Fabian Cancellara to have stretch of Strade Bianche named after him if he wins this weekend

Riders who take three Strade Bianche titles will get a stretch of the famous gravel named after them

Fabian Cancellara in the 2015 Strade Bianche race

(Image credit: Watson)

Fabian Cancellara (Trek-Segafredo) could be the first rider to have a stretch of the famous white gravel roads of the Strade Bianche one-day Classic named after him...if he manages to take the win this coming Saturday.

It was confirmed to Cycling Weekly this week that Spartacus would indeed have his name forever attached to a section of the race if he becomes the first rider to win three editions.

Cancellara won two previous editions of the race in 2008 and 2012, and is looking for a third victory in his final year as a professional; though he'll face some stiff competition from a mix of Grand Tour contenders and Classics riders.

The famous white roads of Strade Bianche

The famous white roads of Strade Bianche
(Image credit: Watson)

The race was only introduced to the calendar in 2007, with the inaugural edition being won by Russian Alexander Kolobnev, but has already established it as a favourite on the calendar because of its mix of climbs, gravel roads and scenery.

But it's not just Cancellara, the only rider to have won two editions so far, who's eligible for a bit of gravel to be named in their honour.

Any rider who goes on to win three editions of the race will get the same treatment, and while it's not quite a hairpin on Alpe d'Huez, it's still a pretty good statement of your career to have to look back on when you retire.

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Richard Windsor

Follow on Twitter: @richwindy


Richard is digital editor of Cycling Weekly. Joining the team in 2013, Richard became editor of the website in 2014 and coordinates site content and strategy, leading the news team in coverage of the world's biggest races and working with the tech editor to deliver comprehensive buying guides, reviews, and the latest product news.


An occasional racer, Richard spends most of his time preparing for long-distance touring rides these days, or getting out to the Surrey Hills on the weekend on his Specialized Tarmac SL6 (with an obligatory pub stop of course).