"After Tadej Pogacar attacked it felt like we were in the grupetto" - Stunned Tom Pidcock concedes defeat at Strade Bianche 2024

Coming into the Strade Bianche 2024 as defending champion, Tom Pidcock put up a brave effort to reclaim his victory. Sadly for the INEOS Grenadiers star, Tadej Pogacar was simply on another level.

"After Tadej attacked it felt like we were in the grupetto, to be honest," Pidcock reflected on the difference in class post-race with Eurosport. Pogacar attacked clear solo with over 80km still to go, leaving everyone in the dust en route to winning by nearly three minutes. "It was just dead bodies everywhere."

Pidcock eventually came home in 4th, missing out on a return to the podium. "I just waited too long. It was just too little too late you know," he analyses of his own performance. "If I'd played it a bit better I would have been second but yeah, I don't really have any words for that to be honest!"

For 2024, Strade Bianche added an extra 30km, making it the toughest version ever of one of cycling's already toughest races. "We were racing like it was still the old parcour!" Pidcock says. "The result would've been the same but if it had been the same distance though," he admits.