Strade Bianche: Tadej Pogacar recovers from crash to beat Tom Pidcock for back-to-back win

Demi Vollering claimed victory in the women’s race, after outsprinting fellow Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen to win by 18 seconds.

Van der Breggen, 34, is making her World Tour comeback with SD Worx-Protime after three years away from competitive racing.

The former world and Olympic champion is Vollering’s ex-team-mate, coach and mentor, and won the Strade Bianche in 2018.

She attacked into the final gravel sector and was caught by Vollering, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot and Juliette Labous on the climb.

The Dutch pair then battled it out during the closing stages of the 136km race before Vollering launched a decisive attack with 500 metres to go.

The FDJ–Suez rider, 28, becomes the third woman to win the race twice, despite suffering a puncture on the longest gravel sector.

“It’s fun to race against Anna – it feels like when I started,” said Vollering. “It’s also a reminder for myself how much I have grown over the years.”

Van der Breggen added: “I had no idea how long I could keep up. I did not expect to finish with Demi, so I’m really happy with how far I am physically.”

Britain’s Lizzie Deignan, the 2016 winner, was unable to finish after she punctured at the same time as her Lidl-Trek team car was involved in a crash.

“By the time I got any service I was well and truly out of the race,” said the 36-year-old. “Nonetheless, I enjoyed my training ride in stunning scenery.”