Image 1 of 89 A strung out peloton (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 2 of 89 Fabian Cancellara (Trek) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 3 of 89 The white roads of Tuscany (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 4 of 89 Watch for shooting stones (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 5 of 89 BMC sign on for the 2014 edition of Strade Bianchi (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 6 of 89 Omega Pharma-Quick Step had a good day at the office (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 7 of 89 Tuscany... (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 8 of 89 Omega Pharma-Quick Step rode an impressive race (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 9 of 89 The peloton on one of the sections of bianche (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 10 of 89 Stefano Garzelli gets ready to hand out some bidons (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 11 of 89 The white roads (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 12 of 89 Polish champion Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) celebrates his solo victory at Strade Bianche (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 13 of 89 Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 14 of 89 Mark Cavendish in his white national champion jersey (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 15 of 89 Daniel Oss (BMC) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 16 of 89 Cadel Evans (BMC) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 17 of 89 The dust off the roads gets blown away (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 18 of 89 Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 19 of 89 Michal Kwiatkowski makes his way to the podium (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 20 of 89 Wout Poels was ninth (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 21 of 89 Katusha before the start of the race (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 22 of 89 Omega Pharma-Quick Step riders enjoy a joke (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 23 of 89 Strade Bianche (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 24 of 89 Adrien Niyonshuti (MTN-Qhubeka) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 25 of 89 The Piazza del Campo in all its glory (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 26 of 89 Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and Peter Sagan (Cannondale) race at Strade Bianche (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 27 of 89 Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 28 of 89 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 29 of 89 Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) takes the kisses (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 30 of 89 Trentin (Omega Pharma QuickStep) on the attack (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 31 of 89 Cannondale patrol the front of the peloton (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 32 of 89 The early stages of Strade Bianche (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 33 of 89 Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) wins the 2014 edition of Strade Bianche (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 34 of 89 Peter Sagan leads Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 35 of 89 Peter Sagan leads Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 36 of 89 Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and Peter Sagan (Cannondale) talk as they approach the finish of Strade Bianche (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 37 of 89 Peter Sagan leads Michal Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 38 of 89 Giant-Shimano lead the chase of Sagan and Kwiatkowski (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 39 of 89 Giant Shimano couldn't bring back Kwiatkowski and Sagan (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 40 of 89 Sergio Pardilla (MTN - Qhubeka) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 41 of 89 Daniele Bennati (Tinkoff - Saxo) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 42 of 89 Cannondale set the pace at Strade Bianche (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 43 of 89 Roman Kreuziger (Tinkoff - Saxo) and Fabian Canellara (Trek Factory Racing) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 44 of 89 Fabian Canellara (Trek Factory Racing) at the finish (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 45 of 89 Damiano Cunego (Lampre Merida) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 46 of 89 Saxo chase down a break with Sagan waiting to attack (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 47 of 89 The early break rolls along on the gravel roads at Strade Bianche (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 48 of 89 The peloton in hot pursuit of the early break over a sector of gravel roads (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 49 of 89 Sammy Sanchez (BMC) rolls along in the Strade Bianche peloton (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 50 of 89 Cannondale sets the pace on the gravel roads of Strade Bianche (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 51 of 89 Polish champion Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) bides his time in the peloton (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 52 of 89 British champion Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) on the gravel roads at Strade Bianche (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 53 of 89 Strade Bianche winner Michal Kwiatkowski makes his way to the podium in Siena (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 54 of 89 Cadel Evans (BMC) in action during the 2014 edition of Strade Bianche (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 55 of 89 Peter Sagan leads Michal Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 56 of 89 Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) would finish the day on the podium (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 57 of 89 Marco Frapporti (Androni Giocattoli) and Davide Frattini (UnitedHealthcare) ride side-by-side in the early break (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 58 of 89 The Strade Bianche peloton stretched out on a gravel sector (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 59 of 89 The peloton in action on the signature white gravel roads at Strade Bianche (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 60 of 89 2014 Strade Bianche champion Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 61 of 89 2014 Strade Bianche champion Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 62 of 89 It's champagne time for the Strade Bianche podium (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 63 of 89 2014 Strade Bianche podium (L-R): Peter Sagan, Michal Kwiatkowski and Alejandro Valverde (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 64 of 89 The chasers could do nothing to catch Sagan and Kwiatkowski (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 65 of 89 Strade Bianche 2014 (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 66 of 89 Cunego leads Valverde in Strade Bianche (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 67 of 89 Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) leads Peter Sagan (Cannondale) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 68 of 89 Peter Sagan (Cannonale) and Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 69 of 89 Peter Sagan (Cannonale) and Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 70 of 89 The podium at the 2014 Strade Bianche (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 71 of 89 Damiano Cunego comes home in fourth (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 72 of 89 Sagan marks Kwiatkowski (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 73 of 89 For the second straight year Peter Sagan (Cannondale) placed second at Strade Bianche (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 74 of 89 Alejandro Valvede (Movistar) on the podium for his 3rd place finish in Strade Bianche (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 75 of 89 Cadel Evans (BMC) placed 7th at Strade Bianche (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 76 of 89 Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) can't believe he's won (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 77 of 89 Two thumbs up for 2014 Strade Bianche champion Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 78 of 89 Slovakian champion Peter Sagan (Cannondale) finishes Strade Bianche in second place, 19 seconds down on Kwiatkowski (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 79 of 89 Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) crosses the finish line in Siena for 3rd place at Strade Bianche (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 80 of 89 Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Merida) finished fourth at Strade Bianche (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 81 of 89 Roman Kreuziger (Tinkoff-Saxo) crossed the line for 5th place at Strade Bianche (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 82 of 89 Two-time Strade Bianche champion Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) finishes 6th in the 2014 edition (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 83 of 89 Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) wins Strade Bianche (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 84 of 89 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) finishes second (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 85 of 89 Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) finished third (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 86 of 89 Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) takes the win (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 87 of 89 Saxo Bank finished off the podium (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 88 of 89 Damiano Cunego (Lampre) was pleased with his performance (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 89 of 89 Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) claimed the biggest one-day race victory of his career in Strade Bianche, distancing breakaway companion Peter Sagan (Cannondale) on the final climb to the finish with a blistering attack.

