Known as the "Northern Classic in the South of Europe", now in its 10th edition and organised by RCS Sport / La Gazzetta dello Sport, Strade Bianche organizers have announced the Provisional Entry List.

The challengers to last year's winner, the Czech rider Zdeněk Štybar, is led by the UCI Road World Champion Peter Sagan (second in 2014); Fabian Cancellara, who is looking for a third victory after 2008 and 2012, allowing him to have one of the gravel sector named in his honour; the Belgian rider Greg Van Avermaet, second in last year's edition; Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde, third in both the 2014 and 2015 races; Vincenzo Nibali, Mikel Landa and Esteban Chaves will try to challenge the specialist riders on this tough terrain.

Here are the 18 teams, of eight riders each, with their main protagonists:

UCI WORLDTEAMS – 12
AG2R LA MONDIALE (FRA) - Bakelants, Riblon
ASTANA PRO TEAM (KAZ) - Nibali, Rosa
BMC RACING TEAM (USA) - Van Avermaet, Phinney
ETIXX - QUICK STEP (BEL) - Štybar, Martin
LAMPRE - MERIDA (ITA) - Ulissi, Modolo
LOTTO SOUDAL (BEL) - Monfort, De Clercq
MOVISTAR TEAM (ESP) - Valverde, Visconti
ORICA GREENEDGE (AUS) - Chaves, Plaza
TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO (NED) - Gesink, Battaglin
TEAM SKY (GBR) - Landa, Poels
TINKOFF (RUS) - Sagan, Bennati
TREK - SEGAFREDO (USA) - Cancellara, Nizzolo

UCI PROFESSIONAL CONTINENTAL TEAMS
ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI - SIDERMEC (ITA) - Selvaggi, Bandiera
BARDIANI CSF (ITA) - Colbrelli, Bongiorno
CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE (POL) - Rebellin, Paterski
NIPPO - VINI FANTINI (ITA) - Cunego, Bole
SOUTHEAST - VENEZUELA (ITA) - Pozzato, Belletti
TEAM NOVO NORDISK (USA) - De Mesmaeker, Peron

THE COURSE – 176 KILOMETRES, NINE SECTORS AND 52.8KM OF GRAVEL ROADS
A twisty and undulating course, with no long climbs but with punchy hills, most significantly on the unpaved parts. There are roughly 53km of gravel roads, appearing in nine sectors among the unique scenery of the Crete Senesi. The fiinish line in Piazza del Campo, Siena, after 176km.