🎥 Did Pogacar underestimate the new Strade Bianche finale, which Pidcock said caused 'dead bodies' to pile up?

In the eyes of cycling fans, Strade Bianche is one of the most beautiful cycling races of the year, but it stings the organizers that the Italian one-day race has not yet received the official recognition it perhaps deserves. "A sixth Monument"—that’s the ambition of RCS Sport. To push for that status, they added 30 extra kilometers to the traditional course in 2024. The decision drew criticism, but was it justified? IDLProCycling.com took a closer look at this new section—just how tough is it, really?

Check out the video if you can't wait, read on below for more details!

Strade Bianche: what exactly has changed?

For years, the final 50 kilometers of Strade Bianche followed a familiar script. It traditionally kicked off on Monte Sante Marie, a brutal gravel sector packed with steep climbs, technical descents, and sheer length. Once the selection was made there, it was a waiting game until Monteaperti, followed by three more gravel sections. The Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe were the key deciders. If you were at the front on top of Le Tolfe, near the small church, you were racing for victory.

For years, the steep climb to the Piazza del Campo in Siena served as the dramatic finale of Strade Bianche after roughly 180 kilometers of racing. However, in 2024, the organizers shocked the peloton by adding an extra 30-kilometer loop. Instead of turning left after the descent from Le Tolfe, riders now turn right, following a scenic loop that brings them back to the foot of Colle Pinzuto. They then climb Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe again before finally heading toward Siena, making the race a total of 213 kilometers.

Read more below the profile card

Strade Bianche 2025, with thus twice the Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe in the finale

What happened to Monte Sante Marie in Strade Bianche?

The new route raised serious concerns among Strade Bianche traditionalists, particularly regarding the role of Monte Sante Marie. Previously considered the race’s key breaking point, this gravel sector was shifted from 50 km to 80 km from the finish in 2024. "Tactically, the new course diminishes the impact of Monte Sante Marie," Tadej Pogacar remarked. "If it were up to me, I would have structured it differently."

Pogacar made his own statement in last year’s race by attacking solo from Monte Sante Marie, almost as if to say: this will remain my territory. Reflecting on his decision, he admitted: "That wasn’t the plan, but the race situation called for it. If I hadn't attacked there, it would have been much harder to go solo later on. The climbs after Monte Sante Marie don't suit me as well as this one, so I made the decision in the moment. Once I had the gap, I had to go all in."

Read more below the video

Strade Bianche aims to become the 'Sixth Monument' with a race like the old days

The organizers of Strade Bianche clearly weren't discouraged by Pogacar's 2024 solo victory. In 2025, they are sticking to the same formula."We want to become a Monument. That means the race must be over 200 kilometers long. By adding extra distance, we want to make it even more epic—like a race from the past," explained RCS Sport boss Mauri Vegni last year.

These were the exact words that Tom Pidcock, who finished fourth, echoed at the finish line:"It was already full gas heading toward Monte Sante Marie, and after Tadej attacked, it felt like we were riding in the grupetto. I saw dead bodies everywhere. I have no words—it was like an old-school race, truly hardcore. At 140 kilometers, everyone was already dead. Normally, the race would have been 185 kilometers, but we still had 75 more to go."

Pidcock was almost speechless about the experience:"I don’t even know what to say—just what the f*ck. If the last 40 kilometers had been flat, you could still race. But now it was every man for himself, like an Ironman event." The 2023 Strade Bianche winner is perhaps Pogacar’s biggest challenger this Saturday, showing top form after switching from INEOS Grenadiers to Q36.5.

Read more below the photo.

Tom Pidcock after Strade Bianche in 2024, completely demolished

Will we see more of the grueling finale in Strade Bianche in 2025?

The big question remains: Will we see more of the race’s punishing finale this Saturday? Or will Pogacar cruise away again, while minutes behind him, riders struggle to reach the finish line, completely spent? The hope is that UAE’s star will hold back his attack a little longer, allowing the extended final loop to deliver the spectacle it was designed for. With Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe—both brutally steep—hitting the riders after 200 kilometers, this section has the potential to create complete chaos.

IDLProCycling.com set out to test this extra loop’s difficulty: 30 kilometers long and early 700 meters of elevation gain. Besides the two gravel climbs, the loop features rolling asphalt terrain, constantly going up and down—sometimes reaching gradients over 10%. It’s a grueling section, where anything can happen before the race heads into its traditional finale after Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe. So, don’t take Pogi’s words too seriously—listen to Pidcock instead.

Check our recon and judge for yourself!

Read also

Strade Bianche specialist Van Avermaet dismisses course discussion as nonsense: "Don't rule out Van der Poel and Van Aert"

Preview of Strade Bianche 2025 | Pogacar can show off his skills again, Van Aert, Van der Poel, Evenepoel and Vingegaard are absent

Team boss Matxin warns rivals of "an even better Pogacar": "We respect the competition, but..."

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Get every week the latest news about CYCLING in your inbox!

Subscribe