Photo gallery: A mud-splattered 2018 men’s Strade Bianche
At just 12 years old, Strade Bianche doesn’t have the same history or prestige as the five one-day Monuments. But after Saturday’s 2018 edition, many have been speaking of the Tuscan one-day race with the sort of reverence normally reserved for the likes of Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix.
The weather certainly played a part — heavy snow in the lead-up and constant rain on the day turned the white roads of Tuscany into muddy clay pits. Images of exhausted riders crossing the finish line, caked in mud, only served to emphasise the extreme nature of this beautiful race.
The victor was Belgium’s Tiesj Benoot, a rider of great promise who first emerged with fifth at the 2015 Tour of Flanders — his first “Ronde”, at just 21 — and who has nibbled away at the front of the biggest races since then. The win was his first since turning pro, not that you’d know it from the way he raced. He made the ride moves, attacked when he needed to, and eventually outmuscled all of his rivals.
Our photographer friends Kristof Ramon, and Ashley & Jered Gruber were in the thick of the action on Saturday, capturing the spectacular images you see below. We hope you love these images as much as we do.
- World champion Peter Sagan rolls to the startline.
- The peloton on a tricky descent on the muddy course.
- Laurens ten Dam seemed to age a few decades over the course of the day.
- It wasn’t a great day for Greg Van Avermaet who finished more than 13 minutes down.
- Simon Clarke on his way to 17th.
- Philippe Gilbert was the the first and only other Belgian to win Strade Bianche, in 2011.
- Defending champion Michal Kwiatkowski wasn’t able to replicate his win from 12 months ago. He finished in 30th place, 10:57 behind Benoot.
- The heavy Italian police motorbikes were badly suited to Strade Bianche’s muddy surfaces. Many crashed along the way, mostly with little damage done.
- Truls Korsaeth (Astana) crashed out of the front group on this slippery descent. Note the crashed moto in the background.
- Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) was followed closely by eventual winner Tiesj Benoot on this climb. Sagan would end the day in eighth.
- Race leaders Wout Van Aert (Verandas Willems-Crelan) and Romain Bardet (Ag2r-La Mondiale).
- At just 23, world CX champion Wout van Aert was particularly impressive.
- Tiesj Benoot joined Pieter Serry in trying to bridge to the two leaders …
- Benoot dropped Serry before making contact with Bardet and van Aert …
- … and then going clear on his own.
- Benoot rode his way to an impressive solo win – his first victory since turning professional.
- Tiesj Benoot wins the 12th edition of Strade Bianche.
- Bardet dropped van Aert on the approach to the finish in Siena.
- In the 2018 edition, Van Aert cramped up in both legs on the final ramp to the line, but managed to hold on for third.
- Van Aert takes a well-earned rest.
- Pierre Latour (Ag2r La Mondiale) summed up most riders’ reaction to finishing the race.
- Tiesj Benoot first, Romain Bardet second, Wout van Aert third.