The 2025 Strade Bianche Donne, or Strade Bianche Women, is set to be another gripping battle on the white roads of Tuscany, with the race continuing to establish itself as one of the most prestigious one-day events on the calendar. The 2024 edition saw Lotte Kopecky take a dominant victory, attacking Elisa Longo Borghini on the final climb and riding solo to the Piazza del Campo. Behind, her SD Worx-Protime teammate Demi Vollering played it perfectly, marking Kasia Niewiadoma before launching past her on the steep gradients of the Via Santa Caterina to secure third place.
The race has consistently delivered thrilling finales, and Strade Bianche Donne has become one of the most anticipated races of the early season. The 2023 edition saw Vollering take victory ahead of Kopecky in a tight sprint, though the race was overshadowed by the disqualification of Kristen Faulkner, who originally finished third before being removed from the results for wearing a glucose monitoring device.
Photo Credit: Luc Claessen/Getty ImagesFirst introduced in 2015 as a 1.1 race, Strade Bianche was quickly elevated to Women’s WorldTour status in 2016, where Lizzie Deignan took the win in what would become her greatest season. The race has since been won by some of the sport’s biggest names, with Elisa Longo Borghini taking her first victory here in 2017 before Anna van der Breggen added her name to the honours list in 2018. Kasia Niewiadoma has been a perennial contender, finishing on the podium six times, though the win has always eluded her. Annemiek van Vleuten cemented her dominance with back-to-back victories in 2019 and 2020, followed by the stunning attack from Chantal van den Broek-Blaak in 2021, where she defied the chasers to take a solo win.
The race’s defining feature is its 13 sectors of white gravel roads, which cover 50.3km of the 136km route. These rolling sterrato sections, combined with sharp climbs, make it one of the toughest one-day races of the season. The final Via Santa Caterina climb remains the race’s signature moment – a brutally steep ramp that often decides the winner as riders battle their way into the Piazza del Campo for the finish.
Previous Winners
2024
Lotte Kopecky
2023
Demi Vollering
2022
Lotte Kopecky
Strade Bianche Women 2025 Race Profile
Live TV Coverage
Saturday 8th March 2025
Live on Discovery+/Max/TNT Sports across Europe and Rest of World
Live from 10:30-13:00
All times in GMT
Twitter: #StradeBianche or #StradeBiancheDonne
Startlist: FirstCycling
Photo Credit: Cor Vos
Photo Credit: Getty
Photo Credit: GettyStrade Bianche Women 2025 Contenders
Demi Vollering will start as the major favourite for FDJ-SUEZ, looking to add a second Strade Bianche title to her win in 2023. She finished third last year, unable to match the decisive move, but she still took the best of the rest spot behind the winning breakaway. Her form is already looking strong after another third-place finish at Omloop het Nieuwsblad, where she was again the best chaser behind a successful attack. With the steep gradients of the final climb in Siena perfectly suited to her explosive finish, she will be the rider to beat. Juliette Labous will once again play a supporting role after finishing 21st at Omloop het Nieuwsblad. She has never made an impact at Strade Bianche before, with a best result of 25th, and will likely be key in keeping Vollering well-placed before the final selection.
Elisa Longo Borghini is another former winner of this race, having taken victory back in 2017, and remains one of the most consistent performers on the white roads. Over eight editions, she has never finished lower than eighth and has stood on the podium five times, making her a near certainty for another high finish. Her UAE Tour Women victory, where she dominated the Jebel Hafeet climb, suggests she is coming into Strade Bianche in top condition. Silvia Persico will provide strong support, fresh off her second-place finish on Jebel Hafeet, while pacing Longo Borghini to victory. Her record here is less impressive, with a best finish of 10th in 2022 and 14th last year, but she could still be useful in the later stages before the final selection.
Kasia Niewiadoma continues her relentless pursuit of a first Strade Bianche win, having finished on the podium four times and inside the top 10 on nine out of ten starts. Her only blemish was a DNF in 2020, making her one of the most reliable performers on this parcours. However, her early season has been quiet, with 37th at Omloop het Nieuwsblad and 18th on GC at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, so it remains to be seen whether she has the form to challenge at the sharp end. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig provides strong climbing support, having finished in the top 10 every time she has raced here. Her best result was third in 2023, but like Niewiadoma, she has had a low-profile start to the season, finishing 24th in Valencia. Neve Bradbury makes her return to racing after illness prevented her from competing in Australia, but she showed promise with an eighth-place finish at the Tour Down Under before that. She was 24th here last year, and a step forward could see her as an outside threat. Antonia Niedermaier is making her Strade Bianche debut after an impressive showing at the UAE Tour Women, finishing seventh overall and sixth on Jebel Hafeet. This will be a different challenge, but she has the climbing ability to handle the demands of the race. Soraya Paladin has more experience on these roads than most, having raced here nine times before, but with a best result of 14th, she is likely to be in a supporting role.
