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Strade Bianche: Van der Poel and Van den Broek-Blaak land Dutch double

06-Mar-2021 16:54:41 | The Guardian

• Cyclocross champion beats Alaphilippe and Bernal in Siena
• Chantal van den Broek-Blaak triumphs in women’s race

Mathieu van der Poel produced a jaw-dropping late burst of power to win the Strade Bianche classic race for Alpecin-Fenix in front of the men’s world champion, Julian Alaphilippe of Deceuninck-Quick-Step, during a nail-biting finale on Saturday.

The cyclocross world champion made his final move on the last uphill drag to the Piazza del Campo in Siena, and Alaphilippe – the 2019 winner – was unable to follow. Egan Bernal of Ineos Grenadiers took third after the trio jumped away from a select group of riders following Van der Poel’s first brutal attack on the last sterrato – one of the dirt road sections peppering the 184km Tuscan course.