Why Strade Bianche will never be a Monument

In 2024, we witnessed the beginning of a certain Tadej Pogačar’s incredible year. The Slovenian started the season with an incredible 81-km solo win. He even called the attack before the race.

It’s one of the most exciting one-day races in cycling. But let’s be real—it’ll never be a Monument.

Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, and Il Lombardia. These five races are the pillars of the sport, steeped in history and prestige. Strade Bianche? As great as it is, it doesn’t have that same legacy.

Tuscany’s white gravel awaits the WorldTeams this weekend at Strade Bianche

One big reason: it’s too new. Strade Bianche only started in 2007. Compare that to Paris-Roubaix, which has been around since 1896. Generations of riders have fought for wins in the Monuments, with legends like Fausto Coppi and Eddy Merckx leaving their marks. Winning one of those races puts your name in the same breath as cycling’s all-time greats.

The legacy factor

Think about that scene in Moneyball when Billy Beane (played by Brad Pitt) walks into Fenway Park. He doesn’t need to explain why it’s special—you just know. “All due respect to the Oakland Coliseum, but this is a ballpark,” the Red Sox owner says. That’s what history does. It builds an aura. Sure, winning the Tour of California’s yellow jersey was an achievement, but it’s not the maillot jaune.

It’s not long enough

Another issue? Distance. In 2024, organizers stretched the men’s race to 213 km (the women’s is 136 km), but it’s still shorter than the Monuments, which range from 250 to nearly 300 km. And each Monument has a signature difficulty: Milan-San Remo’s sheer length, Paris-Roubaix’s brutal pavé, Liège’s relentless climbs. Strade Bianche is tough, but it doesn’t match the sheer endurance test of the Monuments. (That said, Milan-San Remo is often a waiting game until the Poggio—but that’s another argument for another time.)

Iconic landmarks

Monuments are also tied to legendary locations. Roubaix has the Arenberg Forest. Flanders has the Oude Kwaremont, the Paterberg, and the Koppenberg. MSR? The Poggio. Lombardia? The Muro di Sormano. And Liège? The Côte de La Redoute. Strade Bianche’s white roads are beautiful, and the Siena finish is epic, but does the name Piazza del Campo carry the same weight? Not really.

Does it really atter?

Strade Bianche, or The Race of the White Roads, is still a race every rider wants to win. Whether or not it gets Monument status, it’s a modern classic and a fan favourite. And at the end of the day, a victory in Siena is still something worth celebrating.

You can watch the 2025 Strade Bianche on FloBikes.com