in-2022\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">most dramatic moments<\/a> of the entire season. However, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/road\/teams\/uci-womens-worldtour\/2022\/team-sd-worx\/https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/road\/teams\/uci-womens-worldtour\/2022\/team-sd-worx\/page\/2\/https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/road\/teams\/uci-womens-worldtour\/2023\/team-sd-worx\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SD Worx<\/a> winning wildcard says she&#8217;s feeling no pressure to defend her title in Siena on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Kopecky has had a successful start to her season, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/races\/omloop-het-nieuwsblad-elite-women-2023\/elite-women\/results\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">securing a solo victory at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad<\/a> last weekend, and to top it off, the team finish <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/news\/kopecky-and-wiebes-turn-domination-on-paper-into-reality-at-omloop-het-nieuwsblad\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1-2 on the podium<\/a> with new signing Lorena Wiebes sprinting for second place in Ninove.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Kopecky may be feeling less pressure now that she has that first season&#8217;s victory under her belt, but she aims to try for back-to-back wins in Siena.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">&#8220;It will always remain a special victory for me,&#8221; Kopecky said. &#8220;Thanks to my win in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, I will arrive at the start of Strade Bianche with no pressure. Winning the same race twice in a row is difficult, but I&#8217;m going to try anyway.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">The steep climbs and gravel roads in Tuscany will cater to Kopecky&#8217;s strengths. She has already proven her early-season climbing strength, breaking away from her rivals over the decisive Muur van Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg to win at Omloop, and she said that her motivation is high and her form will only get better.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">&#8220;After this win, the motivation for the Strade is very high. I will go full steam ahead. The confidence is there. Strade Bianche suits me. I like the course. My form is good, and I am part of a super strong Team SD Worx.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Kopecky will be joined by teammates Demi Vollering, Niamh Fisher-Black, Elena Cecchini, Misha Bredewold, and Anna Shackley.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"better-luck-for-annemiek-van-vleuten-2\" class=\"paywall\">Better luck for Annemiek van Vleuten<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"paywall van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:66.70%;\"><picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" alt=\"Netherlands Annemiek van Vleuten of Movistar Team L competes during the womens oneday cycling race Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for the first time part of the Womens World Tour races 1322 km from Gent to Ninove on February 25 2023 Photo by Tom Goyvaerts Belga AFP Belgium OUT Photo by TOM GOYVAERTSBelgaAFP via Getty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-320-80.jpg.webp 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS.jpg\"\/><source type=\"image\/jpeg\" alt=\"Netherlands Annemiek van Vleuten of Movistar Team L competes during the womens oneday cycling race Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for the first time part of the Womens World Tour races 1322 km from Gent to Ninove on February 25 2023 Photo by Tom Goyvaerts Belga AFP Belgium OUT Photo by TOM GOYVAERTSBelgaAFP via Getty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-320-80.jpg 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-1200-80.jpg 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS.jpg\"\/><img alt=\"Netherlands Annemiek van Vleuten of Movistar Team L competes during the womens oneday cycling race Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for the first time part of the Womens World Tour races 1322 km from Gent to Ninove on February 25 2023 Photo by Tom Goyvaerts Belga AFP Belgium OUT Photo by TOM GOYVAERTSBelgaAFP via Getty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-320-80.jpg 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS-1200-80.jpg 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cmw9ZsWvQGXBtCNf8uoHHS.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Annemiek van Vleuten of Movistar <\/span><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/annemiek-van-vleuten\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Annemiek van Vleuten<\/a>&#8216;s start to the Spring Classics was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/news\/i-hit-a-pothole-flat-tyre-ends-annemiek-van-vleutens-omloop-het-nieuwsblad-defence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hampered by an untimely mechanical<\/a> at the foot of the Muur van Geraardsbergen that left her out of contention at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">She has another chance at success this Saturday during the challenging Strade Bianche, a race that favours her strengths. As long as she has better luck on her side, she is a favourite to win.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">The World Champion is only the rider to have won Strade Bianche twice, in 2019 and 2020, but last year she was beaten to the line by a faster Lotte Kopecky in a two-up sprint into the Piazza del Campo.