The professional race was spun off the granfondoL'Eroica, a recreational bike race for vintage bikes, on the white gravel roads around Siena, an event that continues to this day.[3] The inaugural edition was the only time the race was held mid-week and in autumn; before moving to early March in 2008. Monte dei Paschi, the world's oldest still existing bank and headquartered in Siena, served as the race's title sponsor.
The race started in Gaiole in Chianti and ended in Siena, and was run entirely within the boundaries of the province of Siena, in southern Tuscany. The course ran over the undulating hills of the Chianti region and included seven sectors of gravel roads (strade bianche or sterrati), totaling 60 kilometres of dirt roads on a 181 km distance.[3] The race finished on Siena's illustrious Piazza del Campo; the finish came after a particularly steep and narrow ascent over a roughly-paved road into the heart of the medieval city.
Kolobnev used his Worlds' form to attack and drop his companions on the penultimate sector. The Russian kept his bike upright on the technical gravel descents that comprised the final strada bianca. After the final sector, 11 km from Siena, he held a 40-second advantage over the chase.[2]
Saunier put the most into the chase with two men but were discouraged by Ljungqvist sitting on. The Swede used his stored strength on the final stretches into Siena to attack and take second place behind his teammate Kolobnev.[2]