“I’m a bit starstruck” – Tadej Pogacar receives Strade Bianche tribute alongside childhood hero Fabian Cancellara

On the gravel roads outside Siena, Tadej Pogacar was given a rare honour in cycling before the 2026 edition of Strade Bianche. One of the race’s decisive sterrato sectors has now officially been dedicated to the Slovenian star, marking his remarkable success on the Tuscan white roads.

The newly named sector is Colle Pinzuto, a 2.4-kilometre gravel climb that regularly plays a decisive role in the finale before the race returns to Siena. A stone monument was unveiled at the roadside to mark the tribute, recognising Pogacar’s three victories in the race and placing him among the most influential riders in its history.

Standing beside the monument during the unveiling ceremony, Pogacar admitted the moment felt slightly surreal.

“I’m a bit starstruck,” he said. “As a kid, I really looked up to Fabian. It was incredible to watch him ride Strade Bianche. As a teenager, I wouldn’t even have dared to dream that this would happen to me.”

The tribute places Pogacar alongside Fabian Cancellara, who previously received similar recognition after his own dominant run in the race. Cancellara, a three-time winner himself, was present at the ceremony as Pogacar’s name was formally attached to the Colle Pinzuto sector.

For Pogacar, the honour carries a significance that goes beyond the usual trophies awarded after a race.

“I hope the stone stays here forever,” he said. “And that nobody steals it, or that nature doesn’t make it disappear. It’s something special. Something completely different from a trophy after a race.”

The Slovenian has forged a particularly strong connection with Strade Bianche in recent seasons, repeatedly using the race’s gravel climbs to launch decisive attacks that have reshaped the outcome.

While the ceremony recognised past achievements, Pogacar’s focus quickly returned to the race itself. The world champion arrives in Tuscany once again among the favourites for victory as he prepares to take on the sterrato roads leading back to Siena.

“I hope I’m ready,” he said. “I worked hard and well during the winter, and I’m looking forward to racing.”

The Colle Pinzuto sector, where the monument now stands, could again prove pivotal during the race. Positioned late in the route, the climb has often been the launch point for decisive moves before the final push towards the Piazza del Campo.

Pogacar hinted he will once again be looking to race aggressively when the action reaches that point.

“Will anyone still be on my wheel here? I mostly hope nobody is in front of me.”

Despite his dominance in the race, Pogacar is aware that the competition continues to evolve. One of the riders he singled out ahead of the race was Paul Seixas, whose recent performances have attracted attention across the peloton.

“Paul Seixas? He’s riding very well. I’m curious to see what he can do.”

With his name now permanently etched into one of Strade Bianche’s most famous sectors, Pogacar returns to the white roads of Tuscany not only as the race’s most recent dominant figure but as a rider whose legacy is now quite literally written into its landscape.