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Van Vleuten, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/features\/change-on-the-horizon-for-annemiek-van-vleuten\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">who is set to retire at the end of this season<\/a>, is on her farewell tour. While her bigger targets lay further ahead at the Giro d&#8217;Italia Donne and the Tour de France Femmes, she still has high hopes for a strong Spring Classics campaign, which will also include the Tour of Flanders and the Ardennes Classics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Van Vleuten has typically excelled on the steep climbs littered across the Strade Bianche route but admitted that she struggled on the climbs during her first race of the season at Setmana Valenciana. Her flat ahead of the back-to-back Muur van Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg made it difficult to gauge her form at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Van Vleuten is never one to shy away from aggressive racing, and she has the support of a powerful team that includes Liane Lippert, Emma Norsgaard, Floortje Mackaij and Sheyla Guti\u00e9rrez.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"silvia-persico-leads-the-italian-charge-2\" class=\"paywall\">Silvia Persico leads the Italian charge<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"paywall van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:66.70%;\"><picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" alt=\"JEBEL HAFEET UNITED ARAB EMIRATES FEBRUARY 11 Silvia Persico of Italy and UAE Team ADQ crosses the finish line during the 1st UAE Tour Women 2023 Stage 3 a 107km stage from Hazza bin Zayed Stadium Al Ain to Jebel Hafeet 1030m UAETourWomen UCIWWT on February 11 2023 in Jebel Hafeet United Arab Emirates Photo by Tim de WaeleGetty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-320-80.jpg.webp 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f.jpg\"\/><source type=\"image\/jpeg\" alt=\"JEBEL HAFEET UNITED ARAB EMIRATES FEBRUARY 11 Silvia Persico of Italy and UAE Team ADQ crosses the finish line during the 1st UAE Tour Women 2023 Stage 3 a 107km stage from Hazza bin Zayed Stadium Al Ain to Jebel Hafeet 1030m UAETourWomen UCIWWT on February 11 2023 in Jebel Hafeet United Arab Emirates Photo by Tim de WaeleGetty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-320-80.jpg 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-1200-80.jpg 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f.jpg\"\/><img alt=\"JEBEL HAFEET UNITED ARAB EMIRATES FEBRUARY 11 Silvia Persico of Italy and UAE Team ADQ crosses the finish line during the 1st UAE Tour Women 2023 Stage 3 a 107km stage from Hazza bin Zayed Stadium Al Ain to Jebel Hafeet 1030m UAETourWomen UCIWWT on February 11 2023 in Jebel Hafeet United Arab Emirates Photo by Tim de WaeleGetty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-320-80.jpg 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f-1200-80.jpg 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TeNCs3nxSvCG9NwQgket4f.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Silvia Persico of UAE Team ADQ <\/span><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/silvia-persico\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Siliva Persico<\/a> has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/news\/i-gave-my-best-silvia-persico-excels-in-new-leadership-role-at-uae-tour\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">excelled in her new leadership role at UAE Team ADQ<\/a>, in her first season racing for a top-tier women&#8217;s team. The Italian all-rounder bided her time during the two opening sprint stages of the UAE Tour Women and then stormed to third place among the top climbers on the decisive Jebel Hafeet, securing third place overall behind compatriots Elisa Longo Borghini and Gaia Realini (both Trek-Segafredo).<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Persico&#8217;s jump from the successful development team Valcar Travel &amp; Service to UAE Team ADQ was an inevitable move after her outstanding performance as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/news\/silvia-persico-the-revelation-of-the-tour-de-france-femmes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the revelation of the Tour de France Femmes<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">The 25-year-old has an impressive range of strength in the sprints and mountains, and a race like Strade Bianche seems almost the perfect backdrop for a versatile rider who also excels in cyclocross.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Longo Borghi and Marta Cavalli were also among the home-nation favourites for Strade Bianche, but both are no longer take to the start line. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/news\/sickness-sidelines-elisa-longo-borghini-from-strade-bianche\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Longo Borghi has the flu<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/news\/cavalli-takes-time-away-from-racing-due-to-lingering-injuries-from-2022-crash\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cavalli is still recovering from lingering injuries<\/a> sustained in a crash at last year&#8217;s Tour de France Femmes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Other Italians that could make their mark on the race are Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo), Katia Ragusa (Liv Racing TeqFind), Soraya Paladin (Canyon-SRAM) and Elena Cecchini (SD Worx), but watch for Persico to put on a show in Siena.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"gravel-adrenaline-2\" class=\"paywall\">Gravel adrenaline<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"paywall van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:66.70%;\"><picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" alt=\"SIENA ITALY MARCH 05 Ashleigh Moolman Pasio of South Africa and Team SD Worx competes during the Eroica 8th Strade Bianche 2022 Womens Elite a 136km one day race from Siena to Siena Piazza del Campo 321m StradeBianche on March 05 2022 in Siena Italy Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-320-80.jpg.webp 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9.jpg\"\/><source type=\"image\/jpeg\" alt=\"SIENA ITALY MARCH 05 Ashleigh Moolman Pasio of South Africa and Team SD Worx competes during the Eroica 8th Strade Bianche 2022 Womens Elite a 136km one day race from Siena to Siena Piazza del Campo 321m StradeBianche on March 05 2022 in Siena Italy Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-320-80.jpg 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-1200-80.jpg 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9.jpg\"\/><img alt=\"SIENA ITALY MARCH 05 Ashleigh Moolman Pasio of South Africa and Team SD Worx competes during the Eroica 8th Strade Bianche 2022 Womens Elite a 136km one day race from Siena to Siena Piazza del Campo 321m StradeBianche on March 05 2022 in Siena Italy Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-320-80.jpg 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9-1200-80.jpg 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6svndhAbNZZZfyVibrA2T9.