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) rounded out the podium to take third place.

"I didn't expect to drop him," Kwiatkowski said after he crossed the line.

"I knew the final pretty well. As a team we were so good today, we had five riders in the front with 50km to go and we controlled the race. I can't describe how I feel. Winning in Siena is an amazing feeling.

"I didn't have any problems in the winter and was focused on my work. I started late compared to last year but I'm really happy with my condition."

Kwiatkowski and Sagan, clearly the two strongest riders in the race, broke clear with 21km remaining after a dangerous move including Cadel Evans (BMC) and Ian Stannard (Team Sky) was caught inside the final 30 kilometres.

Sagan, who was riding with little team support in the final 50 kilometres, was the first to attack, with Kwiatkowski the only one capable of bridging across to the Cannondale rider.

From there the pair set about building on an advantage that peaked at over one minute over the final three sections of gravel roads ahead of the finish in Siena.

Alejandro Valverde, Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing), Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Merida) and Roman Kreuziger (Tinkoff-Saxo), who all had no answer when the leading pair broke clear, formed a late chasing move but they were unable to reel back the two leaders.

Approaching the final climb, and with Sagan and Kwiatkowski working well together throughout their break, it was the Slovak champion who lead onto the final ascent with the gradient rising to over 16 percent. However, Sagan, who has been subject to numerous transfer stories in recent weeks, had no answer when the Polish champion unleashed a ferocious attack.

Four-man early escape

Earlier in the race Marco Frapporti (Androni Giocattoli), Marco Canola (Bardiani-CSF), Davide Frattini (UnitedHealthcare) and Andrea Fedi (Yellow Fluo) formed the early break, with the foursome quickly establishing a lead close to 11 minutes.

At the half-way point the lead dropped to just under eight minutes, with the majority of the difficult gravel sections still to come. Filippo Pozzato (Lampre-Merida) was a high-profile retiree, pulling out at the feed zone, but Sagan, Evans, Kwiatkowski and last year's winner Moreno Moser (Cannondale) were still in contention with 70 kilometres remaining.

Kwiatkowski punctured on the sixth section of dirt roads but the Pole was quickly paced back to the peloton just as the favourites began to play their hands.

Team Sky, without Bradley Wiggins, who pulled out on the eve of the event, along with BMC set to work on the front of the peloton but it was on the longest section of gravel - 11.5km in total - where the race began to fracture.

The leaders had an advantage of a little over two minutes, but the break began to splinter as the road ramped up with sections close to 20 percent and would soon be neutralised.

Evans and Valverde went out on the attack, joined by Stannard, Kreuziger and two riders from QuickStep. While the moved spelled danger for an isolated Cancellara and Sagan, the pair were soon back with the leaders at the conclusion of the sector. However, it was now a vastly reduced bunch with less than 40 riders still in contention.

Only Peter Sagan (Cannondale), Franco Pellizotti (Androni Giocattoli), Damiano Cunego and Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida), Michal Golas, Michal Kwiatkowski, Wout Poels, Matteo Trentin and Rigoberto Uran (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), Warren Barguil, Tom Dumoulin, Simon Geschke and Georg Preidler (Giant-Shimano), Angel Vicioso (Katusha), Salvatore Puccio and Ian Stannard (Sky), Daniele Bennati, Christopher Juul Jensen, Roman Kreuziger (Tinkoff-Saxo), Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing), Angelo Pagani (Bardiani-CSF), Alejandro Valverde and Andrei Amador (Movistar) had made the split but with five riders in the front group, QuickStep quickly took control.

After setting the initial pace the Belgian team sent Trentin clear with Stannard, Amador, Evans, Geschke and Vicioso bidding to chase.

As the move peaked at an 18-second advantage, Kreuziger took off. However, the Czech only succeeded in bringing the race back together and providing Sagan and Kwiatkowski with their launch pad to attack.