Wrong turn drama at Strade Bianche – Disaster for Vollering and Ferrand-Prévot as chase group rides off-course

At Strade Bianche, a significant misdirection occurred when a chase group, including pre-race favourites Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (INEOS Grenadiers), took a wrong turn. This incident saw them ride several hundred metres downhill on a gravel sector before realising their error, costing them valuable time and energy in the crucial latter stages of the race.

This navigational blunder proved particularly costly for Vollering, the defending champion, and Ferrand-Prévot, a former winner, as they were actively pursuing the race leaders. In a race renowned for its challenging gravel and often ambiguous signage, such incidents, while rare at this level, can be race-defining. For a sport increasingly reliant on precise course marking, this lapse impacted the competitive integrity of one of the season's most anticipated events.

Ultimately, the incident served as a stark reminder that even the most prepared athletes can be undone by factors beyond their physical prowess. In Siena, sometimes the biggest challenge isn't the *sterrato*, but simply staying on it.