Teams preview the gravel roads ahead of Saturday's race
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Bora-Hansgrohe prepare ahead of their recon ride(Image credit: Laura Fletcher/Bora-Hansgrohe)
Preparing the radios ahead of hitting the road(Image credit: Laura Fletcher/Bora-Hansgrohe)
Testing tyre pressures out on the course(Image credit: Laura Fletcher/Bora-Hansgrohe)
Checking out details of the scenic route in the Bora-Hansgrohe team car(Image credit: Laura Fletcher/Bora-Hansgrohe)
A testing effort out on the gravel(Image credit: Laura Fletcher/Bora-Hansgrohe)
Bora-Hansgrohe hit the gravel(Image credit: Laura Fletcher/Bora-Hansgrohe)
S-Works Tarmacs all around for Bora-Hansgrohe(Image credit: Laura Fletcher/Bora-Hansgrohe)
The team will do without Peter Sagan, who was previously due to make his 2021 debut in Tuscany(Image credit: Laura Fletcher/Bora-Hansgrohe)
The German team tackled the gravel on Thursday(Image credit: Laura Fletcher/Bora-Hansgrohe)
Experienced campaigner Daniel Oss is part of the Bora-Hansgrohe squad(Image credit: Laura Fletcher/Bora-Hansgrohe)
It's not race day but riders still put in an effort during recon(Image credit: Laura Fletcher/Bora-Hansgrohe)
...and some fans still turn out to get a glimpse of the riders(Image credit: Laura Fletcher/Bora-Hansgrohe)
(Image credit: Laura Fletcher/Bora-Hansgrohe)
The Jumbo-Visma squad test a gravel section(Image credit: Bram Berkien/Jumbo-Visma)
Wout van Aert makes his 2021 road debut at the race(Image credit: Bram Berkien/Jumbo-Visma)
The team also brings Robert Gesink, Chris Harper and Paul Martens(Image credit: Bram Berkien/Jumbo-Visma)
Van Aert leads the Dutch squad on their recon ride(Image credit: Bram Berkien/Jumbo-Visma)
Van Aert tests himself on the gravel roads(Image credit: Bram Berkien/Jumbo-Visma)
All smiles for Van Aert after his course recon(Image credit: Bram Berkien/Jumbo-Visma)
The 2021 WorldTour continues on Saturday with the 15th edition of Strade Bianche, and in the last few days the teams have been out studying the dirt roads to complete their preparations for the race.
The Tuscan Classic has quickly grown to one of the most anticipated races of the season, with an endless stream of hills and long stretches of famed white roads a unique feature among WorldTour one-day races. Both Classics riders and Grand Tour contenders can win Strade Bianche.
German squad Bora-Hansgrohe and Dutch squad Jumbo-Visma have been among the teams carefully previewing the course ahead of the race, riding several key sections of the course on Thursday.
Wout van Aert will kick off his 2021 road season at the race, which starts and ends in Siena. He said he's ready to defend his title despite not having raced yet this season, and added that the peloton will be one of the strongest of the year.
Van Aert said that the strade bianche feel better to ride compared to last August.
"The gravel roads are a little better than last summer, it's also a lot colder," he told reporters on Thursday, recalling last summer's 36C heat.
"If it stays as dry as it is now, it will be treacherous. Tomorrow they are predicting a little rain, and it will depend on that, whether the dust is compacted or not.
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"It's one of the strongest fields of competitors we'll see this year. It's wise to keep an eye on more riders. Traditionally, a lot of climbers participate in this as well: Fuglsang, Pogačar, Bernal... That shows how important this race has become."
The 26-year-old Belgian, who won last year's race by 30 seconds after an attack on the final gravel sector at Le Tolfe, is the clear leader for Jumbo-Visma on Saturday. He'll be supported by Chris Harper, Paul Martens, Nathan van Hooydonck, Robert Gesink, Tobias Foss, and Timo Roosen.
Bora-Hansgrohe, meanwhile, were set to be led by Peter Sagan, twice a runner-up at the race, but the Slovakian will not make his season bow at Tirreno-Adriatico.
"Peter is on the way to recovery," the team told Cyclingnews earlier this week. "He will not be taking part in Strade Bianche, with his season start planned for Tirreno-Adriatico, as long as his recovery remains on track over the coming days."
The team will instead be led by climber Emanuel Buchmann, who makes his debut at the race. Daniel Oss, Giovanni Aleotti, Marcus Burghardt, Patrick Gamper, Patrick Konrad, and Ben Zwiehoff complete their squad.
Cyclingnews will have full live coverage of the men's and women's editions of Strade Bianche, followed by race reports, news and interviews. Live coverage of the men's 2021 Strade Bianche starts at 11:40 am CET.
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