As it happened: Pogačar and Pidcock battle for men's Strade Bianche

Welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of Strade Bianche!

You join us for what is not only one of the highlights of the spring, but of the whole season. 

Strade Bianche is an exception in cycling, a race that, despite being relatively new, has in the space of less than 20 years, become one of the most popular and sought-after races on the calendar.

What makes it so special is of course the white gravel roads of Tuscany that gives it its name. These roads present a unique challenge that neither tarmac nor cobblestones can compare with, that produces a blend of difficulty, drama and visual spectacle that reliably makes for one of the best races of the season.

In recent years, the race has become something of a procession for Tadej Pogačar, with his early attacks and long solo victories in both 2022 and last year sucking some of the drama out of the race. He’s on the startlist again today, aiming to win a third title and draw level on Fabian Cancellara as the only other man to have won three editions of Strade Bianche.

Pogačar and the other 173 riders taking part are at the neutralised section now, and will see the flag shortly. We’ll be racing soon!

One rider not among them is Matej Mohorič, who pulled out at the start. That’s a real shame as the Slovenian would have been one of the favourites, having finished fifth last year and sixth the year before.

Mohorič decided to pull out having felt unwell during the night. It sounds like he should be fine for Milan-Sanremo in a fortnight.

These days when it comes to races featuring Pogačar, the question doesn’t seem to be whether he will win, but by how much and through how long-range an attack. And there can be no doubt that he is the overwhelming favourite. 

But it’d be foolish to write this off as a foregone conclusion. The challenging and selective terrain of Strade Bianche plays into his hands, but the likelihood of mechanicals on the gravel roads does throw up a degree of unpredictability and fortune. If Pogačar does get a puncture or crash at the wrong moment, things could get very interesting.

213KM TO GO

And they're off!

A group of riders are trying to go off the front.

There are ten riders in this group, and they appear to have succeeded. There's a minute between themselves and the peloton.

200KM TO GO

It seems we have our break of the day then. We'll give a full-run down of who's in it shortly. 

That group of ten is approaching the Vidritta, the first of the day’s 16 gravel sectors. The riders will spend over a third of the whole race on these roads.

It's a strong break that's gone up the road. Lewis Askey, Mark Donovan and Connor Swift are all there. 

VIDRITTA

They're on the first section now, the 4.4km Vidritta. 

Crucially, conditions out there are dry. This is a race where weather has an impact perhaps more than any other, what with its direct correlation with the condition of those all-important gravel roads. In this case, they will be dry and dusty rather than wet and muddy.

BAGNAIA

They're on the second sector, Bagnaia. This one's uphill too, epitomising everything that makes this race so hard and so special.

Here’s the ten riders in the break: 

Stan Dewulf (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale)

Lewis Askey (Groupama-FDJ)

Connor Swift (Ineos Grenadiers)

Mark Donovan (Q36.5 Pro Cycling)

Johan Price-Pejtersen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)

Pepijn Reinderink (Soudal-QuickStep)

Simone Petilli (Intermarché - Wanty)

Albert Withen Philipsen (Lidl-Trek)

Anders Foldager (Jayco-AlUla)

Fabian Weiss (Tudor Pro Cycling)

Perhaps the most interesting name in the break is Albert Withen Philipsen. At the age of just 18, the Dane is the youngest man in the race, and huge things are expected of him in the future.  In fact, given the way riders become competitive at younger and younger ages these days, big things are even expected of him in the present. Can he stay out front for a while now that he’s slipped into the break?

190KM TO GO

Philipsen and the other nine have a lead of three minutes on the peloton, as they make there way to the end of the Bagnaia sector.

Unsurprisingly, Pogačar's UAE Team Emirates teammates have taken responsibility at the front of the peloton.

Further up the road, the women’s peloton is already at the business end of the race. You can follow all of the action here.

RADI

Time for the third gravel sector, named Radi. It's a similar length to the previous two, at 4.4km. Longer, harder ones are to come.

The peloton is still all together at this early phase of the race.

180KM TO GO

Over four minutes for the leading ten, as they continue to ride the Radi sector. The race is calm for now.

LA PIANA

They're back on the gravel for La Piana, although this one has easier gradients than the last, more downhill than uphill.

Despite the extreme difficulty and huge time gaps last year, the organisers have for 2025 taken the steps of making Strade Bianche even harder. There has never been an edition with more than the 81.7km sectors of gravel that this year’s presents, and they’ve added a new, especially hard 9.5km Seravalle sector. 

It’ll further enhance the challenge of the race, but some fear that by making the race too hard, some of the subtlety that makes it such a finely balanced race will be lost.

