Tadej Pogacar wins for the second time in his career White Roads. Starting -81 km from the finish line, the Slovenian from UAE Emirates wins the 18th edition of the southernmost Northern Classic in Europe, raising his arms to the sky solo in Camp Squarein Siena, after over 200 kilometers of travel.
Two years ago he left everyone speechless with a 50 kilometer solo. But this time too Pogacar never ceases to amaze. A test of strength of the 25-year-old Slovenian, his is an action of rare power, which does not brake either uphill or on dirt roads, leaving only crumbs to his rivals. Pogacar attacked on the dirt road of Monte Sante Marie. When the Slovenian gets up on the pedals no one manages to keep up with him: within about ten kilometres, the small group of pursuers – initially around twenty – are within two minutes.
POGACAR WHAT A CHALLENGE, WHAT A RACE!
Tadej Pogacar starts on Monte Sante Marie, does 80km alone and rejoices in Siena, but what a spectacle! #EurosportCICLISMO #StradeBianche #cycling pic.twitter.com/ul48TGJQhR
— Eurosport IT (@Eurosport_IT) March 2, 2024
And detachment destined to grow, with Pogacar having fun between the Monteaperti stretch and the arrival on Colle Pinzuto while behind you you go at a reduced speed, as if you were doing another sport. The UAE Emirates champion has plenty of time to enjoy the embrace of the public who cheer him on the side of the road, granting smiles and thumbs up before arriving with great fanfare in the historic Siena square, where he also allows himself to get off the saddle and raise his bike to the sky.
In the end the gap faced by the first pursuers is just over 2’40”, with Tom Skujin (Lidl-Trek) who takes second place from Maxim Van Gils (Lotto Dstny) while the defending champion Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), at almost 4 minutes, must settle for fourth final position. Seventh Davide Formolo, the best of the Italians.
Piazza del Campo welcomes its champion, Tadej Pogacar
Another masterpiece, but it never gets us used to #EurosportCICLISMO #StradeBianche #cycling pic.twitter.com/3mQiJxjM67
— Eurosport IT (@Eurosport_IT) March 2, 2024
Even if Van der Poel, Van Aert, Evenepoel and especially Vingegaard were missing, that of the Slovenian remains an authentic feat. The season that will see him go to the double assault of Tour of Italy e Tour de France, thus begins in the best way for Pogacar, who enters his name for the second time in his career in the roll of honor of the first Italian classic of the year. Now appointment on Saturday 16 March at Milan-Sanremo, where he has always been a great protagonist. World champion Van der Poel awaits him.
“This is a beautiful race, which has a unique charm – the Slovenian enjoys it – I had excellent sensations in the first part of the race and it was the most important thing, the team did a really great job to launch me and I started there, it was the right time to try. The first race of the season is always tough, especially from a mental point of view, because you never know if your sensations are right even if you know you’ve worked well”, adds the Slovenian, who continues in Italy to find fertile ground for his ventures: the last success of his 2023 had in fact arrived in October in Tour of Lombardy. Today the scene is all Pogacar.
Order of arrival
1) Tadej Pogacar (UAD) and 5h19’45”
2) Tom Skujin (LTK) +2’44”
3) Maxim Van Gils (LTD) +2’47”
4) Tom Pidcock (IGD) +3’50”
5) Matej Mohoric (TBV) +4’26”
6) Benoit Cosnefroy (DAT) +4’39”
7) Davide Formolo (MOV) +4’41”
8) Lenny Martinez (GFC) +4’48”
9) Filippo Zana (JAY) +4’49”
10) Christophe Laporte (TVL) +5’17”
