Tadej Pogačar has confirmed he will be “racing for the win” when he makes his season debut at Strade Bianche on Saturday, convinced that he and his UAE Team Emirates teammates are on form for the hilly and spectacular race on Tuscan gravel roads.
Pogačar has been training at home in Monaco in recent weeks as rivals Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard impressed with early-season stage races. Fellow Slovenian Primoz Roglič will also make his debut this weekend at Paris-Nice on Sunday, the last of the big four Tour de France contenders to start his season.
Pogačar is targeting the Giro-Tour double and so will target fewer Classics in 2024 but he is keen to show his form is on par with that of his rivals. Strade Bianche holds special memories after his 50km solo attack and triumph in Siena in 2022 and he is arguably the favourite this year despite not having yet raced.
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“Strade is a race I love and have great memories of,” Pogačar said when he was confirmed as UAE Team Emirates leader.
“I’ve been patient and taken a bit of a slower approach to this year and started racing a bit later. It’s going to be a long season, including two Grand Tours, so new territory for me in that regard. But I’m excited by the prospect, it’s something new.
“My preparation has been really good and we’ll be racing for the win. You never know exactly how you’ll be in the first races and there will be big rivals but I think with our team we can be ready for anything.”
UAE Team Emirates have won ten races so far in 2024 but have still to win a WorldTour race. Simon Yates crashed out of the UAE Tour and then Brandon McNulty and Jay Vine cracked on the final stage to Jebel Hafeet.
UAE Team Emirates are hoping that Pogačar or a teammate can win on Saturday, on the longer and hillier 215 km race route, that covers the final loop of dirt roads and climbs amongst the Chianti vineyards twice.
Also in the UAE Team Emirates line-up are Tim Wellens, Marc Hirschi and Tour Down Under revelation Isaac Del Toro. They will be supported by new signing Filippo Baroncini, Domen Novak and talented 19-year-old Swiss neo-pro Jan Christen. Wellens impressed at Opening Weekend, bridging up to the break on the Muur at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and then placing second behind Wout van Aert at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne.
Pogačar last raced on October 7, when he won a third consecutive Il Lombardia and ended the season as the number one ranked rider in the world. A new season brings new goals and new ambitions, with Pogačar also opting for a new race programme that should allow him to peak for the Giro-Tour double and then the end of season World Championships in Switzerland.
Pogačar won't stay in Italy for Tirreno-Adriatico but he will ride Milan-San Remo before travelling to Spain for the Volta a Catalunya. He will not defend his 2023 Tour of Flanders title, instead spending much of April at altitude to prepare for the Giro d’Italia.
Strade Bianche represents Pogačar’s latest ever start to the racing season.
“Tadej loves to race. He can’t wait to race and to see how he fares against the other riders,” UAE Team Emirates team manager Mauro Gianetti told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“He had more time off this winter but it was needed after his 2023 season. He’s going well for his season debut but we don’t want to put too much pressure on him. But we also know he’s used to surprising us all…”
