Tadej Pogacar begins 2024 season with ride for the ages at Strade Bianche, taking three-minute victory after 81km solo demonstration

Tadej Pogacar is back and back with a bang! Although starting the day pre-race favourite, who could have foreseen the UAE Team Emirates leader taking an incredible 81km solo victory in his first race of the season at Strade Bianche 2024?

After an early group went clear it looked like a breakaway would be formed. When it was realised that Toms Skujins had made the break however, UAE Team Emirates quickly made an effort to get things regrouped and as the TV cameras started rolling with just over 90km to go, things were all back together.

When we say things were all back together, this was far from a conventionally sized peloton at the head of the race. Numerous big names were already struggling and notable riders such as Soudal - Quick-Step duo Julian Alaphilippe and Paul Magnier had abandoned.

Then, with 81km to go, Tadej Pogacar decided to thin things down even further at the front, attacking clear solo.

Just a matter of moments later, Pogacar had already stretched into a lead of over a minute from the chasing pack and despite the fact there was still 75km to go, it seemed as if it could be race over already.

Maxim van Gils attempted to bridge the gap but with the risk of being stuck in no man's land, the Lotto Dstny rider was soon waiting back for the bunch, nearly two minutes down on Pogacar with 70km to go.

Despite a counter-attack led by Romain Bardet and Benoit Cosnefroy, with 50km to go, Pogacar's lead had extended to an incredible 2:40.

Heading into the final 15km, behind the runaway Slovenian, Maxim van Gils and Toms Skujins were the closest challengers over three minutes down with the main 'peloton' (group of less than 20 riders) almost five minutes behind.

Last year's winner, Tom Pidcock made a last-gasp attempt to make the podium, attacking from the chase group so with 10km to go, the situation was Pogacar three minutes clear, then van Gils and Skujins with Pidcock somewhere in between that duo and the main chase group.

With Pogacar able to ease towards the finish line with a 5km warm down and soak in the adulation of the fans, the enormity of what a performance this was, really cannot be overstated.

In the fight for second, Skujins out fought van Gils to take the next step on the podium with Pidcock holding off the chase group to take fourth.