Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team) of the Strade Bianche women's team battled for glory with Lotte Kopecký (Team SD Works) on the crucial climb into the heart of Siena. Belgian champion Lotte Kopecký held on in the steep section and gained the advantage on the final curve to take the win in Piazza del Campo.

Both were considered favorites to win the opening round of the Women's World Tour, but the Movistar rider, a two-time winner at Strade Bianche, took a slight advantage from her victory at Omloop Het Nuusblad last weekend. Saturday's 136-km race in the Tuscan hills with white gravel roads became a slugfest of position and power in the last kilometer in Siena.

"We were both fighting to get through the last corner in first place. Because there was no room for overtaking beyond that point, and we knew that the one who went through first would win. [I wanted to drop her on the climb, but she was really strong. But she was really strong. I wasn't having the best day either because I had a stomach bug, and I might have missed the last one percent that could have dropped her. She was still with me after the last hill.

The 8th Strade Bianche Donne had six steep climbs and eight gravel sections that gave teams a chance to attack. Several breakaway attempts were blocked, and with 24km to go Movistar managed to move Van Vleuten into the lead group.

With less than 15km to go, Chantal van den Broeck-Blark of Team SD Works attacked again, and van Vleuten closed the gap across the final gravel sector and began to pull away from the lead group.

"That situation in the last 10km was well played by SD Volks. I needed to be smart, but I couldn't let anyone get away, and I also needed to keep up with everything because otherwise the race would be over," said Van Bruten.

The two were caught up 7km from the finish, but Van Vleuten was able to pull ahead again on the steep final uphill section. Kopecký gained the advantage in position on the final corner and held on for the win.

"I am certainly disappointed. I wanted to win this event for the third time and it's such a beautiful race. But at the end of the day, I won two races, I finished second here, and I'm still at the front and racing well," said van Breuten, who in addition to winning the one-day race in Belgium last week, also won a stage and the overall at the four-day Setmana Ciclista Valenciana in mid-February. He said.

"Today's effort gives me confidence.

Van Bruten will next take part in a training camp in Tenerife before returning to competition at the end of March in the Dwars door Hlaanderen and Tour of Flanders.