Italy
One Day Classics
Strade Bianche with Sportive Breaks
Sportive Breaks are proud to be appointed as an OFFICIAL PARTNER of the 2024 Strade Bianche Gran Fondo. On Sunday 3rd of March 2024 you will be able to ride the Strade Bianche Gran Fondo on the white gravel roads around Siena, Tuscany. The day before you will see both the elite women and the men take on the white gravel roads.
Stay at our 4* hotel in Siena and ride with a Giro d’Italia stage winner for the weekend. Andrea Ferrigato is Sportive Breaks tour leader in Italy. Take part in the Gran Fondo on Sunday and join Andrea on a guided ride with live viewing of the pro race on Saturday. Our Gran Fondo Strade Bianche entries allow you to select your starting pen. Entries when booked with our hotel package start from £110.
Guaranteed Entry without hotel package
We offer guaranteed entry for the 2024 Gran Fondo Strade Bianche without the need to purchase a hotel package. You can choose which entry pen you want to start from. The start and finish are both in Siena at the Medici Fortress and the Piazza del Campo respectively. Grid 1-3 are positioned in Viale Cesare Maccari (between Fortezza Medicea and NH Hotel Siena) Grid 4 is in the parking under the Walls of the Fortress in front of the Stadium.
Entry Only Prices
- GRID 1 | 1 – 300 – £200
- GRID 2 | 301 – 1000 – £175
- GRID 3 | 1001 – 2000 – £150
- GRID 4 | 2000 – 3600 – £125
Included with your entry
- Race number
- Sportful Bodyfit Pro Classic Jersey
- Technical gadget
- Breakdown assistance (spares payable)
- Medical care during the race
- Feed zones
- Broom wagon service
- Pasta Party
- Timing Chip (worth €10)
Weekend Highlights
Weekend Highlights
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Spread your payments (excludes Entry Only): Our payment plan is an interest-free payment method where you will have the opportunity to spread payment for your booking.
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Additional feed stations: We offer two additional feed and assistance stops exclusively for Sportive Breaks riders
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Choice of Start Pens: You can choose which entry pen you want to start from.
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4* hotel in Siena: Conveniently located with breakfasts, dinners and bike storage included.
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Guided Warm up Ride: On Saturday we'll ride around 50km with our local guide ex-pro cyclist Andrea Ferrigato.
| Sportive Distance | Sportive Elevation | Sportive Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Route | 142.5km | 2,250m |
4/5
Lots of climbing but either shorter rides or an easier day mixed in. Challenging but suitable for most riders.
|
| Medium Route | 86.8km | 1,350m |
3/5
Mix of climbing & flatter days suitable for most riders.
|
What's Included
Accommodation
4* hotel in Siena
Included Meals
All breakfasts & dinners
Guided Warm Up Ride
Saturday with Andrea Ferrigato
Mechanic
Expert mechanic on hand all weekend
Private Feed Stop
2 additional feed and assistance stations on the Gran Fondo route
Additional Extras
Sportive Entry
From £110 if booked with our package
Sportive Entry
Entry Only without hotel available from £125
Priority Start Pen
Choice of Start Pen available
Transfer
From Pisa or Florence
Bike Rental
Available at extra cost
Strade Bianche
A one day classic born from a sportive. The Strade Bianche has a unique history, starting in the late 90s when a group of local riders founded l’Eroica, a ride to celebrate the glory days of cycling over Tuscany’s famous white gravel roads. This became so popular that the professionals wanted a go and so the Strade Bianche was born. This is now firmly established as one of the best races of the calendar and makes for an amazing cycling weekend. The Pro races for Elite men and women are on Saturday and the Gran Fondo is on Sunday.
Itinerary
Expand All
Friday 1 March 2024 : Arrival Day
Please meet us at our hotel in Siena today where our team will meet you. If you plan to fly then we offer airport transfers for you, your luggage and your bike from Pisa and Florence airport in line with flights from the UK and Ireland. The journey to Siena takes about 1hr30 – 2 hours. Our mechanic is available this afternoon to fit rental bikes and to assist you with building your own bike after travel. Bikes can be stored in your room. Evening meal at hotel
Saturday 2 March 2024 : Strade Bianche Day
After breakfast and preparing the bikes, we will take you on a supported, guided ride that takes in the route of the Strade Bianche including the final 25km of the pro-race route, before heading back to Siena for an afternoon of watching the pro-riders in action. We will then head back to the hotel for you to rest and get prepared for tomorrow. Hospitality at the start and/ or at the finish or a day on the course in an official race car are available to book today at an additional cost starting from £85. Dinner at the hotel.
