The relationship between Italian riders and Strade Bianche is a complicated love story. The classic gravel road race in Tuscany was born in 2007, and this Saturday will celebrate the twentieth edition of the men's race, yet we have won it only once with Moreno Moser in Cannondale colors in 2013. We haven't been on the podium since the Covid era, since the Strade Bianche held on August 1st, 2020, the rebirth of cycling in the darkest period. Wout Van Aert dominated, and a week later would also win the Sanremo, and on the podium behind him, we find Davide Formolo. Since that second-place finish by the rider from Verona, the podium has remained a mirage for us Italians. In total, we count two other second-place finishes with Ballan in 2008 and 2011, and four third places: Cunego 2011, Gatto 2012, Nocentini 2013 and Brambilla 2016.

So who to bet on this Saturday? The course has been lightened with 14 gravel sectors instead of 16, but in any case it remains a very demanding race that rewards those who can climb very strongly. Among the 175 registered riders, the announced Italians are 42, equal to 24%. A list led by the Zana-Pellizzari pair, who have certainly appeared the most lively in the first month of racing. Filippo Zana, from Vicenza and riding for Soudal-Quick Step, conquered the Tour of Sardinia with victory in the hardest stage in Nuoro: since 2021 he has always raced Strade Bianche, with a 9th place in 2024 as his best result. With him in the Belgian team is Gianmarco Garofoli, a very interesting young talent, second in the Sardinia standings. The other leader of the Italian contingent at Strade Bianche is Giulio Pellizzari, expected to be a protagonist at the Giro d'Italia. The rider from the Marche region with Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe immediately distinguished himself at the Vuelta Valenciana, where he supported his captain Evenepoel and was always with the best climbers: third in the hardest stage and third overall. He is making his debut on the gravel roads of Strade Bianche, but when the road goes uphill he has already shown he is very competitive. He will have very strong teammates: besides the Belgian Gianni Vermeersch, there's the pair Gianni Moscon and Mattia Cattaneo. A quartet that makes them a very dangerous formation, just below Pogacar's UAE and Del Toro.

There is great anticipation for Alberto Bettiol's seasonal debut in Italy: the Florentine has grown up on these roads and considers gravel his cycling gym, this is a race he deeply loves since his father took him to watch an edition. In the Xds-Astana team he will be able to count on the help of Simone Velasco and Davide Toneatti. Filippo Fiorelli, who has already distinguished himself as Brennan's lead-out man in the sprint, and the talented Pietro Mattio will support Van Aert and Jorgenson in the Visma-Lease a Bike. The Italian champion Filippo Conca, Andrea Vendrame, Davide De Pretto and Alessandro Covi are the spoilers of Jayco-AlUla. Francesco Busatto, another young talent who is shining abroad, will have the task of protecting the exuberant Dutchman Tibor Del Grosso in Alpecin-Premier Tech, just as Edoardo Zambanini will race with Mohoric and Bilbao in Bahrain Victorious and Vincenzo Albanese will share leadership duties in EF with British rider Ben Healy. Mattia Gaffuri will have freedom of action in PicNic-PostNL.

Still among Italians in WorldTour teams, there's Andrea Bagioli, Matteo Sobrero and Jacopo Mosca in the ambitious Lidl-Trek of Simmons and Withen Philipsen; Lorenzo Germani is at Groupama FDJ United with Frenchmen Madouas and Gregoire; with the MBH Bank jersey we expect an excellent performance from Alessandro Verre, beaten on the climb at the Tour of Sardinia only by Zana. Alessandro Pinarello is the only Italian with Swiss team Nsn, while Italian track rider Manlio Moro will keep the Movistar colors flying. As always, the entire Italian Reverberi crew in Bardiani-Csf 7Saber: watch Filippo Magli and Martin Marcellusi. Staying with our Professional teams, Gabriele Bessega and Andrea Pietrobon are the Italians of Polti-VisitMalta with Basso and Contador, while Alessandro Iacchi, Tommaso Nencini and Andrea Piras are the most notable from Solution Tech Nippo Rali.