170KM TO GO

The gap between the leaders and peloton has stabilised. It's now just under four minutes. 

The lead group has already broken up a little, with Petilli and Foldager both dropped and 30 seconds adrift. 

And now it's down to 7, as Philipsen has a puncture. That's some back luck for the 18-year-old, but an occupational hazard at this race.

The break's all back together now, as the three dropped riders return. The race has calmed down enough for them to make it back up.

There have been a few crashes in the peloton, though we’re on the tarmac rather than the gravel. Diego Ulissi, Davide De Pretto, Natnael Tesfatsion and Alexy Faure Prost have all gone down.

160KM TO GO

Over four and a half minutes for the leaders. They're nearing the start of the Montalcino climb.

MONTALCINO

The leaders have just begun climbing Montalcino. It isn't on gravel roads, but it's still a hard climb nevertheless, averaging 4.8% for 6.5km. 

It’s not just the weather today that shapes what the roads are like, but previous days’ conditions. One rider taking part, Quinn Simmons, observed how a week of warm weather has made the gravel looser than usual.

Bad news to report - David Gaudu has abanoned the race after going down in a crash. That's unfortunate given the strong start to the season he's made, and his participation in Tirreno-Adriatico is now in doubt. 

150KM TO GO

The leaders’ advantage has grown out to 5-30 on the Montalcino, which they are still climbing.

The big question we’re all wondering as we get deeper and deeper into the race - when will Tadej Pogačar attack? Having gone from 50km for this 2022 win, and 80km last year, will he try to outdo himself this year with a more from even further out?

He stated prior to the race that he doesn’t intend to, but you can never quite be sure with the Slovenian, and if he feels in the mood, he could always attack spontaneously. All eyes will be on him.

The leaders have crested Montalcino, and the peloton are about to follow. Not long now until the next gravel sector, Lucignano d’Asso, after which they come thick and fast.

If anyone can prevent Pogačar from winning today, you sense it could be Tom Pidcock, pictured here at the start of the day. The Brit is the only other rider present to have won this race within the last seven editions, and was in fighting talk going into the race, stating that he was here to ‘try to win’

140KM TO GO

4-45 is the gap between the leaders and the peloton.

LUCIGNANO D’ASSO

We're back on the gravel sector for Lucignano d'Asso, which, at 11.9km, is the longest of the whole race.

Nearer to Siena, the women’s race is coming to a thrilling conclusion. Read all about it here.

130KM TO GO

The riders are in the most intense phase of the race in terms of gravel roads. The current sector of Lucignano d'Asso and the four that follow it amount to 50km of gravel, in the space of just 66km of racing. There’s a long way to go after they complete the last one of this run, Monte Sante Marie, but the race is likely to already be in bits by then.

The speed is up and the gap is starting to come down on this gravel sector. The leaders have been brought back to within four minutes.

More bad luck for Philipsen in the lead group, as he has another flat tyre - his second of the day. 

They're at last done with the Lucignano d'Asso, but will be back on the gravel again shortly. 

PIEVE A SALTI

They’re on the next sector now, and it’s another hard one, lasting 8km and directed uphill. 

Here's a glimpse of Tadej Pogačar on the gravel. No danger of those white World Champion's shorts getting muddy in today's conditions. 

120KM TO GO

While the leaders descend the remainder of the Pieve a Salti, the peloton are still on the uphill part of it, 3-50 behind.

Philipsen is back with the leaders after puncturing earlier. 

A crash in the lead group - Philipsen’s involved again, and has gone down with Price-Pejtersen and Foldager.

It seems Askey was also involved in an incident at some point. He's just been swept up into the peloton.

That's a big shame for Askey, as he was arguably the strongest name in the group, and is in good form having placed 10th at Omloop and 5th at Ename Samyn.

It's all breaking up in the front group now. Donovan and Reinderink have attacked out the front.

We're mistaken about Askey - he actually is still up there and right at the front, following the move of Donovan and Reinderink.

120KM TO GO

Those three riders are about 5 seconds ahead of a chasing trio of Swift, Petilli and Weiss.

In Siena, the podium ceremony is being conducted for the women's race, which came to a thrilling conclusion. Find out what happened here. 

Problems for multiple riders in the peloton. Krists Neilands has crashed out, while Valentin Madouas has had a mechanical.

SERRAVALLE

The leaders are back on the gravel again, and it's the one many have talked about - Serravalle, a new addition to this year's edition. 

The chasing trio has caught the leading trio, forming a new group of 6.

110KM TO GO

The race is on, and the peloton is bearing down on the leaders. The gap is down to under three minutes.

