Battered but determined, world champion Tadej Pogacar bounced back from a crash to defeat Tom Pidcock and successfully defend his Strade Bianche title.
Pogacar became the first male cyclist to win the prestigious one-day race in consecutive years, while Demi Vollering claimed victory in the women’s event for the second time in three years.
With 78.5km remaining, Pogacar and Pidcock broke away from the pack. However, with 50km to go, the UAE Team Emirates rider lost control on a corner and crashed at high speed.
Despite the fall, Pogacar quickly got back on his bike and caught up to Pidcock, who slowed briefly upon realizing his rival was still in the race.
The 26-year-old Slovenian made his decisive move on the penultimate gravel sector with 18.6km left, breaking away to win by one minute and 24 seconds.
“I enjoyed it until I crossed the finish line,” Pogacar said. “Now that the adrenaline is wearing off, I’m feeling a lot of pain. Not the ideal way to win, but a win is a win. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious.”
Pidcock secured second place in Siena, while Belgium’s Tim Wellens finished third, trailing Pogacar by two minutes and 12 seconds.
Pogacar, a three-time Tour de France champion, completed the 213km race in five hours, 13 minutes, and 58 seconds. With this victory, he became the first reigning world champion to win the modern Strade Bianche and matched Switzerland’s Fabian Cancellara with three titles.
Pidcock Continues Good Form
Pidcock has had a strong start with his new team, Q36.5. He and Pogacar broke away at nearly the same point where Pogacar launched his winning solo attack last year.
With 50km remaining, Pogacar misjudged a corner on a descent and slid into a thorn bush. He quickly got back up, showing signs of minor but painful injuries on his left shoulder and hip.
Ineos Grenadiers rider Connor Swift had been holding on after being caught by Pogacar and Pidcock. However, after Pogacar’s crash delayed him, Swift lost ground. Meanwhile, Pidcock, showing great sportsmanship, slowed down, allowing Pogacar to rejoin him 46km from the finish.
This set up an exciting finale, with Pogacar attacking on the Colle Pinzuto climb. By the time he finished that sector, he had a 30-second lead, which grew to 50 seconds before the final gravel section and over a minute with 10km remaining.
Reflecting on his crash, Pogacar said: “I guess I was going too fast. I know this road well—I’ve ridden it 20 times—but sometimes you misjudge. I slipped, and these things happen. I was a bit worried, as crashes take a lot out of you, but I had enough to finish strong.”
This was Pidcock’s fourth time racing Strade Bianche, and he has never finished outside the top five. This race also marked his first World Tour podium with his new team.
Ireland’s Ben Healy took fourth place, finishing 3:23 behind Pogacar, while Swift ended up in 13th.
Vollering Stops Van der Breggen from Surprise Win
Demi Vollering secured victory in the women’s race after outsprinting fellow Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen, winning by 18 seconds.
Van der Breggen, 34, returned to World Tour racing with SD Worx-Protime after a three-year break from competition. The former world and Olympic champion, who previously mentored and raced alongside Vollering, won the Strade Bianche in 2018.
She launched an attack in the final gravel sector but was caught on the climb by Vollering, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, and Juliette Labous. The Dutch duo then fought for the lead in the closing kilometers of the 136km race before Vollering surged ahead with 500 meters remaining.
Despite suffering a puncture on the longest gravel stretch, the 28-year-old FDJ–Suez rider became the third woman to win the race twice.
“Racing against Anna is exciting—it reminds me of when I started,” said Vollering. “It also shows me how much I’ve grown over the years.”
Van der Breggen was pleased with her performance, saying, “I didn’t know how long I could keep up. I didn’t expect to finish with Demi, so I’m really happy with my progress.”
Meanwhile, Britain’s Lizzie Deignan, the 2016 champion, was forced to abandon the race after a puncture. Her team car from Lidl-Trek was involved in a crash, delaying assistance.
“By the time help arrived, I was completely out of the race,” said the 36-year-old. “Still, I enjoyed the beautiful scenery during my ride.”
