Splattered in white mud Lotte Kopecky won the women's Strade Bianche on Saturday, the world champion launching a devastating attack on a steep climb into Siena to leave local hero Elisa Longo Borghini trailing home second.
Belgian Kopecky waited for the steepest section of the climb up the narrow ascent of via Santa Caterina.
Longo Borghini, cheered by massed ranks of fans in the old town centre, was unable to keep up despite her best efforts.
The powerfully built Kopecky revealed after the race that she had actually been feeling out of sorts.
"The whole day I felt really tired but it didn't get any worse during the race. I've had this before but I tried not to panic and just trust that the legs will be there," she said.
The legs were certainly there when it counted on the final climb but Kopecky also had the advantage of a more powerful team on the slog over 137km with 40km of the celebrated white gravel that lends this race its particular beauty.
But the clouds of billowing white dust were off the menu due to relentless rain on Friday and instead the riders came home splattered with white mud as they rode into the Tuscan town.
Kopecky timed 3hrs 55min 46sec with Longo Borghini four seconds behind and Kopecky's teammate Demi Vollering, the women's Tour de France champion, coming third and taking much of the credit for her teammate Kopecky's win after leading her over much of the gravel.
Eleven riders opened up a gap of over a minute before the favourites reeled them in with 38kn to go.
The men's race also takes place Saturday with two time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia starting his 2024 campaign where he will attempt a Giro-Tour double.