Mia Griffin will be straight back into action for her new World Tour team, Israel Premier Tech Roland, just days after returning from Irish team duties at the UCI Nations Cup in Jakarta.
The 24-year-old Kilkenny woman, who was part of the team pursuit line-up that smashed the national record in Indonesia, will trade the velodrome for the white roads of Tuscany on Saturday as she has been selected by her team to ride Strade Bianche.
It is not her first race with the team, and not even her first World Tour event, as she has already ridden Tour Down Under and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in Australia this year. However, Strade Bianche will perhaps be the biggest challenge of her road race career to date, though she is an experienced campaigner in the European pro bunch.
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She has already taken on some major one-day events including Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (1.Pro), Le Samyn des Dames (1.1), Gent-Wevelgem (1.WWT) and Brabantse Pijl WE (1.1), all in Belgium during the 2021 season when she rode for Continental outfit, Team Rupelcleaning.
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However, Strade Bianche on Saturday will be a very different challenge; one where she will face white gravel sectors, rather than the cobbles of Belgium, on an undulating course. There are eight sectors of gravel totaling 36.1km - from 800m to 9.5km - before the race finishes in the iconic setting of Siena by early afternoon.
More to come.
