Tadej Pogačar’s ‘crazy’ day out at Strade Bianche
The Slovenian put in a performance for the ages to crush all on the white roads of Tuscany, reports Adam Becket
81km to go. Not an attack with 50km to go, as he did in 2022, but 81km to go. That’s how far out Tadej Pogačar attacked from to win Strade Bianche last Saturday, an almost unbelievable distance. Two hours of riding alone, over one of the toughest parcours on the calendar, to take the win. In his first race of 2024 to boot. This isn’t how cycling is supposed to be – surely it is not meant to look this easy for one rider.
One reads about rides such as Bernard Hinault’s at a snowy Liège-bastogneliège in 1980, or Eddy Merckx’s repeated long-distance attacks, like at the Tour of Flanders in 1969, and it feels too good to be true, but history was made in Tuscany in 2024. Just like Chris Froome’s escape to win the 2018 Giro d’italia, Pogačar’s ride will be remembered.
Surprisingly, it didn’t even look like an explosive, race-detonating move from the UAE Team Emirates rider; it just looked like the Slovenian rolling off the front of the peloton. The sign that it was a serious move was that no one could follow, not Vuelta a España champion Sepp Kuss (Visma-lease a Bike), nor last year’s winner Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers).
Speaking to Philippe Gilbert and the Eurosport cameras before the race, Pogačar boldly revealed where he planned to launch his move. “On Sante Marie,” he said, with his boyish smile.
Many assumed he was joking. The idea seemed impossible, especially since the route had been extended by 31km, with an extra four gravel sectors added. But Pogačar, ever the showman, delivered on his promise. He grinned at the photographers as he crested Siena’s Via Santa Caterina alone, on his way to setting a new record for the biggest winning margin at the race, crossing the line two minutes and 44 seconds ahead of a dogged Toms Skujiņš (Lidl-trek).
“Perhaps you have to be crazy to be a cyclist,” Pogačar said afterwards. “My most beautiful victory? I don’t think so because I was so dirty.”
Some complained that the 25-year-old had nullified the race and made it boring. The crowds on Le Tolfe, the steep, final gravel sector, disagreed. “It was a really beautiful atmosphere out on the road,” Pogačar said. “It was incredible. I’ve never seen so many people at an Italian race like today. I must say it was really one of my best experiences. Every race, every victory has its own story and I will never forget this one.”