The stars are out in force for one of the most prestigious one-day events on the cycling calendar, Strade Bianche, with the peloton set to face up to 63km of Tuscan gravel on a gorgeous route that twists and turns its way through those country lanes and farm tracks that criss-cross the hills and vineyards of the Chianti region. Last year's race winners, Annemiek van Vleuten and Wout van Aert, are amongst the contenders. Read on as we explain how to get a 2021 Strade Bianche live stream today and watch cycling online right now.
Date: Saturday, March 6
Women's race start time: 12.30pm CET / 11.30am GMT / 6.30am ET / 3.30am PT / 10.30pm AEDT
Men's race start time: 1.50pm CET / 12.50pm GMT / 7.50am ET / 4.50am PT / 11.50pm AEDT
Live stream: Eurosport Player (UK) | GCN+ (US, Canada, Australia)
Free live stream: Rai (FREE in Italy) | Sporza (FREE in Belgium) | L'Equipe TV (FREE in France)
Watch anywhere: try No. 1 overall VPN 100% risk-free
Both the men's and women's races start and finish in Siena, though the men's route covers 184km, compared to 136km for the women's race. Tuscany's unmistakable dusty white roads are the centre-piece of both races, with the women set to ride over more than 30km of gravel across eight sectors, and the men roughly 63km of gravel across 11 sectors.
As well as the tricky terrain, the route is armed to the teeth with short and sharp climbs, though at least the riders won't have the searing heat of last summer to contend with, the Strade Bianche having thankfully been restored to its usual March slot after Covid-disruption forced it to take place in August last year.
In the men's race, the battle between reigning champion van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), arch-rival Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) and, to a lesser extent, world champion Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep) looks mouthwatering, while in the women's competition Anna Van Der Breggen (SD Worx) looks best-placed to challenge van Vleuten (Movistar Team) after her resounding Omloop Het Nieuwsblad triumph last weekend.
Don't miss a moment of the action this weekend - follow our guide as we explain how to watch a Strade Bianche live stream and watch UCI WorldTour cycling wherever you are.
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How to watch a FREE Strade Bianche live stream online today
Prepare to dust off that Lonely Planet phrase book if you want to 'voir en direct', because anyone in Italy can watch a FREE Strade Bianche live stream on Rai, while cycling fans in Belgium can tune in for free on Sporza, and those in France can get the race on L'Equipe without paying a penny.
The catch? Well, all the commentary will either be in Italian, Dutch or French, so dust off that Lonely Planet phrase book and prepare to expand your foreign language skills. Or, if that doesn't sound like something you'd enjoy, there's plenty of other coverage around the world, including in English.
If you're a resident of Italy, Belgium or France and you're abroad right now, don't worry about missing the action - all you need to do is download a VPN to re-connect to your home streaming coverage.
Our latest 2021 testing showed our recommended VPN working well on these platforms from abroad, and we'll be sure to confirm for this race as soon as it's underway.
How to watch Strade Bianche 2021 from outside your country
If you're desperate to watch the Strade Bianche but you're away from home and the coverage is geo-blocked, then you could always use a VPN to access it (assuming you're not breaching any broadcaster T&Cs, of course). You may be surprised how simple it is to do.
Use a VPN to get a Strade Bianche live stream from anywhere
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2021 Strade Bianche live stream: how to watch online in the UK
For UK residents, Eurosport Player has you covered for live Strade Bianche coverage.
The streaming service is affordable, at just £6.99 a month or £39.99 for the year, and it's compatible with a wide array of devices and platforms.
Another option is the GCN+ Race Pass, which also costs £39.99 for a year, but the caveat is that it's mobile-only.
The women's race begins at 11.30am GMT, while the men get underway at 12.50pm.
And remember, to watch your home coverage from abroad, you can always use a VPN, log back in to a server in your country and watch as if you were there.
How to watch the Strade Bianche 2021: live stream cycling in Australia
You can tune into the Strade Bianche Down Under with a GCN+ Race Pass, which costs AU$65 annually.
Be prepared for a late one though, as the women's race begins at 10.30pm AEDT on Saturday night, with the men following at 11.50pm.
If you're not currently in Oz, you can download a VPN to tune into your home coverage of the race from anywhere.
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How to watch Strade Bianche 2021: US cycling live stream details
US-based cycling fans can live stream the Strade Bianche with a GCN+ Race Pass, which costs $8.99/month or $49.99 annually.
It's an early start in the US, with the women's race set to begin at 6.30am ET/3.30am PT, while the men get underway at 7.50am ET/4.50am PT.
And if you're currently out of the US but still want to watch the race, then don't forget to explore the VPN route set out above.
How to watch the 2021 Strade Bianche: live stream cycling in Canada
You know the score by now. Canadians can also tune into the Strade Bianche live with a GCN+ Race Pass, which costs $8.99/month or $49.99 annually.
As in the US, be prepared for an early start, with the women's race set to begin at 6.30am ET/3.30am PT and the men getting underway at 7.50am ET/4.50am PT.
Not in Canada to catch that GCN+ stream? Well you know the answer by now... using a VPN is the way to make sure you don't miss a moment.
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