The new race route from San Gimignano to Siena (both cities are Unesco World Heritage Sites), will host the spectacle of the classic of the dirty roads to be staged next Saturday. Organized by RCS Sport/La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Strade Bianche by Limar features some 50km of dirt roads in its 197km route, which is divided into 10 segments with stretches of “5 stars” difficulty.
Among the participants are world-class athletes, representing 29 countries (including Eritrea and Rwanda) and 5 continents.
Included in the starting line-up are the winners of six of the seven most recent editions of the race: Moser 2013, Cancellara 2012 and 2008, Maxim Iglinskiy 2010, Thomas Lovkvist 2009 and Aleksandr Kolobnev 2007.
There will also be an important representation of stage race champions with Cadel Evans, Bradley Wiggins, Rigoberto Uran, Samuel Sanchez, Alejandro Valverde, Nairo Quintana and Roman Kreuziger .
The race also features some of the best young “promising future” athletes, such as Fabio Aru, Sonny Colbrelli, Diego Ulissi, Michal Kwiatkowski, Warren Barguil.
The Race Headquarters (Race direction and press room) is located at Palazzo Sansedoni, Fondazione Monte dei Paschi di Siena head office (Banchi di Sotto, 34 in Siena).
TEAMS
18 teams (8 riders each), 11 are UCI ProTeams and 7 are UCI Professional Continental Teams:
- CANNONDALE (ITA) – Moreno Moser, Peter Sagan
- ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI (ITA) – Franco Pelizzoti, Johnny Hogerland
- ASTANA PRO TEAM (KAZ) – Maxim Iglinskiy, Fabio Aru
- BARDIANI CSF (ITA) – Sonny Colbrelli, Marco Coledan
- BMC RACING TEAM (USA) – Cadel Evans, Samuel Sanchez
- COLOMBIA (COL) – Miguel Rubiano Chavez, Fabio Duarte
- IAM CYCLING (SWI) – Thomas Lövkvist, Gustav Larsson
- LAMPRE-MERIDA (ITA) – Filippo Pozzato, Diego Ulissi
- MOVISTAR TEAM (ESP) – Alejandro Valverde, Nairo Quintana
- MTN – QHUBEKA (RSA) – Linus Gerdemann, Daniel Teklehaimanot
- OMEGA PHARMA – QUICK-STEP CYCLING TEAM (BEL) – Mark Cavendish, Michal Kwiatkowski
- TEAM GIANT-SHIMANO (NED) – Warren Barguil, Tom Stamsnijder
- TEAM KATUSHA (RUS) – Alexandr Kolobnev, Luca Paolini
- TEAM SKY (GBR) – Bradley Wiggins, Ian Stannard
- TINKOFF-SAXO (RUS) – Daniele Bennati, Roman Kreuziger
- TREK FACTORY RACING (USA) – Fabian Cancellara, Yaroslav Popovich
- UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM (USA) – Alessandro Bazzana, Martijn Maaskant
- YELLOW FLUO (ITA) – Mauro Finetto, Matteo Rabottini
HALL OF FAME
2007 – Aleksandr Kolobnev (RUS)
2008 – Fabian Cancellara (SVI)
2009 – Thomas Lovkvist (SVE)
2010 – Maxim Iglinskiy (KAZ)
2011 – Philippe Gilbert (BEL)
2012 – Fabian Cancellara (SVI)
2013 – Moreno Moser (ITA)
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