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Photo Essay: 2015 Strade Bianche, women

Megan Guarnier soloed to victory in the first ever Strade Bianche women's race

March 10, 2015 BrakeThrough Media

Photo: BrakeThrough Media

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2015 — The Italian classics open with the charcteristic Strade Bianche and this year included the inagural edition of a women’s event over the white roads of Tuscany. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2015 — The start of Strade Bianche is nestled among the ancient stones atop San Gimigano in the province of Tuscany. Photo: Joolze Dymond / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2015 — The Bigla Pro Cycling squad braved the early morning start’s low temps and bitter wind during rider sign-in in the Piazza delle Erbe in San Gimignano. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2015 — The first edition Strade Bianche – Elite Women brought a stellar line-up of top female competitors including Tiffany Cromwell, Lisa Brennauer, and Trixi Worrack of the the Velocio-SRAM team. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2015 — With the first of two race starts of the day, the women’s field departed the hilltop city of San Gimignano. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2015 — The women’s race hit San Leonardo – the first of five sectors of gravel roads – gruppo compatto. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2015 — The flats and mechanicals began in sector 1, leaving Elena Kuchinskaya of Servetto Footon on the side of the road, waiting for her team car. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2015 — Fans kept a look-out for the approaching women’s field in the beginning of sector 2, San Martino. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2015 — The head of the women’s race crossed one of the only flat sections of the second sector just before the run-in of eight kilometers of gravel climbs and descents. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2015 — Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (Bigla) led the race up the first steep climb in sector 2 just before more steep climbs, tricky descents, and massive winds blew the peloton apart. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2015 — By kilometer 79 the lead group had further shattered after continuous attacks. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2015 — Attacks led by Lizzie Armitstead (Boels-Dolmans) and Anna Van Der Breggen (Rabo-Liv) left eventual third-place finisher Elisa Longo Borghini chasing hard between sectors 3 and 4. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2015 — By sector 5, Megan Guarnier (Boels-Dolmans) had broken free and clear. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2015 — The tempo didn’t let up as the chase group climbed up the final stretch of sector 5 while Alena Amialiusik (Velocio-SRAM) and Annemiek van Vleuten (Bigla) continued to fight for top 10. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2015 — With a widening gap opening up from race leader Megan Guarnier, Armitstead, Moolman Pasio, and Longo Borghini fought for podium spots. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2015 — Megan Guarnier took a clean solo win at the first ever Strade Bianche women’s race, finishing in the historic Il Campo piazza, Siena. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2015 — Armitstead was the first to congratulate her teammate Megan Guarnier on her epic win in Siena. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

An American in France

What’s it like to be an American cyclist living in France? Watch to get professional road cyclist Joe Dombrowski’s view.

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