"Many riders wait until Tadej goes, but then it's actually too late" - Gianni Vermeersch unable to stop inevitable Pogacar at Strade Bianche 2025

Even without Wout van Aert, three Belgian riders secured top-ten finishes at Strade Bianche, but once again, the race was dominated by Tadej Pogacar, who delivered another stunning performance on the gravel roads of Tuscany. The sheer intensity of the race pushed many riders to their limits, with the final hour proving to be a true test of endurance.

Gianni Vermeersch secured an excellent seventh place, a result that left him satisfied but still with a sense of what could have been, as he spoke to Nieuwsblad after the race.

"I said beforehand that top ten would be great, so I'm very happy with seventh place. When it split in our chasing group I had just been behind a water bottle. Too bad, but I already felt cramps coming. The light went out for a moment."

Vermeersch, like many others, acknowledged the difficulty of responding to Pogacar’s attacks, which often come too late for most to react. The Slovenian, once again was on another level today.

"Many riders wait until Tadej goes, but then it's actually too late. The Strade has always been one of my favourite races. I was fourteenth once, but this seventh place means just that little bit more and I'm going to cherish it."