Sunday 3 March 2024 : GRAN FONDO DAY
You were able to see how the riders of the Men’s and Women’s cycling elite handled the white roads yesterday. Today it’s your turn. Ride either the 139 km route with 31 kilometres of gravel roads or 86 kilometres with 21 kilometres of gravel. The race largely shares the course with the Women Élite event. The route is twisty and undulating, with no lengthy climbs, but with punchy hills, especially on the unpaved parts. Private feed stop on the course and we’ll assist with packing bikes after the race. Dinner at the hotel.
Monday 4 March 2024 : Departure Day
After breakfast either make your own onwards plans or we offer our optional transfer back to Florence and Pisa airport. We will depart Siena at 09.00. Our airport transfer arrives in Florence at 10.00 in line with flights that depart after 12.00. We will arrive at Pisa for 11.30, in line with flights that depart after 13.30.
Private transfers can be booked on request.
Sportive Options
The race largely shares the course with the Women Élite event. The route is twisty and undulating, with no lengthy climbs, but with punchy hills, especially on the unpaved parts. Newly added to the route is the most popular and most challenging sector of Monte Sante Marie, named after Fabian Cancellara, with gradients exceeding 15% on both climbs and descents. There are roughly 55 km of gravel roads (38.4% of the total race route) appearing in 10 sectors (some of which are “new” to both the women’s and men’s Pro race), with a roadbed in good conditions, well-packed ground with no grass invasion, and a little gravel on the surface.
The final kilometres initially follow the outskirts of the city of Siena, along wide, long and straight roads connected by sweeping curves, first descending, and then climbing slightly, up to 2 km from the finish, where the route takes the Via Esterna di Fontebranda, and the gradient reaches 9%. The road surface becomes paving slabs 900 m before the finish line, just past the Fontebranda Gate. The gradient is over 10%, peaking out at 16% in Via Santa Caterina, around 500 m from the finish. A sharp right hand turn leads to Via Delle Terme and then to Via Banchi di Sotto. Starting 300 m to the finish onwards, the road is a slight, continuous descent. With 150 m to go, a right curve leads into Via Rinaldini. The route enters Piazza del Campo 70 m before the finish; the last 30 metres are on a 7% gradient descent, while the finish line is on level road.
| Distance | Elevation | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Route | 142.5km | 2,250m |
4/5
Plenty of tough sectors but suitable for most regular riders.
|
| Medium Route | 86.8km | 1,350m |
3/5
Rolling terrain with the occasional tougher section.
|
Accommodation
Hotel Executive Siena - Strade Bianche
Siena
Hotel Executive is in the Scacciapensieri residential district of Siena, a 10 minute walk from the train station. All air-conditioned rooms feature an LCD TV with satellite channels. Next to a large green park, this hotel has a quiet location and offers free parking and excellent bus services into Siena's historic centre, one mile away. Rooms at the Executive Hotel have a modern and elegant design. They feature a private bathroom, a minibar and some even have a small balcony. A buffet breakfast is served each morning, and the coffee shop is open throughout the day. The restaurant offers traditional Tuscan cuisine with a choice of meat or fish. Your stay here is on a half board basis so with breakfasts and evening meals included. You can keep your bike inside your room.
Airport Transfers
Our transfers are from Pisa airport and Florence Airport, and the journey to Siena takes approx 2hr30. Our guides will meet you in arrivals.
We will depart Siena at 09.00. Our airport transfer arrives in Florence at 10.00 in line with flights that depart after 12.00.
We will arrive at Pisa for 11.30, in line with flights that depart after 13.30. Private transfers can be booked on request.
Dates & Book Now
Sportive Breaks are part of the Destination Sport Experiences Group. When clicking on the booking link below, you will be taken to the Destination Sport Experiences booking engine. If you have any questions, please do contact our team hello@dev.sportivebreaks.com
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