Strade Bianche 2024

March 2, 2024 The organizers extended the route an extra 30KM to its longest version in history and a wet edition would make it very selective. UAE made the race very difficult and left only about thirty riders at the front with over 90KM to go. Quinn Simmons of Lidl-Trek made the most of a moment of calm and went solo from the peloton in an attempt to anticipate the moves by the main leaders. The lull was not long however as Ineos picked up the pace on Monte Santa Marie, catching Simmons early on the sector. Tim Wellens of UAE set a very high pace Monte Santa Marie, splitting the lead group in half. Tadej Pogačar attacked on a slight uphill out of Wellens' wheel at 81KM to go and no one would follow. Just 8KM later, Pogačar had over a minute and a half on the main group of chasers and over a minute of Maxim Van Gils Lotto-Dstny who was stuck in the middle. Van Gils would eventually be caught as the Ineos led group stabilized the gap to Pogačar. At 59KM remaining, Ineos stopped pulling and attacks started again. Catching Pogačar was now out of the question, so teams started to think about the podium spots. Van Gils got away again, then Toms Skujiņš of Lidl-Trek did as well. Skujiņš caught Van Gils at 20KM to go and they rode to finish together. Skujiņš was able to make a small gap on the final climb up to Il Campo to take second with Van Gils in third. Last year's winner Tom Pidcock of Ineos was next across the line in fourth. Pogačar's performance was nothing short of spectacular and may be the most impressive and dominant Classics win in decades.