Greig Leach

Today was the first time that the peloton was able to take to the open roads in a major race. There have have been a few smaller races, but this is the first to have a full compliment of World Tour teams take to the start line. I am pleased that I was able to access coverage of the women's race that covered much of the same course as the men's race that started about and hour and a half after the women in Siena. I have described Strade Bianche as Italy's answer to Paris-Roubaix. The women (and later the men) face numerous sections of gravel roead. With today's heat the traditional white roads of Siena are raising clouds of fine white dust that coat the sweating bodies of the racers, and most likely their lungs as well. Due to Covid-19 this race was delayed from its normal late March schedule to today, the first of August. A cruel switch considering that the heat of summer was fulling on in Tuscany. This is Margarita Garcia Canellas (ALE BTC Ljubljana) who had dropped the rest of the peloton and was off on her own with 20 kilometers to race. It was looking like she was going to upset all of the pre-race favorites and take a surprise victory. Spoiler alert, she finished her day with second place.