Before toady’s edition, Moreno Moser remains the only Italian to have won the Strade Bianche. The Italian has had a confusing opening few years to his career, taking big wins in 2012 and 2013, before having a quiet year in 2014. He hopes his move to Cannondale-Garmin will give him the boost he needs, starting with adding a second win on the Tuscan dirt roads this afternoon.

“Strade Bianche is a difficult race to understand and to get right. More than other races, it depends on the weather. The wind, when you train on the course on your own, is not a problem. But when you’re in the peloton, it’s worse than the climbs and can dump you on the ground on the dirt roads,” Moser explained to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“It’s difficult to predict what will happen. A break could go and stay away, but then again it might not be the decisive move. The final group could include, 10, 30 or just five riders as we hit the final climb (to Siena), it’s a very open race.”

Moser will continue his season in Italy next week with Tirreno-Adriatico, followed by Milan-Sanremo. Then a stint in Belgium arrives with the Ardennes Classics before he returns home to ride the Giro d’Italia.