For cycling fans, Strade Bianche marks the first great Classic of the year. But the city of Siena hosts an even more famous and chaotic event – the Palio horse race. Cyclist visits both to compare
Words Andy McGrath Photography David Powell
‘Fear? There’s always fear,’ says Diego Ulissi. ‘Fear is part of the DNA of every bike racer. The important thing is managing it.’
The fear is heightened at Strade Bianche on its treacherous gravel sectors. Fear of the unknown: crashes, punctures and mechanical problems. If you’re a Tuscan, there’s also the fear of performing poorly in front of your family, friends and fan club.
An instant Classic since its first running in 2007, this March one-day race is unmistakably Tuscan, from its eponymous white gravel roads to the cypress trees and finale in medieval Siena’s shell-shaped central square, the Piazza del Campo. But it means even more than stunning scenery and handsome WorldTour points for its handful of local competitors. UAE Team Emirates veteran Ulissi is one, hailing from Donoratico, 100km northwest of Siena. He lives in the Swiss city of Lugano but is still a red-blooded Tuscan who grew up idolising Paolo Bettini and loves a glass of Ornellaia; his mother even works for the renowned winery.
‘Strade Bianche feels like coming home,’ Ulissi says. ‘I can’t wait for this race, for its charm and its beauty. It’s unique in its genre, and the sensation of seeing my parents again and people who want the very best for you is what really counts.’
An eight-time Giro d’Italia stage winner, this classy puncheur has the necessary experience to challenge. He knows the 11 sterrate sectors like the back of his hand.
In contrast, fellow Tuscan Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ-Suez) is over a decade younger and trying to make her name in road racing. On the day Cyclist meets her in March 2023, she is on her team’s pre-race recon, riding 70km from the fifth sector to the finish. It’s a day to test nerves, bikes and reduced tyre pressure. Guazzini says she doesn’t know what hers is – 3.9 bar (56psi) is bandied about – so that’s one for the mechanics.
Crashes can happen on the rough stuff at any speed and it would be easy to be distracted by the Crete Senesi region’s distinctive, egg-shaped green hills north of the city.
‘I have my vision of Tuscany: that everything is better here,’ Guazzini says. ‘Everyone thinks that about their home, but here you can find something special wherever you go. When I started travelling around, I a