Photo Credit: Dario Belingheri/Getty ImagesAnna van der Breggen makes her long-awaited return to Strade Bianche, a race she won in 2018 and never finished lower than ninth in six appearances. The last time she raced here in 2021, she took third place, and while she is still building back into form, her results so far suggest she is already competitive. She was third on GC at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, as well as taking third on Stage 1, and followed it up with an aggressive ride at Omloop van het Hageland, where she finished seventh. SD Worx will be looking to her as their leader, but there are question marks over whether she has the explosive finish to match the best on the final climb into Siena. Mischa Bredewold will provide support, though her best result here is only 35th, and Mikayla Harvey will look to improve on her 12th-place finish from 2021. There are also two former mountain bikers on the team, Steffi Häberlin and Laura Stigger, who will be getting their first taste of Strade Bianche and could be useful domestiques in the early phases of the race. Blanka Vas has been added to the startlist and whilst you’d think she would be good in a race like this given her own mountain bike and cyclocross background, she’s actually never raced Strade Bianche before! It’s her first road race of the season though, and so everything should be working for Van der Breggen. Lorena Wiebes has also had a late call-up and we’ve seen her do well this year on climbs, but surely this is where her limit is, right?
Lidl-Trek arrives with a strong lineup but plenty of question marks over form. Riejanne Markus has been their most consistent performer here in recent years, finishing seventh and eighth in the past two editions, but she has yet to show much in 2025 after two low-key stage races. Anna Henderson was forced to miss the opening weekend due to illness and has only raced Strade Bianche once before, finishing 30th. Niamh Fisher-Black is making her return after a month away from racing, having last competed in Australia, where she placed seventh at the Cadel Evans Road Race. Her best result here was only 21st last year, but a move to Lidl-Trek might help her improve on that. Amanda Spratt has a long history at Strade Bianche, but in recent years, she has slipped down the rankings and now tends to finish towards the bottom of the top 20. Lizzie Deignan, the 2016 winner, has stood on the podium three times in total, but not since 2017. She is expected to play a domestique role rather than fighting for personal ambitions.
Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio is the best bet for AG Insurance-Soudal, having finished on the podium as recently as 2022 and making the top 10 four times in total. However, her climbing form didn’t look great at the UAE Tour Women, where she only managed 22nd on Jebel Hafeet. The team may choose to back Urska Zigart instead, although she has yet to actually finish this race within the time limit after working in a domestique role. She struggled on Jebel Hafeet as well, finishing 53rd, but that was more due to getting dropped in the wind on the flat than on the climb itself. Justine Ghekiere has also never finished Strade Bianche but will be hoping to turn that around after finishing sixth at the Tour Down Under. Kim le Court is arguably the team’s best option after finishing 25th last year and taking an impressive third place at the UAE Tour Women, including third on Jebel Hafeet. If she has another strong day, a podium finish for the former mountain biker is not out of the question.
Mavi Garcia has the strongest Strade Bianche record for Liv AlUla Jayco, finishing second in 2020, but has since landed just outside the top 10 with 11th, 12th, and 13th in recent years. Her early-season form was decent, with a second at Trofeo Palma Femina and fifth at Trofeo Binissalem-Andratx, though she was only 10th on Jebel Hafeet, where she’s performed better in the past. Monica Trinca Colonel has been a standout this year, finishing fourth overall at the UAE Tour Women and taking 15th at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, showing clear progression in her first full pro off-season. Caroline Andersson was 16th here last year and has sharpened her off-road skills with cyclocross racing over the winter. She recently finished fourth at Clasica de Almeria and 11th at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, though the uphill finish in Siena may not favour her. Silke Smulders makes her Strade Bianche debut, but her puncheur qualities suggest she could thrive. Fifth at the Cadel Evans Road Race and second overall at the Tour Down Under, where she twice finished runner-up on stages, confirm her strong early-season form. If she carries that momentum into Tuscany, she could be a surprise factor.
Kristen Faulkner has unfinished business at Strade Bianche after finishing third in 2023, only to be disqualified for wearing a glucose monitor. She came back strongly to finish sixth last year and has made this race a major target. We haven’t seen her race yet in 2025, so her form is a mystery, but she always performs well here. Letizia Borghesi, Cedrine Kerbaol, and Noemi Rüegg will be in support, though none of them have a top-30 finish in Strade Bianche to their name. All three have had a strong start to 2025, with Borghesi taking a top-10, Kerbaol finishing on the podium, and Rüegg securing wins already this season.
Puck Pieterse will be one of the biggest challengers for Fenix-Deceuninck, with the gravel posing no problems for the cyclocross specialist. She was fifth on debut in 2023 and 13th last year, and she comes into this race in strong form after finishing fourth at both Omloop het Nieuwsblad and Omloop van het Hageland. Christina Schweinberger was 15th last year and has also started the season well, finishing sixth at Le Samyn. Yara Kastelijn has been consistent at Strade Bianche, finishing 11th, 14th, and 15th in her three appearances, but her quiet showing at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, where she finished 26th overall, raises some doubts about her current form.
Alice Maria Arzuffi brings a strong off-road background to Strade Bianche Donne, having spent much of her career balancing cyclocross and gravel racing with the road. That experience makes her well-suited to the white roads of Tuscany, where she achieved her best finish of 19th in 2023. She comes into this year’s edition off the back of a solid UAE Tour Women, where she finished 15th overall and matched that result on the Jebel Hafeet summit finish. That performance suggests she has the climbing legs to improve on her previous best here, and if she can stay in touch with the front group over the sterrato, she could push for another strong result.
