Tadej Pogačar will make his season debut at Strade Bianche on Saturday, happy to be back racing and hungry for a second victory on the spectacular gravel roads of Tuscany.
The Slovenian has trained quietly at home in Monte Carlo in recent weeks, watching his Grand Tour rivals Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel dominate their early races.
He's opted for a reduced spring programme to prepare for his Giro d'Italia-Tour de France double attempt in the summer but is bursting with energy and enthusiasm after getting a taste of the gravel roads of Strade Bianche during a route reconnaissance on Thursday.
"In the last few days, I really felt the desire to race, to have some fun. I'm really motivated, I can't wait to get going," Pogačar admitted to La Gazzetta dello Sport in an exclusive interview.
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Pogačar posted several photographs of his recon ride on social media, including on the final climb to central Siena up the steep Via Santa Caterina and in the stunning Piazza del Campo that hosts the annual Palio horse race and the finish of Strade Bianche.
He has ridden Strade Bianche every season since turning professional except for 2023 when he targeted Paris-Nice. He won two years ago with a 50km solo attack and the combination of gravel roads and steep climb seems to suit him perfectly.
Gazzetta listed Pogačar as their only five-star favourite and everyone else knows they will have to beat Pogačar and his strong UAE Team Emirates squad if they want to win in Siena on Saturday.
"It's different from every other race,'' Pogačar said of Strade Bianche with enthusiasm. "I love the route and the gravel sectors. Then there are lots of climbs that suit me too. Strade Bianche is pure fun.
"It was one of the first one-day races I rode as a professional [in 2019 – Ed]. I loved it from that first time. It's a kind of chaos. Year after year I saw how I progressed until I was able to win it in 2022.
"It makes me feel like a kid again, especially when we race hard on the climbs. I also love Tuscany. It's a pity not to have ever been here on holiday but that's a goal for the future."
Strade Bianche will be his season debut but on Friday, he told Cyclingnews and Sporza that he's confident in his preparation.
"I like this race and I like to have good preparation this year, so yeah, a little bit different approach to the start of the season," he said. "But we can see if it was a good choice tomorrow or not, like every year."
The Slovenian didn't agree with the organisers' decision to add in an extra loop of gravel, saying, "In my opinion, it kills a little bit the the purpose of Santa Maria sector. If it's my decision, if I need to put more kilometres, I would do it a different way.
"But for sure it's going to be an interesting race, A little bit different racing than previous years editions a little bit different approach to the final and we can see it's going to be a really long race and a hard final."
Pogačar last raced in early October when he won Il Lombardia for a third consecutive time. In recent weeks he has watched from home as Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard impress at the Volta ao Algarve and O Gran Camiño.
With Pogačar not racing Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico, he will only race against them off nearer the Tour de France but he is keen to respond to their success with an exploit of his own.
"It gives me extra motivation to do something like they have done and show that I've been training well too," he said with a hint of pride.
"Remco and Jonas were impressive not only because they won but because they did it in a special way. But we've also got to remember that the season won't be judged on our early results."
Pogačar wants to win Strade and will have full support from UAE Team Emirates but is focused on the Giro-Tour double. He has a new coach after Javier Sola replaced Iñigo San Millán, shaking up his training plans.
"Sometimes a kind of shock to the system and a change can be good to avoid doing the same things," Pogačar explained, fully focused on being at his best for the peak years of his career.
"Cycling is crazy, so you have to always be working to stay at the top but that's okay. At this high level, a career doesn't last that long, so you've got to concentrate 100%. I've got lots of time afterwards to enjoy things."
The Giro-Tour double includes extra training, more stage reconnaissance and working to optimise his time trial position. Pogačar is the standout favourite for the Corsa Rosa but won't hold back and think about the subsequent Tour de France.
"It's a huge task to target two Grand Tours and try to win both, like I hope to do," he said. "It needs a lot of work and sacrifice but fortunately, my team and the people around me are helping a lot. That makes it easier.
"l'll definitely give 100% in the Giro. It's impossible to make calculations when you're racing. I believe in my ability and so I think I'll have time after the Giro to recover for the Tour de France. It'll be a full-gas Giro."
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