The Strade Bianche has many dangers for a cyclist who wants to win the Tour de France. The white roads, with their irregular land, the potholes, the dust, the gravel and the pebbles that make it difficult to control the bicycle. There is always a risk in the 16 sterrato sections, almost 80 km of the total. And yet, the great scare for Tadej Pogacar was on a stretch of road, of good asphalt, in a descent in the led the race with Pidcock and Swift. In a curve on the left he skated his wheel and the Slovenian went to the ground. In addition to the hard blow on the left side, he slipped and left the road, ended up falling on some brambles.
When he joined, after giving a couple of turns, the rainbow jersey was a chrome. The peeled and burned shoulder, the torn culotte, blood in the left knee and the arm. 50 km were missing and he had been asked for. Another would have preferred to be conservative, throw in the towel and think of future conquests. But Pogacar, with the adrenaline in the air, changed bike, took off his gloves and went for the British of Q36.5, winner of the tour and in Torredelcampo.
Four kilometers later he had already caught him. As if it were bread. From that moment, there were only two possibilities: double for Pidcock after its victory in 2023 or triplet to Pogacar in Siena, where it had already been first in 2022 and in 2024.
The Slovenian, who last year went alone at 80 km from the finish line, then dedicated himself to lowering pulsations, calming himself, evaluating his damage and preparing the great attack. Maybe Pidcock imagined that you could wait for the steep via Santa Caterina. But there were Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe, two hills without asphalting. And the UAE leader did not miss them. In the first, in the absence of 19 km, he launched the announced demarcation. I didn’t want surprises or more scares. He was not going to play it at the end. Do not leave for later what you can do now. Pidcock, earthly human, grabbed while he could, which was not much, and saw him leave with that infernal rhythm that has burned so many. This time he didn’t even have to get up from the armchair. Pure power.
Not even when he is wrong, he loses. Nor their mistakes can stop him. “It has been a speed failure because I know the road. Maybe I have underestimated the curve, ”he acknowledged.
For the first time in the 19 editions of the Tuscan test, the world champion won and to celebrate it, Pogacar toured with his arms high the last 100 meters until he reached Il Campo de Siena. “I have enjoyed, when I crossed the goal I have begun to notice the pain,” he said, with dust to my eyebrows.
With 26 years, the Slovenian has already become the record man of the race, with three wins, the same as Fabian Cancellara. The Swiss saw him pass on the road. The pattern of the Tudor team was delivering drives to its runners.
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