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Chantal van den Broek-Blaak wins her first Strade Bianche

SD Worx rolling early in the season

March 6, 2021
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The sixth Women’s WorldTour kicked off on Saturday with the Strade Bianche, where 2017 world champion Chantal van den Broek-Blaak took the victory in Siena, Italy. Van den Broek Blaak took advantage of her SD Worx team’s superior numbers in the leading group to make 2017 Elisa Longo Borghini do all the work in their late breakaway, and then jumped the Italian in the final 500-metres. Olivia Baril was top Canadian in 84th.

The Course

The women’s course featured 30 km of gravel in eight sectors over 136 km. The toughest sectors were the undulating 9.5 km of the Sector 5 at San Martino, the short but steep Sector 6, Sector 7’s 2.4-km climb toward Colle Pinzuto and the final sector, which boasts a tough descent and ascent and ends 12 km from the finish. There was demanding climbing both on the approach to Siena and on the Via Esterna di Fontebranda and Via Santa Caterina in town.

The women’s course.

Despite several attacks after the start, the peloton entered the first sector intact. Elena Pirrone (Italy/Valcar-Travel & Service) was able to scoot clear on the third sector. She carried on as the lone fugitive through the San Martino sector, which reduced the pack. Pirrone survived until just after San Martino.

Niamh Fisher-Black and Lotte Kopecky were the next to try their luck. It was short lived.

The next escape inside the last 40 km was worrisome for the peloton, as it contained last year’s runner-up Mavi Garcia (Spain/Alé BTC Ljubljana), Ellen van Dijk (The Netherlands/Trek-Segafredo), van den Broek-Blaak (The Netherlands/SD Worx) and four others. Sector 6 broke up this septet with Garcia, van Dijk and van den Broek-Blaak and Sabrina Stultiens (The Netherlands/Liv Racing) dropping the others.

On the climb to Colle Pinzuto on the penultimate sector, the legendary Marianne Vos (The Netherlands/Jumbo-Visma) bridged over and reigning champ Annemiek van Vleuten led the closest chase.

Vos leads the way on the penultimate sector.

On the tarmac before the final sector, a lead group of 14 gelled, SD Worx with four riders. World champion van der Breggen and Longo Borghini were there. Van Dijk attacked and Longo Borghini joined her, but van den Broek-Blaak brought them back.

On the final sector van Vleuten pushed hard on the climb, bringing Vos with her.

Van Vleuten and Vos attack on the final sector’s steep grades.

Twelve kilometres remained. Van Vleuten set the pace, but on the ascents leading to the city, the group, with a couple of exceptions, came together again. With 6.3 km remaining, Longo Borghini dashed away, van den Broek-Blaak latching onto her wheel. The duo kept a gap of around 15-seconds, despite the Dutch rider sitting on.

Van den Broek waited until the final 500-metres to attack. Longo Borghini couldn’t respond. Van der Breggen, the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad winner, swept up the final podium spot.

Van den Broek-Blaak’s decisive attack.

2021 Strade Bianche

1) Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (The Netherlands/SD Worx) 3:54:40
2) Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy/Trek-Segafredo) +0:07
3) Anna van der Breggen (The Netherlands/SD Worx) +0:09
84) Olivia Baril (Canada/Massi-Tactic) +16:54
DNF) Leah Kirchmann (Canada/Team DSM)