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio pushing the pace at the front on the white gravel roads of Strade Bianche in 2022 <\/span><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Luc ClaessenGetty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall\">One of the most spectacular races on the calendar, Strade Bianche crosses the picturesque northern Tuscany <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/races\/strade-bianche-women-2023\/map\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">covering 31.4km of gravel<\/a> across nine sectors, before finishing on the steep ascent at the Piazza del Campo in Siena.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Under dry and sunny conditions, the loose-packed gravel can be a major challenge to wrestle through, and like the pav\u00e9 of the Belgian classics, it is a fight for position entering into each sector.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Much of the excitement of this one-day race happens along the gravel, and it is also a place that wears down the peloton sector by sector and heightens the intensity of the racing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/ashleigh-moolman-pasio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio<\/a> knows this race for its highs and lows, having crashed in a training ride along the gravel in 2020, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/ashleigh-moolman-pasio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sustaining injuries that required 60 stitches<\/a> and other treatment. On the flip side, she also finished third in last year&#8217;s edition while helping her then-SD Worx teammate Lotte Kopecky to the victory.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">\u201cStrade Bianche is one of my favourite races. I love the thrill of the gravel roads and the tension it creates in the peloton. It\u2019s like an adrenaline rush. Last year it was a great race for me when I finished third, even though it wasn\u2019t the plan, I would go for a result, so I worked a lot that day. This year I can focus 100% on getting my best result,&#8221; said Moolman-Pasio, who will lead <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/road\/teams\/uci-womens\/2023\/ag-insurance-soudal-quickstep\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AG Insurance-Soudal-QuickStep<\/a> at this year&#8217;s event.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Moolman anticipates the first decisive attacks to happen at gravel sector five, followed by sustained efforts through to the final, where she will likely be among the selection.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Moolman-Pasio recently showed her climbing strength by winning the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/races\/setmana-ciclista-volta-comunitat-valenciana-femines-2023\/stage-3\/results\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">queen stage at Setmana Valenciana<\/a>, and could be the one to out-power the rest on the steep slopes into Siena.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">&#8220;The most important lesson of Strade Bianche is to never stop fighting, and I am certain that this is what this team will do.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"niewiadoma-apos-s-year-to-shine-in-siena-2\" class=\"paywall\">Niewiadoma&#8217;s year to shine in Siena<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"paywall van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:66.70%;\"><picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" alt=\"NINOVE BELGIUM FEBRUARY 25 Katarzyna Niewiadoma of Poland and Team CanyonSRAM Racing competes during the 18th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite 2023 Womens Elite a 1322km one day race from Ghent to Ninove OHN23 on February 25 2023 in Ghent Belgium Photo by David StockmanGetty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-320-80.jpg.webp 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe.jpg\"\/><source type=\"image\/jpeg\" alt=\"NINOVE BELGIUM FEBRUARY 25 Katarzyna Niewiadoma of Poland and Team CanyonSRAM Racing competes during the 18th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite 2023 Womens Elite a 1322km one day race from Ghent to Ninove OHN23 on February 25 2023 in Ghent Belgium Photo by David StockmanGetty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-320-80.jpg 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-1200-80.jpg 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe.jpg\"\/><img alt=\"NINOVE BELGIUM FEBRUARY 25 Katarzyna Niewiadoma of Poland and Team CanyonSRAM Racing competes during the 18th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite 2023 Womens Elite a 1322km one day race from Ghent to Ninove OHN23 on February 25 2023 in Ghent Belgium Photo by David StockmanGetty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-320-80.jpg 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe-1200-80.jpg 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AWNCPtrFCwDPSENtDN3HNe.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) <\/span><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Following her season debut at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, where she finished 24th, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/katarzyna-niewiadoma\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kasia Niewiadoma<\/a> heads to Italy to compete at Strade Bianche, a race where she has finished on the podium four times but has never won.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Like many riders in the peloton, Niewiadoma highlights Strade Bianche as her favourite race of the season, and while the victory has eluded her, could this be her year to shine in Siena?