The 2025 course for Strade Bianche has one again been redesigned for the Tuscan showdown on March 8. Now in a 19th edition, the 213km route will for the first time exceed 80km of white gravel, totalling 81.7km of sterrati across 16 sections.
An official presentation ceremony was held in Siena at Piazza del Campo in January to reveal the route details, including one short new unpaved section has been added to both the men's and women's races. There were no changes to the traditional finish for the steep Santa Caterina climb leading into Siena's central square.
Last year Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) launched a vicious attack on the Monte Sante Marie with 81km to go and secured his second victory at the spring Classic, last winning two years before. He matched Michal Kwiatkowski with two wins, and only Fabian Cancellara has a set of three.
Total distance: 213 kilometres
Start/finish: Siena
Gravel distance: 81.7 km
Gravel sectors: 16
Start time: TBD
Finish time: TBD
The race starts near the Stadium/Fortezza Medicea in Siena. The first undulating 14.2km lead to the first gravel sector of just over 4km, which is straight and slightly downhill. Sector 2 (4.8km) is a tricky section with a climb featuring a gradient over 10%. Upon reaching Radi with 133km to go, the route takes on back-to-back gravel paths, sector 4 “La Piana” one of the race's classic gravel sectors that has featured in the course ever since the first edition.
The route then follows paved surfaces for approximately 25km, with a 4km climb to Montalcino in the middle, then rolls toward the five longest gravel sections of the route between kilometres 73 and 140. Sector 5 (11.9km) and sector 6 (8km) begin just past Torrenieri, with little tarmac transition in between. Both are strenuous and very punchy, with challenging bends, climbs and descents.
After the second pass through Buonconvento, riders will face the new Serravalle sector (9.3km), which leads to San Martino in Grania (9.4km). This gravel sector ends with a twisting climb that leads back to paved roads.
Sector 9 begins in Ponte del Garbo and is named Monte Sante Marie. The 11.5km sector is the hardest, kicking up to 18%, and is where Pogačar launched his winning attack last year. Should any rider replicate that tactic, it is 73km to the finish, with seven short sectors left to conquer.
Three short, sharp gravel sections follow from Monteaperti to Le Tolfe, with the middle Colle Pinzuto peaking at 15%.
Shortly after the first passage of Le Tolfe, the route takes a first-ever ride on the Strada del Castagno (13th sector, 700m), which leads to some challenging passes on tarmac all the way to Pontignano and then enter the 14th sector (Montechiaro 3.3km), which was covered in the first editions of the race.
Like last year, the sectors of Colle Pinzuto (15th) and Le Tolfe (16th) are repeated before the route turns towards Siena with a little over 10km left to the finish.
The race concludes with the climb through the narrow Via Santa Caterina with gradients of 16% to central Siena. With 150m to go, a right turn leads into Via Rinaldini and enters the Piazza del Campo with 70 metres to go, the final half downhill to the line.
Strade Bianchi 2025 gravel sectors
- Vidritta (4.4km)
- Bagnaia (4.8km)
- Radi (4.4km)
- La Piana (6.4km)
- Lucignano d'Asso (11.9km)
- Pieve a Salti (8km)
- Serravalle (9.3km)
- Grania (9.4km)
- Monte Sante Marie (11.5km)
- Montaperti (0.6km)
- Colle Pinzuto (2.4km)
- Le Tolfe (1.1km)
- Strada del Castagno (0.7km)
- Montechiaro (3.3 km)
- Colle Pinzuto (2.4km)
- Le Tolfe (1.1km)
