"I'll wait for Del Toro to make the first move" - Is Tadej Pogacar bluffing ahead of Strade Bianche?

Tadej Pogacar lines up at the 2026 Strade Bianche this Saturday aiming to open his season on the front foot and defend last year’s win on Tuscany’s white roads. The Slovenian sounded upbeat before the start of Strade Bianche and fully aware of the demands of returning to a race where expectations are always high around him and his UAE teammate Isaac del Toro.

The world’s best rider said he feels ready to kick off his campaign. “I’m feeling great and excited to start the season here at Strade Bianche. It’s a big challenge,” he told CyclingPro.Net on the eve of the race.

Pogacar also acknowledged that pressure comes with being the favourite, though he doesn’t see it as any different from previous years. “It’s no secret that every year I expect to perform well in every race, especially at Strade. Fans expect it, the team expects it, so there’s always some pressure. It’s nothing new, and I hope the legs are up to those expectations,” he said.

The 2026 route features a few tweaks from last year, with fewer sterrato sectors. Two gravel sections have been removed, cutting the dirt mileage by around 17 kilometres. Even so, Pogacar feels the course is very similar to two years ago.

The Slovenian recalled that in 2025 there were more gravel sectors, something he particularly enjoyed. However, he again pointed to a feature he likes less: the roughly 30-kilometre finishing circuit including the climbs of Pinzutto and Tolfe. “When they added that final 30-kilometre circuit with the climbs to Pinzutto and Tolfe I was always against it. Then last year they added more gravel, which was fine, and now they’ve removed that gravel but kept the final circuit,” he explained.

Despite that, the defending champion accepts the route as it is. “Every time I recon that part I think it’s a bit boring, but it’s still a race and it’s part of the course. We can’t change it and we accept it as it is. It’s still a beautiful race,” he said.

On tactics, Pogacar kept his cards close to his chest and answered with a smile when asked when he might launch his move. “I’ll wait for Del Toro to make the first move,” he joked.

The Slovenian also highlighted the strong atmosphere within the team and a shared ambition to win. “We have a very good vibe in the team. We’re here with one goal: to win the race. For my part it doesn’t matter who it is, as long as it’s someone from UAE,” he said.

He also sounded pleased to race alongside Isaac del Toro, one of the Emirati squad’s young talents. “We don’t race together much and tomorrow is a good day to do it,” he added.

On what to expect from the Mexican, Pogacar was clear: “Like in every race, he’ll be a pure bull, as his surname says. He’ll show good legs.”