Human Powered Health brings an intriguing lineup to Strade Bianche Donne, with Thalita de Jong set to make what is, surprisingly, her debut in the race. Despite her cyclocross background and past success on tough terrain, it’s surprising that she has never raced here before. She has already taken a win this season at Trofeo Binissalem-Andratx, finished 10th in the general classification at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, and placed 12th at Omloop het Nieuwsblad last weekend. That combination of results suggests she has the form to challenge for a top-10 finish if things go her way. Mona Mitterwallner is another debutant to watch. A former mountain biker, she is an excellent climber, but she has yet to show any standout results on the road this season. Strade Bianche will be a major test of how well she can translate her skills to this type of racing.
Movistar has a well-balanced squad with a mix of puncheurs and strong climbers. Liane Lippert fits the profile of a rider who can excel on these roads, and she has already finished seventh here in 2023. She showed good form at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, finishing fifth in the general classification and never placing lower than fifth in any of the four stages. If she can maintain that consistency, she should be in contention once again. Marlen Reusser has only raced here once before, finishing 27th in 2021, but she comes into the race with strong early-season form. She finished second in the general classification at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana and also placed second on Stage 1, matching Anna van der Breggen to the line. She also won Trofeo Palma Femina in January, confirming she has the power to be a major player. Mareille Meijering is another rider on good form after finishing ninth at the UAE Tour Women and ninth at Trofeo Binissalem-Andratx. If she climbs well enough, she could be a surprise name inside the top 10.
Team Picnic PostNL will be hoping Marta Cavalli can rediscover the form that once made her one of the best climbers in the peloton. The Italian last raced Strade Bianche in 2021, finishing eighth, but after struggling for much of the last two seasons, she still seems some way off that level. A 40th-place finish at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana didn’t offer much encouragement, though there’s always hope that she can find her best legs again. Eleonora Ciabocco has been one of the most consistent young riders of 2025, taking the best young rider title at both Setmana Ciclista Valenciana and the Tour Down Under. She finished 12th in Valencia and 16th in Australia, proving she can perform well in tough races. A top-20 finish would be a strong result, but if things fall into place, sneaking into the top 10 isn’t out of the question.
Finally, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot will always attract attention in a race like Strade Bianche, given her background in cyclocross, gravel, and mountain biking. The last time she focused on the road, she finished 11th here in 2016, and now she returns with Visma | Lease a Bike looking to see what she can do. She was solid in the wind at the UAE Tour Women, but her climbing was surprisingly underwhelming, as she dropped early and finished 18th on Jebel Hafeet before taking 17th in the overall standings. Fem van Empel will be making her Strade Bianche debut after wrapping up another successful cyclocross season, which saw her defend her World Championship title. This will be her first road race of the year, and she’s still looking for a big result in the road peloton, but if she’s ever going to make an impact, a gravel-heavy race like this is the perfect place to do it.
Strade Bianche Women 2025 Outsiders
Uno-X Mobility has several riders in good form, but most of their best results this season have come on flatter terrain, leaving question marks over how well they’ll handle the climbing at Strade Bianche. Ingvild Gåskjenn is their best hope after finishing second on Stage 3 of Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, but her one previous attempt at Strade Bianche in 2023 ended with a time-limit disqualification. If she can stay in contention longer this time, she could deliver a strong result. Solbjørk Minke Anderson, Marte Berg Edseth, and Simone Boilard are all capable riders, but none have made a big impact on this race before. They’ll need to step up a level to challenge for the top positions.
VolkerWessels will arrive with a largely inexperienced lineup for Strade Bianche, as nearly all of their riders will be racing here for the first time. However, Eline Jansen could be a surprise package after finishing 17th at Omloop het Nieuwsblad, showing she can hold her own in tough races. The uphill sprint in Siena likely won’t favour her, but if she can hang on to a strong group, a top-20 finish isn’t out of reach. Margot Vanpachtenbeke also comes in with promising form after finishing 10th at Omloop het Nieuwsblad, and together, the pair could push for a top-15 placing if things go their way.
Julie Bego continues her development at Cofidis, bringing a strong engine as a former junior world champion, though her best result in 2025 so far is 25th at Trofeo Palma Femina. Elena Pirrone was part of the long-range breakaway at Omloop het Nieuwsblad last weekend, only to be caught and finish 44th. She has raced Strade Bianche before, finishing 36th in 2020, and will look to make an impact again. Rasa Leleivyte is an experienced puncheur and one of Lithuania’s most consistent riders, but the repeated climbs at this level have often been her undoing. She finished 11th here in 2020 but has struggled to match that since. Elisa de Vallier is still a young rider to watch after a DNF in last year’s race. She placed 37th at Le Samyn this week and will be hoping to gain more experience on the gravel roads.
Top 3 Prediction
⦿ Demi Vollering
⦿ Elisa Longo Borghini
⦿ Puck Pieterse
