- Montepaschi Strade Bianche
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Montepaschi Strade Bianche 
Race details Date Early March Region Tuscany, Italy Local name(s) Montepaschi Strade Bianche (Italian) Discipline Road Competition UCI Europe Tour Type Single-day Organiser RCS Sport History First edition 2007 Editions 5 (as of 2011) First winner 
Alexandr Kolobnev (RUS)Most wins The five winning cyclists have won once each Most recent 
Philippe Gilbert (BEL)The Montepaschi Strade Bianche, formerly known as Monte Paschi Eroica, is a road bicycle race held annually near Siena, in the region of Tuscany, Italy. The race was first organised in 2007 as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour and was held in October. From 2008 on the event has found a space in early March as part of the European classics season.[1] It is held the week before Tirreno–Adriatico as a warm weather precursor to the cobbled classics of the north. The field is usually made up of riders taking part in Tirreno–Adriatico.
The race starts in Gaiole in Chianti and finishes in the famous public space Piazza del Campo in Siena. The route consists of 190 kilometres around the city of Siena, including 70 kilometres of gravel roads, called sterrati in Italy.[2] Parts of the route were originally used in a recreational race, or gran fondo.[3] The organizers of the race, RCS sports, were inspired by the Ronde van Vlaanderen with its bergs, and Paris–Roubaix with its cobblestone sections.[2]
Before the 2009-edition, the race changed its name to Montepaschi Strade Bianche. The race was also lengthened 9 km (5.6 mi) and one more gravel sector was added, taking the total unsealed sections to 57.2 km (35.5 mi). The riders now left Gaiole in Chianti and headed south towards the first of the eight sectors of le strade bianche (English: white gravel roads).[4]
Winners
Rider Team 2007 Alexandr Kolobnev (RUS) Team CSC 2008 
Fabian Cancellara (SUI) Team CSC 2009 
Thomas Lövkvist (SWE) Team Columbia-High Road 2010 
Maxim Iglinsky (KAZ) Astana 2011 Philippe Gilbert (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto References
- ^ Second Edition of Monte Paschi Eroica - Eroica's status grows with new springtime date Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
- ^ a b First Monte Paschi Eroica presented Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
- ^ 2nd Edition Monte Paschi Eroica at the Daily Peloton - Pro Cycling News Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
- ^ 3rd Montepaschi Strade Bianche - Eroica Toscana - 1.1 Retrieved on 2010-03-07.
External links
Categories:- UCI Europe Tour
- Cycle races in Italy
- Recurring sporting events established in 2007
- Montepaschi Strade Bianche
- Cycling race stubs
- Italian sport stubs
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