Pogačar attacked from 50km to go in 2022, and 80km to go in 2024. There are now 110km to go…

SAN MARTINO IN GRANIA

We're on a new section, San Martino in Grania. UAE Team Emirates are leading te peloton still. 

The gap continues to tumble, and is now below two minutes. 

Pogačar has three men ahead of him setting the pace. It's quick, but not too quick, and an attack doesn't seem imminent just yet.

One rider not with Pogačar in Tim Wellens. The Belgian is usually one of his strongest teammates, and would have been tasked with setting up an attack, but was dropped earlier in the day. 

It’s already a diminished peloton that is making their way along the San Martino in Grania sector. There can’t be more than 50 riders in it.

The leaders have finished San Martino in Grania, meaning they’ve now completed half of the day’s 16 sectors.

90KM TO GO

Coming up next is the big one - Monte Sante Marie. This gravel sector tends to be the one where the race explodes into life, and they will begin it in about 7km.

Monte Sante Marie is the sector where Pogačar launched both of his race-winning attacks, in 2022 and 2024. He hasn’t, like last year, already stated publicly his intention to do so this time, but that could well be the plan nevertheless.

UAE Team Emirates have certainly upped the pace in the approach to it. The three domestiques leading Pogačar have reduced the gap between themselves and the leaders to 1-30.

There will be a fight for Pogačar's wheel before they get on to it. Pidcock is winning it for now, remaining glued to the Slovenian as he had for much of the day.

MONTE SANTE MARIE

The leaders are onto Monte Sante Marie, and the peloton will follow soon.

Ineos have wrestled control from UAE as they enar the sector. 

Despite their good work, Ineos' leader Kwiatkowski only just avoided disaster, just about managing to stay upright as his wheel slipped from under him.

The peloton too are on Monte Sante Marie, and UAE are back in control.

For UAE, Del Toro has taken over from Florian Vermeeresch. Pogačar has some seriously strong teammates to assist him.

The breakaway group is breaking up. Askey and Swift have a gap.

The peloton is being stretched to breaking point. Riders are going out the back, and there are almost some gaps near the front.

Out front, the 6 escapees are back together. 

Pidcock ane Healy are up near Pogačar at the front.

Del Toro is still leading, but Pogačar also has Wellens back with him to take over if / when he needs him.

The peloton is getting smaller, but big names are still there - Bilbao, Kwiatkowski among them, as are Adria, Gianni Vermeersch, Valter, Mollema, among several others.

A very small group has now gone clear from the peloton.

The pace set by Del Toro has seen him, Wellens, Pogačar, Healy, Pidcock and another get a small gap.

Del Toro is finished, and now Wellens leads.

It's now just Pogačar, Pidcock, Healy and Cort with Wellens.

Pidcock attacks!

And now Pogačar counter-attacks!

Pidcock is on his wheel, but he's the only one.

Pogačar and Pidcock have bridged up to some of the breakaway riders.

Those attacks were made with 78.5km to go - only a little later than Pogačar's move to win last year.

Pogačar's attacking again!

Still Pidcock can follow though.

The pair have dropped the other breakaway riders, and have now caught and passed the sole remaining leader, Connor Swift. 

There are still a few kilometres left of Monte Sante Marie.

Pidcock isn't coming through to take a turn - understandably, given who he's up against.

Now Pidcock does come to the front on a downhill section of the gravel. It looks like the Brit wants to put the pressure on during terrain that suits him - descending.

Pogačar takes over again as the road tilts up once more.

Behind, Swift is the third rider on the road, still trying to bridge back up to them. And he’s only a few seconds away.

Swift has joined them. We now have a leading trio.

Pidcock loves Strade Bianche. Whereas he can be inconsistent in some races, here he's been 1st, 4th and 5th in his three past appearances.

The leading trio are off the gravel.

Behind them, Askey, Donovan and Weiss are 38 seconds behind.

Then comes a group of about 8, of the best of the rest behind Pog and Pidcock - Wellens, Del Toro, Healy, Van Eetvelt, Adria, Cort, Vermeersch, plus another of the early break, Foldager. 

70KM TO GO

Groups 2 and 3 are about to come together. They're 49 seconds behind the leading trio.

Here's Pidcock leading Pogačar, before the two of them went clear of everyone.

Three-time winner Fabian Cancellara is spotted at the feed zone, handing out musettes. His record of 3 wins is looking in serious danger, but Pidcock is giving Pogačar a real fight.

Pogačar is doing most of the work, but Pidcock has come to take a turn now.

There are attacks out the chase group behind. Bilbao, Adrià and Vermeersch have gone clear.

