photo credits @ WTFK
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) claimed today’s Strade Bianche in dominating fashion after the Slovenian rider attacked with more than 81 kilometers remaining, later crossing the finish by more than two-and-a-half minutes ahead of his closest rivals, Toms Skujiņš (Lidl-Trek) and Maxim Van Gils (Lotto-Dstny).
Pogačar had hinted at a move on the fabled Monte Sante Marie climb during his pre-race interview. Few took him seriously or considered it a genuine possibility until he executed the attack, racing clear on the five-star sector of sterrato with over a third of the race remaining.
Within five kilometers Pogačar was more than a minute to the good. Another 10km was all it took to double that, leaving those behind relying on him to crack, crash, or suffer an unfortunate mechanical problem.
Pogačar later cruised up the final climb and through the finish in Siena’s Piazza del Campo, while Skujins won the battle for second ahead of Van Gils after the duo had at least tried to animate the chase.
Race Highlights
Isaac del Toro set the tone in the peloton before Pogačar attacked, while his teammate Tim Wellens sat in the chase group and anchored the counter-attacks after their captain jettisoned the group.
Meanwhile, Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) both featured prominently today, with Simmons going on the attack during most of the first half of the race, only to see his efforts go down with a crash.
In the meantime, Vuelta a España champion Kuss was one of the first to try to respond to Pogačar’s devastating attack and led a contingent of Visma-Lease a Bike riders in the first formation of the chase, but he eventually faded out of the pursuit and did not finish.
Former Strade Bianche champion Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick Step) was among many riders to crash, leaving the French rider amongst a large contingent who failed to see the finish line in Siena.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
