{"id":7781,"date":"2025-03-10T10:50:25","date_gmt":"2025-03-10T09:50:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/uk\/?p=7781"},"modified":"2025-03-27T11:49:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T10:49:30","slug":"pogacar-overcomes-crash-and-brave-pidcock-to-win-third-strade-bianche","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/uk\/2025\/03\/10\/pogacar-overcomes-crash-and-brave-pidcock-to-win-third-strade-bianche\/","title":{"rendered":"Poga\u010dar Overcomes Crash and Brave Pidcock to Win Third Strade Bianche"},"content":{"rendered":"

World road race champion Tadej Poga\u010dar overcame a late crash and a brave and daring ride by Tom Pidcock to win his third Strade Bianche, tying him with the retired Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara in that category and adding another tale to his growing legend.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The 19th edition of the Bianche was full of surprises and drama, which began with 78.5 km left to ride in the 213 km race near the spot atop the iconic Monte Sante Marie from where the Slovenian launched last year\u2019s epic solo breakaway. However, this year it was Pidcock, the leader of the second-level Swiss team Q36.5, who took off first, catching Poga\u010dar by surprise. Apparently put off that the Briton stole a march on him, the Slovenian pressed the pedals and accelerated past his upstart rival.<\/p>\n

That was when he had his second surprise: He couldn\u2019t shake him off. The 26-year-old Briton stayed stubbornly on Poga\u010dar\u2019s wheel as the gap over their pursuers slowly grew. They were eventually joined by a third rider, another Briton, Connor Swift (INEOS Grenadiers). Swift was the last surviving member of the day\u2019s 10-rider breakaway and appeared to have been dropped for good by the dynamic duo. But Poga\u010dar and Pidcock had slowed down to save themselves for later fireworks, and the dogged Swift \u2013 the UK\u2019s gravel champion \u2013 caught them.<\/p>\n

But no one was ready for the third surprise. Taking a gravel descent too fast with 49.8 km left to ride, and no doubt unsettled by how the race had developed, Poga\u010dar made an uncharacteristic error and crashed on a curve<\/a>, sliding across the road and into a hedge, hitting his head and bruising and scraping his left arm and leg.<\/p>\n

Pidcock is the best descender in the world. Riding just behind Poga\u010dar, he neatly avoided his fallen rival, sweetly handled the curve and rode on as Poga\u010dar staggered out of the high grass and, bruised and bloody, got back on his bike. He soon asked for a new one and then, trailing Pidcock by more than 30 seconds, took up the chase at top Pog speed.<\/p>\n

But he needn\u2019t have worried. Pidcock has a champion athlete\u2019s sense of fairness. Once he knew that the Slovenian was back on his bike, he slowed down and waited for him, though he probably knew that the gesture sealed his defeat.<\/p>\n

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A post shared by Strade Bianche (@strade_bianche)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n