Fabian Cancellara and Zdenek Stybar crested the final climb in tandem – not far off the wheel of race leader Gianluca Brambilla. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
The Italian Spring Classics commenced in the Siena city center, where Strade Bianche presenters passed out Italian tricolore flags to fans at the women’s start. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
World Champion Lizzie Armitstead joined teammates on stage for the first round of the inaugural women’s WorldTour. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
The women’s field rolled out from the Fortezza Medicea in Siena under ominous skies. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
After departing the city limits of Siena, the women’s field began their 121-kilometer trek through the Tuscan countryside. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
A streak of sun lit up the first sector of gravel as the peloton rides smoothly over the dusty strade bianche — Italian for “white roads.” Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Early crashes in the race left many riders cut, bruised, and injured including Cyclance rider Kristabel Doebel-Hickok who crashed hard in a 20 rider pile-up. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Canyon – SRAM Racing’s Tiffany Cromwell led the race through the second sector of gravel. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
The race arrived at the start of sector 3 – a 9.5 KM stretch of gravel climbs and steep, dangerous descents – tutto gruppo compatto. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio showed signs of an earlier crash as she worked to reconnect with the main field on sector 3. She would later be disqualified along with 14 other riders for a train-crossing violation, based on a newly implemented rule stemming from the Paris-Roubaix incident of 2015. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
After Nikki Harris (Boels –Dolmans) attacked in sector 3, she and Lucinda Brand (Rabo – Liv) managed to keep a healthy gap midway through the race. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
The grueling third sector of gravel served to shatter the bunch and opened up the race to constant attacks from the front while the breakaway duo was still up the road. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Defending champion Megan Guarnier (Boels – Dolmans) climbed up the steep grade of the fourth sector just behind teammate Lizzie Armitstead and Rabobank – Liv’s Kasia Niewiadoma. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Joelle Numainville (Cervélo – Bigla) gritted her teeth through the effort of a high-paced race up the gravel climb on sector 4. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
By sector 6, the podium trio of Lizzie Armitstead, Katarzyna Niewiadoma, and Emma Johansson was cemented with a one-minute lead going into the last sector just 12 kilometers before the finish. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Race animator Nikki Harris climbed sector 6 alongside Pauline Ferrand-Prevot at the front of one of several chase groups. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Lizzie Armitstead reigned supreme at the finale of the first Women’s WorldTour race of 2016. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Just after the finish line 2016 victor Lizzie Armitstead was embraced by teammate and 2015 winner Megan Guarnier. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Elizabeth Armitstead is now two for two (having won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad as well) in the rainbow jersey this season. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Reigning men’s world champion Peter Sagan waved to the crowd at the sign-on for the 2016 Strade Bianche. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
The peloton neared completion of the first sector of gravel intact and without incident. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Astana led the peloton onto the second sector of gravel. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
A reduced peloton traversed the endless rolling hills of Tuscany as the gravel and fierce winds take their toll on the riders. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Across sector number 4, Etixx took crontrol of the peloton with Tony Martin and Zdenek Stybar at the front. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Near the top of sector 5 Fabian Cancellara rode close to the front under the escort of his Trek – Segafredo team. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
The course was rarely flat, making the most of the undulating terrain in Tuscany. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Peter Kennaugh falls of the pace on a sharp climb having done his work for team leader, Michal Kwiatkowski. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
The combination of sharp climbs, twisting roads, and gravel kept the main bunch in single file for much of the day. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
World champion Peter Sagan rode a conservative race tucked in the bunch till the final and decisive sectors of gravel. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Gianluca Brambilla led the final breakaway with two gravel sections remaining. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Fabian Cancellara drove the pace to make sure the escapees stayed clear of the chasing peloton. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
“Spartacus” fans lined the narrow corridor in the last 400 meters to the finish line in Siena. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Gianluca Brambilla maintained a narrow lead up the steep climb into Siena. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Fabian Cancellara and Zdenek Stybar crested the final climb in tandem – not far off the wheel of race leader Gianluca Brambilla. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Cancellara and Stybar caught and passed Brambilla inside the final 500 meters, and Cancellara took the victory, his third career Strade Bianche title. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
The dust-covered machine of the three-time winner Fabian Cancellara. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
Fabian Cancellara raised his arms in victory above a sea of fans after his Sienese hat trick on the gravel roads. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
The champions of Strade Bianche showered the media with prosecco in Siena. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
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