Simmons disgusted by attitude towards Pogacar despite painful experience: "Then all that sh*t means nothing!"

He may look eccentric, but Quinn Simmons has a soft heart. Still only 23 years old, the American was unable to show his full potential for a long time due to a lingering concussion. However, after a strong winter, Simmons hopes to return to the front in his favorite race. IDLProCycling.com spoke with the outspoken climber, who is taking Strade Bianche very seriously—and fears no one on Saturday.

Simmons' passion for the Tuscan classic is strong—and that’s surprising, considering he hasn’t had much luck in the race so far. On his debut in 2021, he rode among the best for a long time before suffering a flat tire. A year later, he still managed to finish seventh. In 2023, he finished 12th after mechanical issues, while last year, a crash forced an early DNF. Now, at just 23 years old, he’s already making his fifth appearance in the race. Will the fifth time be the charm for him?

If Simmons falls short this time, it won’t be due to lack of preparation. He has spent the entire week in Italy. "I rented a nice house in the hills, and my parents and girlfriend came with me. I’ve really enjoyed training in Tuscany, with amazing weather. Of course, you do course recons and get a feel for the parcours, but it’s also nice to not be in a hotel with the team for once. This feels more normal—especially when you spend most of the year so far from home. I’ve really enjoyed my time here with my family."

Read more below the photo.

Simmons calls new Strade Bianche finale "better"

Likewise, Simmons had plenty of time to recon the Strade Bianche course, including the new 30-kilometer final loop, which was introduced in 2024. "I didn’t make it to the final loop last year, but based on the recon and what I’ve seen on TV, the course is better now. There was some criticism that making a race too hard isn’t always a good thing, but if Strade Bianche wants to be a major classic, then this is the way to go."

"The Monuments and the World Championships are always 260 kilometers or more—213 kilometers isn’t that long," he explained. "I always train hard and long, so for me, the distance itself isn’t usually the problem. The challenge has always been making it to the finale. If I’m still with the front group in the last 50 kilometers, then I have confidence. What worries me more are the accelerations before the final—it’s about surviving those."

Read more below the photo.

Simmons did not make it to the final of Strade Bianche last year (as U.S. champion)

Simmons dares to dream of victory (and following Pogacar)

When Simmons talks about accelerations, he’s obviously referring to Tadej Pogacar, who blew the race apart last year 80 kilometers from the finish on Monte Sante Marie—never to be seen again. "Hopefully, the race opens up before Monte Sante Marie for me, so I don’t have to try and follow him there, haha. If I do, I don’t know if that will end well," he said with a laugh. Then, shifting to a serious tone: "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."

"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," Simmons said, fully motivated. "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."

That’s the mindset we like to hear. But we’ve seen plenty of riders try to challenge Pogacar—almost all of them have paid the price. "I tried following Pogacar 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."

Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])     

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