5000 amateur riders pedalled through the beautiful hills of the Crete Senesi to complete the Gran Fondo Strade Bianche. Next, the Gran Fondo Il Lombardia awaits on 10 October.
Today, the Gran Fondo Strade Bianche by Pinarello got underway in the splendid setting of the Fortezza Medicea, where the race’s 5,000 participants took their first pedal strokes on an ideal day for cycling along the legendary Sienese gravel roads. They followed in the footsteps of the professionals who competed in this year’s ‘southernmost Northern Classic in Europe’, won by Dutch phenomenon Mathieu van der Poel, ahead of world champion Julian Alaphilippe and the winner of the last Giro d’Italia, Egan Bernal.
Whilst it is still a young event, from year to year the Gran Fondo Strade Bianche by Pinarello sees its prestige grow in the Italian and international amateur scene, despite the difficulties linked to the current historical moment. At the start were many famous faces, including Johan de Muynck, winner of the 1978 Giro d’Italia, Paolo Bettini, former World and Olympic Champion, Andrea Tafi, winner of the Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders, Moreno Moser, sole Italian winner of Strade Bianche, alongside Stefano Allocchio and Max Lelli.
The Winners
Among the men, first across the finish line at the Piazza del Campo was Onofrio Monzillo followed by Tommaso Elettrico and Fabio Cini. The first female rider was Sara Mazzorana, followed by Simona Parente and Katleen Luypaert.
SPONSOR OF THE GRAN FONDO STRADE BIANCHE BY PINARELLO
TITLE SPONSOR: Pinarello
SPONSOR: Enel, Sara Assicurazioni, Segafredo, Sportful
OFFICIAL TIMEKEEPER: Tissot
NUTRITION PARTNER: Namedsport
MOBILITY PARTNER: Toyota
PREMIUM PARTNER: Banca Ifis
PARTNER: Kask, Koo, Nuncas, Prologo, Pirelli, Shimano, Sitip, Stage Cycling, Supersapiens, Valsir
SUPPLIER: Dole, Lago Biscotti, San Bernardo
Next: The Gran Fondo Il Lombardia
The Gran Fondo Strade Bianche will now give way to the Gran Fondo Il Lombardia on 10 October, the second of the amateur cycling events proposed by RCS Sport/RCS Active Team for 2021. The event will depart from and arrive in Cantù, with a route that includes the ‘monument’ climbs of Ghisallo and Muro di Sormano. The course and landscape are truly unique, offering a mix of climbs, descents and steep hills that guarantee constant fun for all riders. Riding theGran Fondo Il Lombardia, two-wheel enthusiasts will be able to measure themselves against the professionals just hours after they race on the same roads.
