The love-hate relationship between Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) and the Strade Bianche continued. Since its inception in 2015, the 29-year-old has started the race every year, and apart from a DNF in 2020, she has never finished worse than ninth.
However, the top step eluded her again as she missed the podium by inches when she was passed by Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) in the final metres after getting away from the Dutch champion on the Via Santa Caterina climb.
Climbing off her bike on the Piazza del Campo, Niewiadoma collapsed onto the ground in tears before facing the media’s questions. She was at the same time forthright and searching for answers in her interview with Cyclingnews and Sporza.
“It sucks,” Niewiadoma said about her fourth place, the second time she was so close since 2022. She was sad to have missed the podium again in a race she targets every year. Her last podium finish was a third place in 2019, having collected three consecutive runner-up spots in the years before.