There are several kilometres now of rolling terrain until the first of the remaining seven gravel sectors.

Bilbao, Adrià and Vermeersch are 20 seconds ahead of the rest of the chasers.  

That chase group behind them is also breaking apart, as the fatigued riders from the original break start to go backwards.

60KM TO GO

Here's the race situation with 60km to go:

Tadej Pogačar

Connor Swift

Tom Pidcock

1-17

Roger Adrià

Pello Bilbao

Gianni Vermeersch

0-10

Tim Wellens

Ben Healy

Michael Valgren

Lennert Van Eetvelt

Mark Donovan

Pepijn Reinderink

Here's Pogačar and Pidcock, before they were joined by Swift.

This is an incredible ride by Swift, who, remember, managed to rejoin Pogačar and Pidcock despite being initially caught and dropped by them. He's now got a head start of over a minute ahead of the chasers, so should be poised for a high finish when (if?) he's dropped. 

With 2 riders (Healy and a resurgent Valgren) in the chase, EF are leading, and brining the gap between themselves and Adrià/Bilbao/Vermeersch down. There are only 5 seconds between them. 

The two chase groups have come together.

MONTEAPERTI

Onto the gravel again, for the Monteaperti section. This one's only 600m long.

Here's the new make-up of the chase group behind the leading trio:

Roger Adrià

Pello Bilbao

Gianni Vermeersch

Tim Wellens

Ben Healy

Michael Valgren

Lennert Van Eetvelt

Magnus Cort

The leaders have completed that sector. Still no new attacks. 

POGACAR CRASH

Crash - Pogačar is down!

With 50km to go, Pogačar misjudged a corner and went down.

He's back up and chasing, but this is some development.

COLLE PINZUTO

We're on the gravel again. Can Pogačar close the gap?

Pidcock is now out front alone. Swift is second, Pogačar third.

It was a high speed crash for Pogačar, but seemingly not a heavy one. He doesn't seem too hurt, but has ground to make up, having lost more time having to change bikes.

Pogačar is now back with Swift.

The gap between Pidcock and Pogačar / Swift is coming down. It was 30 seconds, now it's 20.

Pogačar has already dropped Swift.

Just 15 seconds now between Pogačar and Pidcock.

In fact, Pidcock is sitting up. 

Pidcock must have calcualted that it's not worth taking on Pogačar in a mano-y-mano chase this early in the race.

Pogačar is back with Pidcock, 46km from the finish.

Pogačar is bruised, with some tears in his white world champion's shorts. Will this compromise his chances of winning?

Has Pidcock made the right call here by sitting up? He must have feared going into the red by trying to hold off a charging Pogačar, but he had the Slovenian under serious pressure there. 

Back behind, Swift is 33 seconds adrift, and the 8-man chase group behind him still together and a further 50 seconds behind.

LE TOLFE

Pogačar and Pidcock are on Le Tolfe. This is the first of 2 times they'll do this one - the next time, it'll be the last of the race.

There are huge crowds lining the road on Le Tolfe.

Pidcock is leading the duo on this sector.

The pair remains together as they reach the end of the sector. Will that be the case again when they return to Le Tolfe in 30km?

In the chase group, Vermeersch is putting on the pressure. He’s stretched the group out, but it seems nobody has been distanced.

40KM TO GO

1 minute now between the leading duo and Swift, and 1-35 between them and the chasing group.

STRADE DEL CASTAGNO

Pogačar and Pidcock are on the 13th section now, Strada del Castagno.

The fallen Tadej Pogačar. A very rare moment when the Slovenian looks vulnerable.

You can see here the damage incurred by Pogačar. It seems mostly superficial, but he must be hurting. If the adrenaline wears off, he’s unlikely to be quite as strong as usual, and so Pidcock has a chance here.

Swift was very unfortunate with how the crash panned out. He was third in line when it happened, and so lost Pidcock’s wheel when Pogačar fell. As such he’s now in no-man’s land, and is likely to eventually be caught by the chase group, which is currently 30 seconds behind him.

Swift is struggling now, only 10 seconds ahead of the chasers.

It's all breaking up in that chase group. Healy is attacking on an uphill stretch. 

Healy, Wellens, Bilbao and Adrià have gone clear from the rest. They've caught up to Swift.

15 seconds between those 5 riders and the rest of the chasers - Vermeersch, Van Eetvelt, Cort and Valgren.

30KM TO GO

The breakup of the break has given real impetus to the lead chase group. Those five riders are working well together, and have reduced their deficit to the leaders to 1-15, and are 30 seconds ahead of the second chase group.

