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.
Pogačar was perhaps tired after his exploit but was still smiling post-race and still enjoying every moment. Do you have to be crazy to attack with 81 km to race, someone asked.
“Perhaps you have to be crazy to be cyclist…” Pogačar replied, with a little laugh.
“But it was a really beautiful atmosphere out on the road. It was incredible. I’ve never seen so many people at an Italian race like today. I must say it was really one of my best experiences. Every race, every victory has its own story and I will never forget this one.”
When asked if this was his greatest win, he said, “My most beautiful victory? I don't think so because I was so dirty."
Cycling’s great races, the big five Monuments, have years of history, iconic race routes and a list of prestigious winners. Strade Bianche is only 18 years old but now has an incredible 81km ‘impresa’ to its name, as the Italians call a solo attack and victory like Pogačar’s.
Some described his win as Merckxian, as was the case when he won Il Lombardia with a long solo attack. Pogačar is making cycling history but is too modest to admit it himself.
“I'm not the one to decide if this is the next Monument. The Monuments are big historical races. Maybe Strade Bianche will be historical in 100 years,” he suggested.
“It's one of the most popular races in the world right now. It's probably the most viewed one-day race. It's beautiful. It's incredible. It has so many things going on in the race. We can say that it's one of the biggest races in the world right now.”
Pogačar’s attack on the Monte Sante Marie gravel section wasn’t planned, which makes it even more incredible. Pogačar attacked on instinct, as he so often does, calculating his chances and cracking his rivals.
“It was not the plan but the race went differently than we expected,” he explained. “It was a harder race. There was really big rain, a hailstorm and it was already ‘nerves on’ before Santa Marie, so there was no big group and not many riders left. I knew that if we didn’t make the difference there, it was going to be hard to get away solo later.
“The climbs after Santa Marie don't suit me so well, so it was a moment of decision. It was the moment when I decided to push it and see if somebody came across or not. I had also Isaac del Toro and Tim Wellens behind in the group, so I knew if I ran out of gas, we still two guys that could race for the team.”
Pogačar will not ride Tirreno-Adriatico but will return to Italy for Milan-San Remo, when he will again face Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), then ride the Volta a Catalunya and return from an altitude training camp to ride Liège-Bastogne-Liège before the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France.
“I look forward to all the races,” he said side stepping suggestions of duels with Van der Poel and Evenepoel.
“I have a really nice programme. I'm super happy with the calendar. I can be excited for each race. Milan-San Remo is coming in two weeks and it's going to be a tough one. We will see how it will develop but looking forward to San Remo first, then Catalunya, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and then a big Giro.
“I’ve got back all the confidence that I may be lost after the crash last year. It was a really great winter for me, I had really great preparation and I’ve got confirmation that all is good.”
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