The cycling world sometimes considers them to be the sixth monument behind the unmissable Paris-Roubaix or Tour of Flanders.
Younger, since the race has only existed since 2007, but less famous than the Ardennes classics, the Strade Bianche ("white roads" in Italian) are nevertheless among the most formidable events on the calendar with dusty roads and dirt tracks around. from Siena.
Only one Frenchman hung this event on his record: Julian Alaphilippe triumphed there in 2019 before continuing with the spring classics.
The 2020 world champion was quite naturally, this Saturday, among the favorites of the 2021 edition with the Belgian Wout Van Aert winner last year and the Dutch Mathieu Van der Poel, the grandson of Raymond Poulidor.
A decisive boost in the final wall
The 184 km race ended in the last few kilometers with several men in the fight and four top men on the maneuver.
The three favorites at the start, Van der Poel, Van Aert and Alaphilippe, have indeed found someone to talk to in the person of Egan Bernal.
The winner of the Tour de France 2019 left behind in the final his successor to the list of the Grande Boucle, Tadej Pogacar, a little too short.
♂️ Strade Bianche @eolo_it
⏳ @mathieuvdpoel 🇳🇱
🥈 @ alafpolak1 🇫🇷
🥉 @Eganbernal 🇨🇴 # StradeBianche pic.twitter.com/Twu3bWKm6K
- Strade Bianche (@StradeBianche) March 6, 2021
Of the group of four, Van Aert was the first to lose ground.
But anyway, it had to be a fantastic day to beat Mathieu Van der Poel this Saturday, never as comfortable as in these difficult races.
The Dutchman gave a final boost to the wall at the finish in Siena.
Only Alaphilippe was able to follow him but not enough to prevent the offspring of a good family from triumphing.
The Colombian Egan Bernal, the surprise of the day, completed the podium.
