Tadej Pogacar at the start of Strade Bianche: "The shape in UAE was good so I hope the legs are also going to be good today"

UAE Team Emirates are currently racing Strade Bianche with big ambitions. With Tadej Pogacar and Alessandro Covi leading the team, they will have the numbers to put on the pressure on rival teams but also the firepower to break their main rivals in the uphill sections.

"I don't know there are a lot of favourites here, after UAE Tour we'll see, it's a different race. The shape in UAE was good so I hope the legs are also going to be good today. The wind is complicated in the gravel roads, specially on downhills so it's going to be complicated I hope there aren't too many complications," Pogacar said at the start in Siena, aware of the effects the weather can have today.

"I love this race I will not regret anything even if I don't finish the race," he affirmed.

"Yeah it's a different challenge, I like the challenge it's fun, it's different racing than a normal race. I'm going to enjoy today. Unfortunately we came late from UAE, I just arrived yesterday. I did this race three times, did some trainings here so I know the course, how the gravel feels, we will see. I learned a lot, and I hope today I can use this experience, " he answers, upon being asked if he had done a recon of the course on which the answer was negative. The Slovenian is not concerned however as he has acquired a lot of experience throughout the last few seasons where he's raced the Italian event.