The race got off to a slow start. The favorites pushed for the win on the 11.5-kilometre gravel section of Mount Sante Marie. Benoot and Valter emerged as two of the strongest riders as the peloton broke into pieces.

At more than 20 kilometres from the line, Benoot accelerated. For a moment, it looked like the winner of Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne would reach leader Pidcock. Benoot got to within seconds of the Briton, but the Belgian fell just short.

In the streets of Siena, Benoot eventually rode to the third position. By doing so, he continued his consistent performance in the Italian race. Benoot placed among the top eight in the last five editions in which he competed.

"In hindsight, we can conclude that we should have been with Pidcock", Benoot was self-critical straight after the finish. "Today, Attila and I proved to be among the race's strongest riders. The legs were strong. It reaffirms our excellent shape. Before the race, I would have immediately signed up for a podium place, but afterwards, I feel a better result could have been possible. I had the legs to win. This race is often chaotic, making it challenging to communicate and anticipate. It is special. The Strade Bianche never lies. Although a better result could have been possible, I enjoyed being on the podium."

Valter is proud of the team's performance but believes they could have done even better. "Maybe our collaboration was flawed in some way. I blame myself for that. For the first time, I rode a race with Tiesj. These experiences are learning moments from which we will hopefully become even stronger. Although we came close to Pidcock, he was the strongest today. We always strive for perfection, but today's riding wasn't always perfect. But with two men in the top five, we shouldn't be too hard on ourselves."