Dramatic Strade Bianche for Vollering turns into dream scenario for her team

The first image of Tuscany 🤩 📸 @GettyImages #UCIWWT #StradeBianche

10:14 AM · Mar 7, 2026

Van der Breggen and Le Court drop out of contention heading toward the finale

That left the race heading into the final 100 kilometres with a still-complete peloton, with EF Education-Oatly and Lidl-Trek particularly visible near the front. At that point it was mostly a case of waiting for the five-star sector toward San Martino in Grania, a hilly and highly demanding gravel section where the race could really begin to open up.

And that is exactly what happened. After Kasia Niewiadoma had already slid out on an earlier stretch, Kim Le Court crashed and Anna van der Breggen suffered a mechanical on San Martino in Grania, making them the biggest victims of the selection there. FDJ-SUEZ kept the pace high heading toward the finishing circuit, which still had to be covered twice.

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Strade Bianche

@StradeBianche

🏁 64 KM No breakaway, but a small group of around 25/30 riders at the front, with most of the favourites. Kasia Niewiadoma is here, despite an early crash 👍 #StradeBianche

11:19 AM · Mar 7, 2026

Kopecky is dropped as Vollering and Ferrand-Prévot hit trouble

FDJ-SUEZ’s tempo was designed to launch the race onto Colle Pinzuto, around 50 kilometres from the finish. Just as in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, it was Elise Chabbey who opened things up for the French team. She was joined by Dominika Włodarczyk of UAE, and together they opened up a lead of around half a minute heading toward Le Tolfe. Lotte Kopecky had to let go for a moment, which was not an encouraging sign.

The Belgian did manage to get back on, but on Le Tolfe the race then descended into complete chaos. Letizia Borghesi of AG Insurance crashed out of a corner, Ferrand-Prévot suddenly stood at the roadside with mechanical problems, and Demi Vollering also suffered bad luck and lost ground. Le Court and Van der Breggen even moved past Ferrand-Prévot, so the race picture became increasingly difficult to read. It was suddenly a matter of figuring out who was where.

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Eemeli

@LosBrolin

Classic Strade Bianche chaos. Disaster timing for PFP to have a mechanical, and Josie Nelson showed amazing bike handling skills to dodge that swerving FDJ team car. #StradeBianche

11:50 AM · Mar 7, 2026

Vollering group loses the race after costly blunder

With 35 kilometres to go, and with one and a half finishing laps still ahead, only 13 women remained at the front. Marianne Vos, Puck Pieterse, Niewiadoma, Elisa Longo Borghini and world champion Magdeleine Vallieres all made it across to Chabbey and Włodarczyk. The latter then sacrificed herself for Longo Borghini, helping to keep the chasers at bay.

Vollering found herself in the chasing group alongside Le Court, Kopecky and Van der Breggen, at around one minute. For a brief moment it looked as though SD Worx-Protime might help organise the pursuit with their European champion, but then things suddenly went badly wrong. For reasons that were not immediately clear, the group turned right onto a gravel road and continued far too long down the wrong route until race organisation informed them they had gone off course.

Vollering and the others lost a huge amount of time because of that mistake, apparently triggered by a motorbike taking the group the wrong way. That gave the 13 riders in front a massive advantage and made it clear that the winner would come from that lead group. There was still one local lap to go, and there were still plenty of major names in contention.

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Strade Bianche

@StradeBianche

🏁 23 KM - 3' 🇨🇭 E. Chabbey 🇩🇪 F. Koch 🇵🇱 K. Niewiadoma 🇨🇦 M. Vallieres 🇨🇭 N. Ruegg 🇳🇱 P. Pieterse 🇳🇱 S. Van Anrooij 🇳🇿 N. Fisher-Black 🇮🇹 M. Trinca Colonel 🇩🇪 L. Lippert 🇳🇱 M. Vos 🇮🇹 E. Longo Borghini 🇵🇱 D. Wlodarczyk #StradeBianche @CA_Ita

12:20 PM · Mar 7, 2026

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Chabbey and Longo Borghini anticipate, all-in on Le Tolfe

Just before the riders tackled Colle Pinzuto again, there was another anticipatory move. Longo Borghini and, once again, Chabbey attacked from the group, suddenly giving the race a leading duo with a 20-second advantage going into Le Tolfe. The Italian champion, however, arguably undermined her own move by continuing to attack repeatedly, while Chabbey calmly stayed on her wheel.

That was not good news for the pair, because behind them Noemi Rüegg emptied herself for Vallieres. Once her work was done, Niewiadoma took over and the chase brought the race right back together toward Longo Borghini and Chabbey. That reopened everything on the final gravel sector of the day. Pieterse accelerated hard, but was countered by Longo Borghini and Niewiadoma, leaving only three riders in front.

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Eemeli

@LosBrolin

The slow-mo shots deliver 🤌 Epic battle. #StradeBianche

12:44 PM · Mar 7, 2026

Poker on the road to Piazza del Campo in Siena

For a moment it looked as though that trio had the podium places between them, but on the approach to the final climb into Piazza del Campo they hesitated, allowing the FDJ-SUEZ duo of Chabbey and Franziska Koch, along with Vos and Vallieres, to come back. Koch immediately tried an attack, but could not get clear. Monica Trinca Colonel then also managed to make contact for Liv Jayco.

So eight riders started the final steep wall together. Koch kept the pace high for Chabbey, but once they hit the paved ramp up toward the square it became every rider for herself. Again it was Longo Borghini and Niewiadoma who showed their strength, but when they did not fully commit over the top, Koch and Chabbey came over them. The Swiss rider, after attacking so often earlier in the race, surged to the front and held on for victory. Niewiadoma finished second, with Koch taking third, giving FDJ-SUEZ places one and three in Siena.

Eemeli

@LosBrolin

OMG!! Elise Chabbey wins #StradeBianche 2026 🔥🔥🔥 🇨🇭 firstcycling.com/race.php?r=904…