<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">&#8220;It&#8217;s my target, but as I said last week at Omloop, I aim to perform in every race. I have strong feelings for these roads, and I love how unconventional the race is,&#8221; Niewiadoma said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">&#8220;I believe you must be a skilled bike rider in the best shape, well-supported by your team, and able to make the right decisions. A little luck always helps!&#8221;\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Niewiadoma&#8217;s career as a bike racer embodies all of these elements, and she lines up with a Canyon-SRAM team that includes Ricarda Bauernfeind, Elise Chabbey, Tiffany Cromwell, Soraya Paladin and Agnieszka Skalniak-S\u00f3jka.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"puck-pieterse-makes-strade-debut-2\" class=\"paywall\">Puck Pieterse makes Strade debut<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"paywall van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:70.31%;\"><picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" alt=\"NAMUR BELGIUM NOVEMBER 06 Puck Pieterse of The Netherlands celebrates at finish line as race winner during the 20th UEC European Cyclocross Championships 2022 Womens U23 EuroCross22 on November 06 2022 in Namur Belgium Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-320-80.jpg.webp 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF.jpg\"\/><source type=\"image\/jpeg\" alt=\"NAMUR BELGIUM NOVEMBER 06 Puck Pieterse of The Netherlands celebrates at finish line as race winner during the 20th UEC European Cyclocross Championships 2022 Womens U23 EuroCross22 on November 06 2022 in Namur Belgium Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-320-80.jpg 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-1200-80.jpg 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF.jpg\"\/><img alt=\"NAMUR BELGIUM NOVEMBER 06 Puck Pieterse of The Netherlands celebrates at finish line as race winner during the 20th UEC European Cyclocross Championships 2022 Womens U23 EuroCross22 on November 06 2022 in Namur Belgium Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images\" class=\" lazy-image-van\" onerror=\"if(this.src &amp;&amp; this.src.indexOf('missing-image.svg') !== -1){return true;};this.parentNode.replaceChild(window.missingImage(),this)\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/cyclingnews\/media\/img\/missing-image.svg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-320-80.jpg 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF-1200-80.jpg 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dMcn7AMpQzPqAMZURCwVbF.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Puck Pieterse wheelies over the line <\/span><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Luc ClaessenGetty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall\">This road racing season marks the arrival in the peloton of two Dutch cyclocross specialists, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/puck-pieterse\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Puck Pieterse<\/a> racing for the newly-upgraded WorldTeam <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/road\/teams\/uci-womens-worldtour\/2023\/fenix-deceuninck\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fenix-Deceuninck<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/fem-van-empel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fem van Empel<\/a> racing for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/road\/teams\/uci-worldtour\/2022\/team-jumbo-visma\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jumbo-Visma<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Although Van Empel, the reigning cyclocross World Champion, is scheduled to race during the Spring Classics, she is not registered to compete at Strade Bianche this weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Pieterse, on the other hand, already started her road racing season at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/races\/omloop-van-het-hageland-2022\/elite-women\/results\/https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/races\/omloop-van-het-hageland-2023\/elite-women\/results\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Omloop van het Hageland<\/a> last weekend, where she finished 36th place in a group two minutes behind winner Lorena Wiebes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Pieterse, who finished second to Van Empel at the cyclocross Worlds and won four rounds of the World Cup, will undoubtedly be able to put her cyclocross skills to the test during the gravel-heavy Strade Bianche.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">She will be supported by a team that also includes Yara Kastelijn, Greta Marturano, Christina Schweinberger, Sophie Wright and Carina Schrempf.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">While it takes more than cyclocross skill to excel in a race like Strade Bianche on the Women&#8217;s WorldTour, it will be exciting to see how Pieterse integrates into the top-tier peloton on the road.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/races\/strade-bianche-women-2023\/preview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One of the most celebrated one-day races of the year is upon us at Strade Bianche Women, set to take place on March 4 along the white gravel roads of Tuscany into Siena. The Women&#8217;s WorldTour has already begun at the Women&#8217;s Tour Down Under, Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, and UAE Tour Women. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16824,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6804],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-16823","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16823","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16823"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16823\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16823"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16823"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16823"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}