Siena, Italy – On Saturday, March 8th, Bahrain Victorious will embark on their ninth appearance at the iconic Strade Bianche, a race renowned for its punishing gravel sectors and dramatic Tuscan landscapes. This year's edition promises to be even more demanding, featuring a record 82 kilometers of white gravel roads, divided into 16 challenging sectors.

The 2025 Strade Bianche route has been meticulously crafted to test the peloton's endurance and technical prowess. The initial stages present a formidable challenge, with the 11.9-kilometer Torrenieri sector immediately setting a grueling pace. Adding to the difficulty, organizers have introduced a new 9 kilometer gravel sector, number 7, effectively eliminating a previously existing asphalt break. After 158 kilometers, riders will face a 30-kilometer circuit, traversed twice, featuring the steep gradients of Colle Pinzuto (up to 15%) and Le Tolfe (up to 18%). The race culminates in the historic city of Siena, with the decisive climb to the Piazza del Campo.

Bahrain Victorious will field a strong team led by Pello Bilbao, a rider known for his affinity for the Tuscan gravel. Joining him is Matej Mohorič, who secured a commendable fifth place in last year's edition. The team's support riders include Afonso Eulálio, Robert Stannard, Nicolò Buratti, Max van der Meulen, and Andrea Pasqualon.

"I am looking forward to one of my favorite races of the season," stated Bilbao. "For me, it was a great discovery three years ago when I first tried Strade. At the beginning of this season, I found a really good condition and I think I can be pretty competitive. I didn’t ride Strade last year so I don’t know how much has changed with those extra kilometres they added. But I think it is a kind of classic that suits me well. Although it is going to be almost impossible to beat Tadej, I hope Matej and I can race intelligently and both be in the top ten. If we are lucky and things are ok it would be great to get on the podium."

Team Sports Director, Gorazd Štangelj, outlined the team's strategy: "Pello is the leader. Matej was fifth last year, but we will still give preference to Pello, because Matej is not 100% yet healthy, as he has had a cold since “Tour of Provence”. All the others are support riders, it just depends on which part of the race, either immediately from the start or for as long as possible, and of course we want the result at the end. After the Santa Maria hill, which is always the turning point, we want to have 3 guys left, theoretically Pello, Matej, and Max or Robert. Everyone else will divide the work before. Afonso, our new Portuguese is in the race for the first time, Buratti already has skills for this race, as this is his second appearance, and Pasqualon is probably the most experienced, so we will use him the most at the beginning. After 105 km, however, the support riders will slowly fall away and will have a hard time coming back. The race will probably be challenging this year as Tadej Pogačar is competing. Another thing I want to point out is that this year they added another sector to the gravel, sector number 7, they added a new 9 kilometres. Where before there was a bit of a break and asphalt, they have now added this. Last year the race was extended by 30 kilometres, this year the number of kilometres remains the same, but as mentioned, there is more gravel. Last year there were 71 kilometres, and this year more than 81. And there are more sections, 16 to last year’s 15. There is also 200m more climbing, so on paper, this race is even tougher than last year.”

The increased gravel sections and the presence of formidable competitors like Tadej Pogačar promise to make the 2025 Strade Bianche an unforgettable spectacle. Cycling enthusiasts worldwide will be eagerly watching to see if Bahrain Victorious can conquer the challenging terrain and secure a coveted podium finish in Siena.