MEN – 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.

Starting from Siena (Stadium/Medicean Fortress area), the first undulating kilometres are on tarmac before reaching the first 2.1km gravel sector at km 11, which is perfectly straight and always slightly uphill. Then we're soon at the first hill of the day, the Passo del Rospatoio (paved, roughly 5km at 5%). The race will then go through Murlo, followed by one of its classic gravel sectors (5.5km, featuring in the course since its first edition) with no significant gradient and leading to Buonconvento. After few kilometres start the Montalcino climb, the second of the day (4km at 5%). After Torrenieri the riders will face sectors three (11.9km) and four (8.0km) with only 1km of tarmac in between them. Both are hard, hilly, very punchy and with many bends, climbs and descents.

After the second passage through Buonconvento the feed station will be positioned in the area of Ponte d’Arbia. Soon the route reaches Monteroni d’Arbia, which marks the beginning of the following gravel sector of San Martino in Grania (9.5km) in the middle of the Crete Senesi. It's a long sector with continuous up and downs in the first part, ending up with a twisting climb before meeting the tarmac again.

In Ponte del Garbo (Asciano) the sixth gravel sector begins. At 11.5km it's the hardest of the race, mostly uphill and characterised by tough hills, the most important being those close to Monte Sante Marie, which face steep gradients on both climbs and descents over short distances. After Castelnuovo Berardenga there's a very short, flat section of gravel (300m), before facing, after Monteaperti, the seventh sector which is only 800m long, but with a double digit gradient ramp before rejoining the tarmac in Vico d’Arbia and going to paved road through Pieve a Bozzone. Next comes the penultimate sector (2.4km) on the climb toward Colle Pinzuto (with inclination up to 15%). After a few kilometres the riders will face the last sector (1.1km) which features a sequence of a demanding descent followed by a very punchy climb (max 18%) that ends up at the Tolfe. From here only 12km separate the riders from the finish in Piazza del Campo, Siena. 

WOMEN – 121 KILOMETRES, 7 SECTORS AND 22.4 KM OF GRAVEL ROADS
A twisty and undulating course, with no long climbs but with punchy hills, in particular on the unpaved parts. There are roughly 22km of gravel roads, in seven sectors, many of them shared with the men's race.
 
Starting from Siena (Stadium/Medicean Fortress area), the first undulating kilometres are on tarmac before reaching the first 2.1km gravel sector at km 11, which is perfectly straight and always slightly uphill. Then we're soon at the first hill of the day, the Passo del Rospatoio (paved, roughly 5km at 5%). The race will then go through Murlo, followed by one of its classic gravel sectors (5.5km, featuring in the course since the first edition of the men's race) with no significant gradient and leading to Buonconvento. 

After the passage through Buonconvento the feed station will be positioned in the area of Ponte d’Arbia before reaching Monteroni d’Arbia which mark the beginning of the following gravel sector of San Martino in Grania (9.5km) in the middle of the Crete Senesi. It's a long sector with continuous up and downs in the first part, to end up with a twisting climb before entering again on the tarmac. After that starts a paved section with no particular difficulties until the village of Guistrigona, where a short 1km gravel sector joins back to the classic men's course with its demanding and challenging finale.

After Castelnuovo Berardenga there's a very short, flat section of gravel (300m), before facing, after Monteaperti, the seventh sector which is only 800m long, but with a double digit gradient ramp before rejoining the tarmac in Vico d’Arbia and going to paved road through Pieve a Bozzone. Next comes the penultimate sector (2.4km) on the climb toward Colle Pinzuto (with inclination up to 15%). After a few kilometres the riders will face the last sector (1.1km) which features a sequence of a demanding descent followed by a very punchy climb (max 18%) that ends up at the Tolfe. From here only 12km separate the riders from the finish in Piazza del Campo, Siena.
 
FINAL KILOMETRES
The demanding final kilometres, with gradients up to 16%, approach the city of Siena along broad, straight sections of road, connected by sweeping curves, first descending, and then climbing slightly. 2km from the finish line, the route joins Via Esterna di Fontebranda, where the gradient touches 9%.

900m from the finish line, the race route passes beneath Fontebranda Gate where the road surface becomes paving slabs. The gradient exceeds 10% until 500m from the finish line, reaching its highpoint of 16% in Via Santa Caterina. A sharp right hand turn leads to Via delle Terme, and then Via Banchi di Sotto. With 300m to go, the road continues to climb slightly then, 150m from the line, a right turn leads into Via Rinaldini. The route enters the Piazza del Campo just 70 m from the finish line. The final 30m descends at a gradient of 7% and the finish line itself is flat.
 
A GREAT CYCLING WEEKEND
Fans and active cyclists will have the chance to live a great weekend of cycling, culture and great food. Following the professional cyclists races, the following day, Sunday 6 March, the Gran Fondo Strade Bianche will be held on most of the paved and gravel roads that the champions will face the day before.

The Head of Sport of Siena City Council, Leonardo Tafani, was very satisfied about the Strade Bianche overall project: "The Strade Bianche, in all its formats, has now became a truly international event thanks to the great organising effort of RCS Sport and La Gazzetta dello Sport and the unique appeal of the scenery in which it is raced, the Siena region. Comune di Siena strongly believe that this event contributes to the value of our territory's image and, to show our support, in 2016 the race will start and finish in the city, from the Medicean Fortress to Piazza del Campo, in the beating heart of our town. The race will be part, as per the last year, of the initiatives of Sport Siena Weekend, the series of sports events that will animate Siena during the months of February and March."
 
Mauro Vegni, RCS Sport Director of Cycling, said: "This event is having more and more success in the international cycling panorama. This is demonstrated by the level of riders and media attending the races, year after year. Starting from the 2015 edition we introduced the Women's race and the Gran Fondo Strade Bianche. I'm sure that in March 2016 we will have a great weekend of sport and spectacle in a unique scenery, unmatched worldwide, a fascinating landscape that only Siena and the Crete Senesi can offer and will be shown in the five continents through our television coverage."