Why Strade Bianche can never be the 6th Monument

Strade Bianche is one of the greatest success stories in modern road cycling. It's a race that cyclists, media, and fans alike have embraced with enthusiasm. Held on the scenic roads of Tuscany, its stunning backdrop almost guarantees global appeal. What makes it unique are the gravel sectors — the signature white roads that inspired the race's name — aligning with the rising trend of gravel racing.

Iconic image of Strade Bianche (source:giroditalia.it)

 It's no surprise that more and more cycling enthusiasts now refer to it as the "6th Monument." 

After all, this is how the original five Monuments gained their status: by popular recognition. The Monuments (Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Paris-Roubaix, Giro di Lombardia, Milano-Sanremo, and Ronde van Vlaandere) are among the oldest and most prestigious one-day races in cycling, rich with history. In some cases, like Paris-Roubaix, they even carry memories of significant historical events beyond the sport. Established in the early days of cycling, two of them, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Paris-Roubaix, date back to the 19th century, they have long stood as pillars of road cycling tradition. One key reason for their prominence is that they rarely overlapped in the racing calendar, even in times when cycling events were less coordinated than they are today. 

This meant that the biggest stars of each era had the opportunity to compete against one another. 

 A similar dynamic now plays out with Strade Bianche. Positioned early in the racing calendar, it attracts many of cycling's top stars to create a thrilling race. Some riders who skip the Opening Weekend and the two Flemish cobbled classics a week prior make it a point to compete at Strade Bianche. Just look at the final group of six riders in the 2021 edition for proof of its high-caliber field. 

But there’s something important we will never witness at Strade Bianche: we will never see how legends like Fausto Coppi, Eddy Merckx, or other icons of the sport would have raced this event if it had existed in their time.

 Think about that for a moment: the other five races are called Monuments, a name that reflects their deep historical roots. Each of these Monuments held their inaugural editions before World War I, marking the end of what many consider the first era of road cycling history. Even cycling stars from the earliest days, like Lucien Petit-Breton and Octave Lapize, who tragically lost their lives during the war, left their mark on these races. Petit-Breton, for example, won the first two editions of Milano-Sanremo, while Lapize became the first cyclist to win Paris-Roubaix three times. 

 The Monuments carry a deep connection to the origins of both the bicycle and cycling as a sport, grounded in their traditions and early history. 

It’s not just the fact that newspapers played a key role in the creation of all of them. Take Liège-Bastogne-Liège, for example: originally an amateur race, it was first intended to run between Spa and Bastogne but turned out to be something of a disaster. After reaching the halfway point in Bastogne, some riders chose not to finish the race, opting instead to take the train back. This highlights the rugged, unpredictable nature of early cycling events. 

Similarly, it’s no coincidence that the two Italian Monuments, Milano-Sanremo and Giro di Lombardia, are located in Lombardy, Italy’s most industrially developed region at the time. Bicycle manufacturing was booming there at the turn of the century, tying the races to the very roots of the sport. Even the early editions of the Giro d’Italia began from the headquarters of La Gazzetta dello Sport in Milan, a city at the heart of Italy’s cycling culture. 

 The true essence of a "Monument" lies not only in its present-day prestige but also in its reflection of the sport's rich past. 

This is why the Monuments are so deeply revered. Because cycling’s greatest legends, from the early 20th century onward, were part of their story. The likes of Fausto Coppi, Eddy Merckx, and countless others helped shape these races, adding layers of history to every cobbled street and mountain pass. 

 Strade Bianche, however, is a modern creation. And while it has quickly earned a place in the hearts of fans and riders alike, it lacks that connection to the pioneers of the sport, the giants who never had the chance to race its white gravel roads. 

How can a race truly represent cycling’s legacy, its history, if its greatest legends were never involved? 

 Of course, we can never predict the future. Two or three hundred years from now, if the human race still exists and road cycling races are still being organized, the people of that era will view things through a different lens. Many of the events we consider monumental today, like the two World Wars of the 20th century, may seem like distant, abstract history to them. New cycling stars will rise and fall, new records will be set, and new stories will be told. 

 It’s possible that by 2400 or 2500, people will see even our time as part of the “early days” of road cycling. In that context, a race like Strade Bianche, born in the early 21st century, could come to be viewed as a classic, one that played a vital role in the sport’s evolution and helped launch new stars. Perhaps by then, it will be considered on par with races created a century earlier. 

But until that distant future comes, let’s distinguish Strade Bianche from the traditional Monuments. 

Rather than trying to place it in the same category, why not celebrate its uniqueness? 

Strade Bianche offers something fresh and different, with its signature gravel sectors and its breathtaking Tuscan backdrop.

 It doesn’t need to be a Monument to be special. 

It’s already carving out its own place in the cycling world, and that in itself is worth celebrating.