Granfondo Strade Bianche 2026

The route

The Strade Bianche are the white gravel roads that cut through the Tuscan hills between Siena and the Chianti. The same sectors the professional peloton races in the Strade Bianche Classic in March are the ones the Gran Fondo covers that same weekend, with one detail that makes it unique: the finish in Siena's Piazza del Campo, one of the most beautiful squares in the world, is exactly the same for amateur and professional riders alike. The distance is 135 km with 11 white road sectors totalling around 63 km of gravel, plus asphalt links. The shorter version covers 75 km with 7 sectors.

The Tuscan gravel is not technically demanding, but it requires continuous attention. Shorter sectors have loose stones and fine dust that on dry days raises white clouds in the wheels ahead. Longer sectors, like sector 9 between Radi and Colle Pinzuto at 11.9 km, mix gravel with mud on the edges when there has been moisture. Climbing on gravel costs more energy than climbing on asphalt at the same gradient: the legs work to maintain traction in addition to moving forward. The final sector from Montespertoli into Siena, with a 2.5 km cobbled climb into the city, is the most photographed and the one that hurts most at the end of the day.

March in Tuscany is unpredictable. Rain can turn the gravel sectors into mud, changing the event's character entirely: in wet editions the white roads turn brown and slippery, with fine clay clogging tyres. Without rain, wind across the ridgelines between hills is the main variable. The Chianti hills and Crete Senesi have irregular orientation, so the wind changes direction at each sector. The asphalt link sections, many of them on ridge roads, can carry 15 to 25 km/h crosswinds that in bends cause wheels to slide on the loose gravel at the edges.

Registration opens in autumn and places go quickly. Bike preparation is a serious matter: tyres of 30 to 35 mm, low pressure (3 to 4 bar on gravel) and disc brakes if possible. Many participants use a gravel bike outright. Siena is a perfect medieval base for logistics, and the finish in the Piazza del Campo on 14th-century stone is one of those cycling experiences that stays with you. If it rains, bring spare glasses.

Variants and GPX

Past editions

Real Open-Meteo weather on each edition day.

How to register

Registration, price and rules are on the official website of the organization. Official march website →

More information

All marches in Italy
Keep reading about planning routes with wind