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Wednesday, May 19, 2021, Stage 11 of the Jiro Detailia from Perugia to Montalcino, Strada

Bianca Day. The stage is 163 kilometres, not far short of the one day classic in early

March that features the white dust roads of Tuscany and which has become one of the most

eagerly awaited days on the calendar. The Jiro's version of or Omaj 2 Strada Bianca

includes 35.2 kilometres on dirt roads, and it's all packed into the second half of the

stage. The first section coming with 70 kilometres remaining, the toughest on the Paso de

Lumes Spento, a climate top out at 40 kilometres to go. The last time the Jiro went to Montalcino

in 2010, there was a similar stage over white dirt roads or brown dirt roads because on

that occasion they were turned to sludge by torrential rain. It was one of the toughest

and most dramatic stages in years, one by Cadillac Evans. Now with Strada Bianca's reputation

and status growing every year, a stage of the Jiro over the dirt roads inevitably invokes

the early spring classic, and especially this year, with the 2021 edition of Strada Bianca

a race that we are likely to be talking about for years. It's on extraordinary constellation

of stars in the front group, the three Galacticals Matjuvander Pull, Watt Van Art and the world

champion Julen Alifalip, whose attack on Montes Antimiria with 50 kilometres to go caused

the split.

As well as the three Galacticals, there was one of the sports brightest young stars, Tom

Pitcock and the last two Tour de France champions, Tare Pogaccio and Egan Bernal. Briefly,

there was also the young American Quinn Simmons, former junior world champion, though a puncture

saw him dropped leaving only cycling royalty. Alifalip, Vanderpoll, Van Art, Pitcock, Bernal,

...