Strade Bianche, cycling celebration: Pogacar wins after falling, gets up and leaves Pidcock behind
One of the events that has become a classic and much loved by champions. The women's race has seen some of the best in the world compete. Emotions in the men's race
Pidcock's victory with arms raised at Strade Bianche 2025 (Photo Lazzeroni)
Siena, March 8, 2025 – Tadej Pogacar wins the 2025 edition of the Strade Bianche: a race as always stratospheric for the Slovenian, who also falls quite violently. He scratches and injures himself, but gets back in the saddle and not only catches up with Pidcock with whom he was in the breakaway, but he leaves him on the climb and goes on to win with over a minute of advantage. Pidcock himself is second, while Tim Wellens places third. A special day for the Strade Bianche.
For the women, Vollering won the race that took place in the morning. The best men and women of the international road cycling scene were competing to conquer glory. A competition that is increasingly loved by the people and from the runners themselves, who choose it precisely for its charm. A race characterized by sectors of dirt roads in the Sienese countryside. A showcase for Tuscany on live TV.
UAE Emirates takes the podium at Strade Bianche 2025. First place for a great Tadej pogacar and third place for his teammate Tim Wellens, who in the last kilometers managed to consolidate third place. Second place for the 2023 winner of the race, that is tom pidcock protagonist not only on the road, but also in cyclocross and mountain biking. A multidisciplinary rider who sees the Strade Bianche as one of his favorite races precisely because of the dirt sections. Pidcock, after years at Ineos Grenadiers, has been a standard-bearer for the Q36.5 Pro Cycling team since this year. It should be noted that for Pogacar, who wins the race for the second time in a row, this is the third success at the Strade Bianche.
For the second year in a row, Tadej Pogacar wins the Strade Bianche. It is the first time that a rider has won two years in a row. And it is the first time that a reigning world champion has crossed the finish line first in Piazza del Campo. Despite the fall that almost compromised everything, Pogacar leaves Pidcock and wins with over a minute of advantage.
We are in the final part of the race. There are six km left and pogacar has a lead of one minute and 13 seconds over Pidcock. At one minute and 52 instead there is Tim Wellens, Pogacar's teammate at Uae, who is thus trying to get on the podium. The passage in the last stretch of dirt road was spectacular, with lots of people on the side of the road to follow the race. It should be remembered that the Granfondo for amateurs starts on the morning of Sunday 9 March.
With 18 km to go, Pogacar sets off. The Slovenian leaves Pidcock on the climb of sector 15, the second passage on Pinzuto Glue. A lot of people on the side of the road cheer on Pogacar, who, as he has done many other times, leaves his opponent there and attacks in a very violent manner, remaining alone.
26 km from the end Pidcock and Pogacar I'm always in the lead of the race. The first chase group he is about a minute away, the second group is a minute and thirty. Pogacar seems to have absorbed the blow he took fifty km from the finish. A bad fall in any case, with the bicycle that slipped on a curve and made him fall. The scratches and tears on the white world champion bodysuit of the Slovenian are notable.
Incredible action by Pogacar, who after the fall manages to immediately get back on the bike. And soon he is back together with pidcock. There are forty km to go and the two runners are in the lead. They seem to be the two contenders for the final victory. Behind them is the first group one minute away. pogacar He has torn shorts and some abrasions. But he doesn't seem to have been affected by the fall.
Pogacar falls fifty kilometers from the finish. A dramatic turn of events, with Pogacar ending up in the grass and having to get up again. A bad fall: on a curve, during a bend, Pogacar's bike slipped off and the Slovenian fell. He got up immediately and now has to chase a Pidcock who went straight.
There are 66 km to go and in the lead there is a small group with three riders: Pidcock, Connor Swift and favorite Tadej Pogacar. The three have a lead of one minute and 16 seconds on the group. Nice fair play gesture by Pogacar, who at a refreshment point passes a water bottle to Pidcock himself, his main antagonist of the day. "All the pressure is on the Uae - Pidcock had said at the start - I'm here to play my chance".
While the leading group sees its advantage diminish, in the chasing group Pogacar's Uae continues to make a very tough selection. We are 78 km from the end and the impression is that Pogacar wants to go. In reality, the one who starts is Pidcock, another of the favorites. Counter-response from Pogacar. The race has definitely entered the heart of the matter.
Time Left 93 km at the end for the men's race. The head of the race sees six men who have an advantage of about a minute and fifty on the main group, in which there is Tadej Pogacar. His Uae Tour leads this group and helps the champion, favorite for the race, to stay in the leading areas.
Time Left 93 km at the end for the men's race. The head of the race sees six men who have an advantage of about a minute and fifty on the main group, in which there is Tadej Pogacar. His Uae Tour leads this group and helps the champion, favorite for the race, to stay in the leading areas. At the same time, the Uae is also making a great selection, keeping the pace particularly high. In fact, the group is thinning out precisely for this selection.
The Strade Bianche is experiencing another highlight, with the men's race coming to life. The athlete to beat can only be Tadej pogacar, winner last year. There are over eighty kilometers of dirt road, 81 to be precise. The double passage on the Tolfe is one of the most spectacular moments of this 2025 race.
E' Demi Vollering to win the women's Strade Bianche. On the final climb she showed all her class against Van der Breggen. Vollering entered alone in Piazza del Campo in Siena, enjoying the applause of the public in a packed Piazza del Campo. Second Strade Bianche won by Vollering. The race was won by Vollering covering the 136 km at an average speed of 35.7 km per hour. Third place for Ferrand Prevot.
The two leading athletes enter the final kilometer. An exciting race for the women, with a duel between two Vollering and Van der Breggen to conquer the scepter of the challenge. The story of Van der Breggen is particular, she had stopped with cycling becoming a sports director and then returned to the races. Now it is all a mental race between the two.
We are at the showdown in the women's race. Two athletes in the lead with Vollering and Van der Breggen. The other seven are slightly detached. It is the last ten km of the race. A frenetic pace for the two in front, who have a 27-second advantage over the seven athletes.
There are all the best in the leading group which is now 17 km from the finish. There are Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Demi Vollering, Mavi García: all the best of international pedaling. The champions battle in the dust on one of the last stretches of dirt before the finish.
Elisa Longo Borghini breaks away from the leading group. She therefore gives up on fighting with the best. Her physical condition does not seem good and therefore she abandons her dreams of glory, one of the most anticipated Italian athletes. In the meantime, there are 18 km to go to the finish line.
There are 26 km to go in the women's race. The weather is rewarding the race. It is a sunny day with some clouds. The leading group has an advantage of one minute and 16 seconds on the chasing group. The leading group is made up of six athletes.
There are forty km to go in the women's race. A small group of the best are in the lead. Missing in the race Lotte Kopeky, the super champion and always protagonist of the Strade Bianche. She has decided not to be in the race and will start her season with the Milano Sanremo. Elisa Longo Borghini, eagerly awaited for the challenge, is not in the first group, which for the moment remains covered.
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