Star studded lineup set for Strade Bianche

Some of the best one-day Classics specialists and leading GrandTour riders will race the famous Crete Senesi gravel roads of the Strade Bianche on Saturday 5 March.

Etixx-Quick-Step's Zdenek Stybar will defend his 2015 victory in Siena (Supplied) Source: Supplied

Organisers have announced a provisional start list for the 176km race starts and finishes in Siena, and includes nine sectors of white roads totalling 52.8km.

SBS will broadcast the race live on Saturday 5 March from 11:45pm AEDT to 1:45am AEDT (Live to the Eastern States)

The specialist challengers to last year's winner, Zdeněk Štybar (Etixx-QuickStep), is led by the UCI Road World Champion from the Tinkoff team, Peter Sagan (second in 2014), Fabian Cancellara, who is looking for a third victory after 2008 and 2012 and BMC's Greg Van Avermaet, second in last year's edition.

The versatile Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), third in both the 2014 and 2015 races, is also expected be in the mix.

Grand Tour contenders Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), Mikel Landa (Sky) and Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEDGE) will try to challenge the specialist riders on this tough terrain.

Other riders of note include Jan Bakelants (AG2R), Taylor Phinney (BMC), Tony Martin (Etixx-QuickStep), Robert Gesink (LottoNL-Jumbo) and Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida).

The race will start with 18 teams of eight riders each, 12 from the WorldTour and six from the ProContinental ranks.