To find a rider as dominant in both grand tours and one-days as Tadej Pogačar one has to cast all the way back to the Badger, Bernard Hinault, nearly 40 years ago. After wins at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Lombarida, and of course the Tour de France last year, the 23-year-old added Strade Bianche to his palmares, and did so in commanding fashion. He escaped with 50 kilometers to go, using the difficult Santa Marie sector to get away.
He never looked like losing. Photographers Kristof Ramon, Ashley and Jered Gruber, and Tim de Waele were in Tuscany to capture it all.
The Grubers have done it again.The loose surface sent Salvatore Puccio to the ground.Strade Bianche is unbelievably hard. It strings out early and often.Crosswinds whipped the peloton on Saturday.Salumi anyone?The early break.It was good to see thousands of fans back on the roadside.This way.Cycling Photographer Jered Gruber shooting Márton Dina (EOLO-Kometa) & Ben Turner (INEOS Grenadiers) after the two crashed on a descent.The Alaphilippe somersault.The Alaphilippe escape. Photographer Tim de Waele captured every moment of this crash.Back on the bike, chasing.Olympic Champion Richard Carapaz resuming the race after a huge pileup.The crash also took down eventual winner Tadej Pogačar.It didn’t seem to slow him down, though. 60 kilometers later he was alone off the front.Alaphilippe stepped into domestique mode behind, pulling for Kasper Asgreen.Robert Gesink chases.Best seats in the house.Pogačar alone.Strade Bianche is one of those races, like Roubaix, where you never stop chasing. Because you never know what could happen ahead of you.Pogačar was unstoppable.Still solo.Blood from the earlier crash.Steep and loose.The kicker up to La Tolfe is the penultimate opportunity to distance rivals. Pogačar didn’t need to use it, of course.Kasper Asgreen chases.Quinn Simmons, still just 20, finished 7th.The climb into Siena.Entering the Piazza del Campo alone, Pogačar became the first Tour de France winner to win Strade Bianche.Alejandro Valverde detaches himself from Asgreen for second place.A fond farewell to Valverde, who says he is in his final season.A bit of bubbly for the most dominant rider in men’s cycling.Read More
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