Tadej Pogačar of UAE Team Emirates secured victory in the prestigious 18th edition of Strade Bianche Crédit Agricole, covering a gruelling 215km route from Siena to Siena’s Piazza del Campo with an extraordinary 81km solo breakaway. Toms Skujins from Lidl-Trek and Maxim Van Gils of Lotto Dstny rounded out the podium in this thrilling race.
Pogačar’s monumental win saw him cross the finish line with a remarkable lead of 2 minutes and 44 seconds over Toms Skujins, with Maxim Van Gils closely trailing at 2 minutes and 47 seconds behind.
Reflecting on his impressive performance, Pogačar shared his thoughts: “The race was really fast and selective from the start. I don’t think anyone expected that. The conditions were really tough and there weren’t many resources left in the group. I couldn’t see anything on Sante Marie so I rode flat out. I knew it was going to be long but I knew the gap. The first race of the season is always mentally tough. But I have a really good preparation throughout the winter. I don’t know the rules for a race to be classified as a monument but Strade Bianche has its own charm. It’s one of the most popular and beautiful races in the world.”
Skujins, securing second place, expressed his satisfaction, stating: “It’s not a win but second to Tadej Pogacar is quite good. If someone had said I’d come second today I would not have believed but finishing on the podium is something I’ve been thinking of for a long time so I’m really happy. This is definitely a very special race with the finish here in Siena, with the people, the crowd, the noise… there’s no race that comes close to Strade Bianche. My legs were screaming but with the people on the road helped today. It kind of blocked the pain”.
Meanwhile, Van Gils, securing the third place, shared his perspective: “It’s not a win but being on the podium of Strade Bianche is nice. The goal was to do top 5. Third is even better. My tactic was to follow Tadej [Pogacar] but he went too fast so I had to wait to make a gap on the other guys. I went solo then Toms Skujins joined me and we went together. I already started the season very well and I hope to do more in the classics. I’ll definitely come back to Strade Bianche, it’s one of my favourite races but I’ll have a bigger chance to win it if Tadej doesn’t start one year”.
Pogačar’s victory, marked by his exceptional solo breakaway, cements his dominance in this year’s Strade Bianche and further solidifies his reputation as one of the cycling world’s most formidable competitors. With his eyes set on future challenges, fans eagerly anticipate witnessing his continued success in the upcoming races of the season.
2024 Strade Bianche Men result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Photo credits: La Presse
