Wide tyres take over Strade Bianche: Gallery

A collage of four tyres at Strade Bianche.

Every year around Strade Bianche, the conversation in the Cyclingnews tech team follows a trend: One of us will ask what clever tech we expect riders to use to overcome the difficult terrain of the dusty white roads, then we'll all watch in earnest hoping for something crazy to leave us speechless, and eventually we'll all conclude that the only thing mechanics have changed is a swap to wider tyres. Of course, somewhere along the way someone will suggest it should be a monument. 

This year, as Lotte Kopecky beat out Elisa Longo Borghini, and Tadej Pogacar went solo from 81km out, the theme was no different.   

As my esteemed colleague, Will Jones, pointed out in his Omloop Het Nieuwsblad tech gallery, the two pelotons' bikes are really capable, and generally very good, so there's no need for bonkers tech hacks, nifty suspension solutions, or Allen keys taped to seatposts. 

Despite this, with the real Monuments still yet to come, tyre choice and bike setup is something riders and their teams will be toying with. 

As ever, Cyclingnews had reporters on the ground to cover both races, and we walked the pits to see what riders had gone for. We noticed Soudal-Quickstep went for a half-and-half approach, with some riders on tubeless and others on inner tubes. Elsewhere, the trend for wider tyres appears to be in full effect, with 28c rubber making way for the more popular 30c. 

We also spent five minutes with Pogacar's bike, so you can get a closer look at his full setup. 

Starting with Visma-Lease a Bike's Christophe Laporte, whose European-champion's-painted Cervelo is shod with 30c Vittoria Corsa Pro tyres. Interestingly these are the 'all-rounder' tyres, rather than the faster Corsa Pro Speed or the sturdier Corsa Pro Control. (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

Astana Qazaqstan were also using the Corsa Pro tyre, and had opted for the same 30c width. (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

EF Education-EasyPost, however, went for the sturdier Control tyre, albeit they too went for the 30c width. (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

The Liv AlUla team are also using the Control tyres, but interestingly they're forced to use the older version, rather than the new 'Pro' model.  (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

Pirelli's tyres do note the width on the sidewalls, but it's really small and hard to find, so at Lidl-Trek, the mechanics have made life easier for themselves by writing the width in white pen. (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

Continental's tyres have a similar problem, and it looks like Movistar mechanics have done the same. We wonder who did it first.  (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

The entire Bahrain Victorious team used the same 30c Continental GP5000 S TR tyre. (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

As did the Movistar Team. We especially like the colour-matched Time pedals there, too. (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

The same tyres were found at Intermarché-Wanty, but we particularly like sealant-sponsor Effetto Mariposa's sticker, which lets mechanics note how much sealant is added, and when.  (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

The downside to such big tyres - in this case also 30c - is that clearance is tight in some frames.  (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

Team Uno-X braved using Schwalbe's 'Aero' tyres, which come with Front- and Rear- specific tyres with maximum aero performance prioritised at the front, with rolling resistance prioritised at the rear.  (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

Despite 28c tyres being deemed wide just a couple of years ago, they were a rare sight at Strade Bianche. We did spot a few though, such as this Michelin Power Cup tyre on the bike of Cofidis. This could be because the french team is an outlier nowadays in its continued use of tubular tyres, wich rarely exceed 28c widths.  (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

This was another, seen here on the bike of Shirin Van Arooij at Lidl-Trek. (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

For the most part, riders were using tubeless tyresm, such as Muc Off sponsored EF-Education EasyPost who got colour-matched valves.  (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

At the Soudal-Quickstep camp, however, inner tubes were the more common sight. The Specialized-sponsored teams have tried tubeless, but have typically preferred clincher tyres and inner tubes, despite the proliferation of tubeless elsewhere.  (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

Despite that, it appears the Belgian team aren't totally decided on the best solution, as Kasper Asgreen was seen using tubeless.  (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

Or perhaps it was rider's choice, as Julian Alaphilippe was also on tubeless.  (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

After the race, we spotted Lotte Kopecky's bike - also sponsored by Specialized - also using inner tubes. It was wearing a heavy coating of Italian muck, too.  (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

After the finish, the winners' bikes are tagged up by the UCI, noting that they need to be retained by commissaires for a motor-doping check. (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

There's no denying riders give it their all. Here sits Kasia Niewiadoma, complete with an aero trip strip base layer protruding from her sleeve. (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

Kristen Faulkner also collapsed to the floor after her 6th place finish in Piazza del Campo.  (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

The men's winner's bike: Tadej Pogacar put on a show, telling TV reporters that he would attack at around 80km to go, doing just that, and soloing away to victory.  (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

He too used Continental's GP5000 S TR tyres in 30c width. (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

Helping to bring the weight down, his bike is fitted with Carbon-Ti carbon chainrings. He also uses carbon disc brake rotors too. (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)

How many races do you think this bike will win in 2024? (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)