Tadej Pogačar's hopes for a third Strade Bianche victory could have ended with 50km to go when he slid out at speed and tumbled into a bramble-filled verge. But, while he suffered road rash all down his left side, he was able to remount, chase down Tom Pidcock (Q36.5) and win the race with an attack on the final circuit of dirt roads near Siena.
"I guess I'm a lucky guy, it's my new nickname," Pogačar said. "This is not the first time I've crashed like this and probably not the last. It happens. I'm just super happy I could finish it off. Strade Bianche is one of my favourite races. It would have been a shame if I didn't finish it off."