At the moment, the chase group is moving quicker than the leading duo. The gap has come down to under one minute for the first time in a long time.

While it remains very unlikely that the two groups will come together, it does suggest that the leading duo aren’t going too well - and therefore that Pogačar is indeed not feeling his best after that crash.

MONTECHIARO

The leaders are onto the third to last sector now, Montechiaro. There are a lot of downhill stretches here - will Pidcock look to put him under pressure?

Pidcock led from much of the sector and, though not attacking, did look more comfortable than Pogačar.

20KM TO GO

The race has settled down for now. Pogačar and Pidcock lead the chasing five by 57 seconds, and the following chase group by 1-59.

Pogačar and Pidcock are on the final loop, which means they've just gone past the corner the former crashed on. He's through it safely this time.

COLLE PINZUTO

Onto the penlultimate sector now.

Pogačar attacks!

Pidcock is losing the wheel...

Pogačar's gone, he's distanced Pidcock!

In no time Pogačar  has opened up a gap of 12 seconds.

17 seconds now. Even battered and bruised, Pogačar is unstoppable.

In the chase group behind, Pogačar's teammate Wellens attacks and has a gap.

Swift has been dropped, leaving Bilbao, Healy and Adrià to chase Wellens. 

Now 30 seconds for Pogačar. He's motoring to victory once again.

He's finished Colle Pinzuto, leaving him with just one sector to go.

40 seconds now for Pogačar. The gap is getting bigger and bigger.

Pidcock should at least be good for second-place - although that's not guaranteed. He's 45 seconds ahead of Wellens, who is over 20 seconds ahead of the rest of Healy, Bilbao and Adrià.

LE TOLFE

One last stretch of gravel for Pogačar to complete now. He leads by 50 seconds.

Pogačar's safely through Le Tolfe. Just 12km left for him to ride now.

Pogačar is out the saddle and looking as powerful as ever. That crash doesn't seem to have affected him at all.

10KM TO GO

Over a minute now between Pogačar and Pidcock.  Pidcock will be thinking more about what's behind him that ahead, with Wellens now within 40 seconds of him.

Here's the situation as we head into the finale:

Tadej Pogačar

1-08

Tom Pidcock

1-44

Tim Wellens

2-49

Roger Adrià

Pello Bilbao

Ben Healy

Pogačar’s lead is such that he’ll be able to savour the crowds awaiting him in Siena, at the now-iconic Via Santa Caterina climb to Piazza del Campo.

Healy is now clear and alone in 4th place. He attacked Bilbao and Adrià on Le Tolfe.

5KM TO GO

1-06 for Pogačar over Pidcock. 

Things are looking good for Pidcock in terms of holding on for second place. Wellens has stopped making inroads, and is 45 seconds behind.

Final 2km for Pogačar. He'll be climbing Via Santa Caterina imminently.

His winning margin is going to pale in comparison to the 2-44 he won last year's by, but is still going to be very big - especially when you consider everything he had to covercome to get into this position.

1KM TO GO

Pogačar's high-fiving spectators as he starts the climb.

He's easing up as he approaches the finish, to enjoy the celebration.

POGACAR WINS

Behind, Pidcock is on the climb, about to seal second. 

Pidcock crosses the line now for second, 1-23 behind. 

Now here comes Wellens for third.

Wellens finishes third, at 2-11 from his teammate.

Pogačar was waiting for his teammate at the finish, and the two celebrate together. 

Ben Healy finishes 4th, at 3-22. That's a career high finishes at this race for the Irishman. 

This is the first time we've ever seen a rider dressed in the rainbow stripes cross the line in first place at the men's Strade Bianche, and the first time a rider has defended his title here. Just like last year, Pogačar continues to break record after record. 

Here's the rest of the top ten after Healy:

5 Bilbao

6 Cort

7 Vermeersch

8 Valgren

9 Van Eetvelt

10 Adrià

On one hand, this was the first time for a long time that Pogačar has looked vulnerable, and, after everything went so smoothly with virtually no mistakes or misfortune throughout all of last year, a reminder of how things can go wrong in cycling. 

On the other hand, he perhaps looks just as invincible as ever. After winning by such a big margin despite having fallen, you start to wonder if there is any way that Pogačar can  be beaten.

Another day, another Pogačar victory, but it wasn't quite as straightforward as that sounds.

Thanks for joining us today, for what promises to be a thrilling Spring. Next up in a fortnight's time is Milan-Sanremo, a race Pogačar has yet to win, and where he will come up against the mighty Mathieu van der Poel for their first showdown of the spring. It has the potential to be a fantastic edition.