Tadej Pogačar elevated Strade Bianche to Monument status by winning with an 81km solo attack, adding prestige to his own palmares and that of the Italian race, all while having fun, as he had promised to do.
The UAE Team Emirates rider smiled to photographers at the top of the Via Santa Caterina climb after earlier high-fiving his former coach in the same spot as when he won two years ago. Later, he also shared his success with his partner Urška Zigart, kissing beyond the finish line and admitting he would not be successful without her support.
