Gran Fondo Strade Bianche

The Gran Fondo Strade Bianche takes place on Sunday 7 March 2027 in Siena, Tuscany, with the start at the Fortezza Medicea and the finish arch in the Piazza del Campo. It is a timed, mass-start gravel sportive – riders are timed with an electronic chip – and the organiser describes the roads as mostly closed to traffic, although the highway code still applies. Much of the course follows the white roads of the professional Strade Bianche, according to the organiser. Places are limited: in 2026 all 8,500 bibs sold out.

Routes and distances

The organiser offers two routes, both finishing in Siena; the details below are those published for the 2026 edition, as the 2027 routes have not yet been released.

The Gran Fondo covers 137.7 km with about 2,000 m of climbing and 42.6 km of unpaved roads. It has 10 gravel sectors: Vidritta, Bagnaia, Radi, Piana, Serravalle, San Martino in Grania, Guistrigona, Montaperti, Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe.

The Medio Fondo covers 87 km with about 1,350 m of climbing and 6 gravel sectors: Vidritta, Bagnaia, Radi, Presciano, Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe.

The 2026 Gran Fondo was a ride of constant change rather than one of long climbs. The organiser calls it a very bumpy and hilly route, with no excessively long climbs but many ups and downs, especially on the white roads. The longest and hardest sector is San Martino in Grania at kilometre 69.6, 9.5 km long and rated five stars, with a maximum gradient of 12%.

The sting is in the tail. Colle Pinzuto (2.4 km, max 15%) and Le Tolfe (1.1 km, max 18%) arrive between kilometres 117.9 and 124. In Siena the road climbs through the Porta di Fontebranda on paved streets that exceed 10% and peak at 16% about 500 m from the line, before the flat run into the Piazza del Campo.

Explore the route on Cycling Friendly: Gran Fondo Strade Bianche – Gran Fondo

Explore the route on Cycling Friendly: Gran Fondo Strade Bianche – Medio Fondo

Practical notes (from the official FAQ for the 2027 edition): Medio Fondo riders meet from 06:30 and start at 07:30, with a time limit of 5 hours 30 minutes (race closes at 13:00) and two refreshment points. Gran Fondo riders meet from 08:00 and start at 09:00, with a time limit of 7 hours (closing at 16:00) and three refreshment points. Mandatory kit is a helmet, water bottle, two inner tubes, a pump and a repair kit. The organiser publishes GPX tracks as ZIP downloads on the route pages; the files currently online are the 2026 tracks.

Registration

For the 2026 edition, registration opened on 4 September 2025, the entry fee was 119 euros and all 8,500 bibs sold out; the organiser then pointed riders to the official tour operators and the charity programme, and the site does not mention a lottery. Entry details for 2027 had not been published on the pages we read, so check the official site for the opening date and price; the FAQ says registration closes on 12 February 2027 or earlier if the maximum number of participants is reached.

Bib collection is at Giardini La Lizza in Siena and is not available on race day; the FAQ gives Friday 5 March (10:00–19:00) and Saturday 6 March (08:30–18:00) for 2027, and you will need ID and your confirmation email.

Full details are on the official website.

Why ride it

The course is built around gravel: 10 sectors and 42.6 km of unpaved roads on the Gran Fondo, according to the organiser, with much of it on the white roads of the professional Strade Bianche. The finish is in the Piazza del Campo, reached by a paved climb with ramps of up to 16% about 500 m from the line, so it pays to keep something in reserve. Places are limited: all 8,500 bibs sold out in 2026.

Where to stay

We do not yet have a certified cycling-friendly hotel close to Siena. The official website lists registration through tour operators and a charity programme, so riders who book a package will usually have accommodation arranged for them. If you book independently, stay in Siena itself or close by, remembering that bib collection at Giardini La Lizza closes on Saturday evening and the Gran Fondo starts at 09:00 on Sunday. You can browse more cycling-friendly accommodation on our site.