Strade Bianche 2016: Cancellara powers to victory ahead of Stybar

Totalling at 176 kilometres, the 2016 Strade Bianche features 52.8 kilometres of dust roads. Gianlucca Brambilla is strong, but he is brought back in the last kilometre by a super strong Cancellara. Stybar is in his wheel, but the reigning champion is unable to attack and Spartacus takes his third Strade Bianche. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results Strade Bianche

1. Fabian Cancellara (swi)
2. Zdenek Stybar (cze) s.t.
3. Gianluca Brambilla (ita) + 0.04
4. Peter Sagan (svk) + 0.13
5. Petr Vakoč (cze) + 0.34
6. Greg Van Avermaet (bel) + 0.37
7. Diego Ulissi (ita) + 0.41
8. Tiesj Benoot (bel) s.t.
9. Lars Petter Nordhaug (nor) s.t.
10. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 0.50

Race report
Sergent, Debusschere, Ligthart, Mrozek, Van Asbroeck, Dall’Antonio, Rota and Stacchiotti are aboard in the early break. They race to a maximum lead of 5’30”, but with 70 kilometres left their story is over.

Then Monfort, Brambilla, Grivko, Bookwalter and Puccio jump clear and they race to a 1 minute lead, while Puccio is dropped after a mechanic. With 20 kms left Brambilla is the last escapee upfront.

At the penultimate gravel sector Sagan attacks and he joins Brambilla. Stybar and Cancellara cross over, while a group with Van Avermaet and Valverde is forced to chase.

Brambilla goes solo with 6 kms left, but he is caught by Cancellara and Stybar with only 500 metres left. Spartacus powers on, giving title defender Stybar no chance to leave his wheel. In his last year as a professional cyclist the Swiss wins Strade Bianche for the third time in his career.