Pogacar, Pidcock, Simmons, and Carapaz talk about winning—The rest don’t: Here’s what the Strade Bianche favorites are saying

The Italian cycling season already had a warm-up with Trofeo Laigueglia, but on Saturday, the real action begins with Strade Bianche. Tadej Pogacar—who else?—is the overwhelming favorite at the start. However, plenty of challengers will be lurking, hoping that a bit of luck could turn them into the surprise of the day. On the eve of the race, the contenders shared their thoughts in Siena.

First up, the top favorite. Pogacar has already won Strade Bianche twice and is eager to make it three on Saturday. His enthusiasm on the eve of the race was unmistakable. "It’s a magnificent race. My family and friends come here to watch, which gives me extra motivation to race in the rainbow jersey. It’s one of the most important WorldTour races on the calendar. I have so many great memories here, so I just love coming back. Simple as that," said the world champion.

Last year, Pogacar won with a solo attack from over 80 kilometers out, so naturally, he was asked if he might go even earlier this time. "Probably not, because that would be too far from the finish," Pogi laughed, brushing off the question. But where will he attack then? That remains a mystery. One thing is certain—he’s excited about the extra gravel sector added to the course. "Now there’s a really long section of the race on gravel. It makes the race more open and harder, but also increases the chances of bad luck."

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Even Pidcock knows: "But Tadej is Tadej"

The biggest challenger to Pogacar is none other than Tom Pidcock. The Q36.5 rider is not settling for a battle for second place. "If you can stay with Tadej when he goes, that’s when the real race begins—and that’s why I’m here," Pidcock said confidently. "I didn’t come here aiming for second place from the start. I’m in good form, and I trust that once the race begins."

Still, Pidcock knows he’s facing an incredibly tough challenge—beating a man who seems almost unbeatable. "It’s good for my confidence that people see me as Pogacar’s main challenger, but Tadej is Tadej. My goal is to win, but I have no idea if that’s possible. Let’s just hope we don’t get another hailstorm—then it could be an epic race."

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Del Toro—A Shadow Leader?

Pidcock isn’t just up against Pogacar if he wants to take down UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Isaac Del Toro impressed during the recon ride, keeping pace with his team leader. The Mexican talent is certainly one of the shadow favorites—and he knows it. But he remains humble. "I’m here to do my job," he told IDLProCycling.com. "We hope to have the legs to execute the plan, but it’s a tough race, and we’ll need a bit of luck. It’s going to be a brutal day, but we’re ready for it."

Although his main role is to support Pogacar, the young Mexican secretly dreams of his own big result. "In my wildest dreams, I’m up there with the best, but my first goal is to go all-in for Tadej. If we’ve done that and Tadej is up front, maybe we can start playing with the others. We have so many strong riders, and I’d love to fight for a win one day. But I’m not putting that pressure on myself now—let’s just see how it goes."

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Simmons is very clear: "I’m Here to Win."

Speaking of true outsiders—enter Quinn Simmons. The Lidl-Trek rider finished in the top 10 at Strade Bianche in 2022 and, despite Pogacar's presence, has a clear goal this year. "Of course, I’m starting to win. I’ve said many times before—if you start a race with the ambition to finish second, then you have no chance of winning," the American told this new outlet.

"Maybe I only have a one percent chance to win, but I’m going all in on that one percent the moment I step off the bus. Looking at my power meter, I know I’m personally stronger than ever. That still might not be enough to keep up, but I’m not going to sit here and say it’s impossible. Otherwise, why would I get up every morning, train in the cold, and go on all those altitude camps? If you don’t race to win, all that training and suffering would be pointless," Simmons added in no uncertain terms.

At just 23 years old, Simmons has already tried following Pogacar in a race before. "I tried that at the World Championships, and it nearly sent me straight to the team bus. I eventually recovered and still finished in a decent spot. Trying to follow Pogacar probably cost me a medal—without that move, I would have been fighting for silver or bronze. But this is a sport where only first place is remembered."

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Hirschi knows as Pogacar’s former teammate: "You also need luck."

When it comes to dangerous outsiders, Marc Hirschi is a name that can’t be overlooked. The Swiss rider knows Pogacar well, having been his teammate at UAE Team Emirates for several years until last season. On Saturday, he will be keeping a close eye on his former teammate. "He’s incredibly strong. You also just need some luck. In this race, you can easily get a flat tire or get caught in a crash. So many things can happen—you never know what will unfold. I think that’s his biggest risk," Hirschi said, emphasizing the role of luck in Strade Bianche.

According to Hirschi, Strade Bianche is a race with very specific dynamics, as the gravel sectors can cause all kinds of trouble. "In the first phase, it’s crucial to stay out of trouble. If you run into problems early on, you have to spend a lot of energy, and then it becomes a very long race," explained the Swiss rider, who also believes in his own chances. "If a lot of groups form in the finale, it could become tactically very interesting. Then, you really have to believe in yourself—because anything can happen."

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Van Eetvelt stays realistic: "That’s the best I can aim for."

Who else? Lennert Van Eetvelt is another name that belongs on the list of Strade Bianche outsiders. The Lotto rider made his debut in the race last year and delivered an impressive 11th-place finish. "This year, we can expect a much faster race than last year," Van Eetvelt predicted in a press release.

As for his form, the Belgian feels confident. "I feel good, but a race like Strade is always very unpredictable. I hope to play a role in the final. I managed that last year, so I want to do even better this time. A top-5 finish would be great, and a podium would be even better. I think that’s the best I can aim for."

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Big ambitions for Carapaz and EF: "We want to win"

EF Education-EasyPost is bringing a serious contender to Strade Bianche, with Richard Carapaz as the team’s clear leader. The Ecuadorian has raced Strade Bianche four times before, but his best result so far is 30th place in 2022. Despite that, Carapaz is feeling confident. "I’m looking forward to it because I feel really good. My legs feel great after a strong winter, and I’ve already done the recon," he announced.

There’s no debate about the tougher course for Carapaz. As a climber, he naturally welcomes the extra gravel sector and the added elevation gain. "This edition is even tougher than the last one, with an extra gravel sector. But Strade Bianche is also won through good positioning and staying out of trouble. We want to win, and with an experienced team, we can make that happen. I feel ready—now we just have to hope for the best."

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"We’ll see what Pogacar has in store for us," says Kwiatkowski

Are there any former winners who might be able to challenge Pogacar? If so, Michal Kwiatkowski seems to be the best bet this year. The INEOS Grenadiers rider has won twice in Siena—just like Pogacar!—and with his experience, he might be able to put the Slovenian under pressure. Although the course has changed significantly since 2017 (when Kwiatkowski last won Strade Bianche), the Pole doesn’t consider himself without a chance.

"We’re mainly going to focus on our own race, like staying out of trouble. After that, we’ll see what Tadej has in store for us," Kwiatkowski said realistically. "He’s the best rider in the world and the biggest favorite for the win. We’ll have to adapt to his way of racing. We need to figure out how to be at our best and how to find a way to win this race."

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