Strade Bianche 2025, March 8, one-day classic (men's)

[Krzysztof_O]

Keeping Jonas in a fermented glass jar on top of the vulcano for 3 months each spring. Great work Team SKY 3.0.

Maybe this is the only way to stop Teddy's tyranny!

 

[Coffeeplanter]

Haha what a funny way to say you're not looking forward to the race. Haha.

Ha.

Thanks friend, I appreciate it.

 

[Berniece]

I think it's still worth watching. Pogacar will win, but not like last year. He doesn't seem as in-form yet like he was last year.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I think it's still worth watching. Pogacar will win, but not like last year. He doesn't seem as in-form yet like he was last year.

He can get considerably better between UAE (which was likely still during his preparation period) and Strade. He didn't even compete in February last year so there's no comparison. I think a dominant solo is likely.

 

[Wyndbrook]

Well. If not one wants to watch it, I heartedly recommend the womens race instead.

 

[ingsve]

1. Pogacar
2. Van Gils
3. Healy
4. Madouas
5. Tulett

Bettiol to cramp after being in a top 5 position and Nordhagen to DNS

Actually Nordhagen is said to be fit for fight to make his season debut at Strade Bianche. He was interviewed for a Norwegian cycling podcast and this info was teased ahead of time. We'll know more once the podcast is released today.

It was said he had a fever during Oman and that they suspected he had mononucleosis. He has been training well in the past week.

 

[yaco]

Well. If not one wants to watch it, I heartedly recommend the womens race instead.

As someone who has watched every women's race from the Aussie National Championship, overall, the racing has been underwhelming. You are taking a chance if you expect a good race.

 

[MyFTP5.9w/kg]

Instead of complaining about the likely Pogacar dominance, what about asking Plugge why the hell they select their dev team to do one of the biggest one day's on the calender? Jorgenson would be 3rd favorite for this.

Dude. Jorgensen is going to Paris-Nice as the defending champion, which starts the day after the Strade. Even Pog skipped the Strade when he went to PN. Valter has finished 4th and 5th in the Strade in the past. He was sick last year, but normally he's a podium contender & I think he was promised to be the team leader for this race.

 

[yaNzKEWL]

Dude. Jorgensen is going to Paris-Nice as the defending champion, which starts the day after the Strade. Even Pog skipped the Strade when he went to PN. Valter has finished 4th and 5th in the Strade in the past. He was sick last year, but normally he's a podium contender & I think he was promised to be the team leader for this race.

Not so sure for Valter, Tulett is in better shape I think.

 

[Samamba]

Actually Nordhagen is said to be fit for fight to make his season debut at Strade Bianche. He was interviewed for a Norwegian cycling podcast and this info was teased ahead of time. We'll know more once the podcast is released today.

It was said he had a fever during Oman and that they suspected he had mononucleosis. He has been training well in the past week.

It isn't Saturday yet, plenty of time to get sick again.

 

[MyFTP5.9w/kg]

Not so sure for Valter, Tulett is in better shape I think.

Valter easily beats Tulett on Strade under normal circumstances, as he always does.

 

[yaNzKEWL]

Valter easily beats Tulett on Strade under normal circumstances, as he always does.

Don't have anterior data to confirm this as you said. At the moment, I have seen Valter in just two races with Tulett and Tulett was better, as he was better in Jaen than Wout. Valter has a great history with this race, the legs will speak to determine the leader but I won't be suprised if it's not 100% for Attila.

 

[Savant12]

Pog
+ 5 mins others

 

[Pozzovivo]

Dude. Jorgensen is going to Paris-Nice as the defending champion, which starts the day after the Strade. Even Pog skipped the Strade when he went to PN. Valter has finished 4th and 5th in the Strade in the past. He was sick last year, but normally he's a podium contender & I think he was promised to be the team leader for this race.

Dude, why go to PN as defending champion to ride in support of Jonas? Strade W is way more attractive than that. And he could easily do Tirreno instead right? This is the stuff that are so fustrating for fans who want to see competitive races among the best. Obviously it's a great shame that PN is not possible to combine with Strade - and this is UCI's fault. Shame on them too.

However, Visma consistently don't show up with their best riders to many of the biggest races every year (especially 1-day's) and we thus loose out on great racing. It's a real shame imo and Plugge can't stand there and complain when it is his choices that leads to this scenario time and again. Jorgenson should 100% be at Strade. So should Wout.

Valter and Benoot and whoever are fine riders, but the fact remain that they always, always, always are going to loose out by a large margin to the real players like Remco, Pog and MVDP in the big one-days. Visma knows this and didn't even pace after pogacar last year when they had 4 guys in a group of ~20. They simply don't even try to win.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Dude, why go to PN as defending champion to ride in support of Jonas? Strade W is way more attractive than that. And he could easily do Tirreno instead right? This is the stuff that are so fustrating for fans who want to see competitive races among the best. Obviously it's a great shame that PN is not possible to combine with Strade - and this is UCI's fault. Shame on them too.

However, Visma consistently don't show up with their best riders to many of the biggest races every year (especially 1-day's) and we thus loose out on great racing. It's a real shame imo and Plugge can't stand there and complain when it is his choices that leads to this scenario time and again. Jorgenson should 100% be at Strade. So should Wout.

Valter and Benoot and whoever are fine riders, but the fact remain that they always, always, always are going to loose out by a large margin to the real players like Remco, Pog and MVDP in the big one-days. Visma knows this and didn't even pace after pogacar last year when they had 4 guys in a group of ~20. They simply don't even try to win.

They don't want to admit but they are afraid of Pogacar. So they send their top riders to other races. They can't run away all season and one day they will have to face him (monuments and GTs).

 

[Wyndbrook]

As someone who has watched every women's race from the Aussie National Championship, overall, the racing has been underwhelming. You are taking a chance if you expect a good race.

I'll take my chance.

 

[Berniece]

They don't want to admit but they are afraid of Pogacar. So they send their top riders to other races. They can't run away all season and one day they will have to face him (monuments and GTs).

Lol, literally no team is afraid of Pogacar. No one is deliberately not riding races because Pogacar is riding them.

 

[Pozzovivo]

They don't want to admit but they are afraid of Pogacar. So they send their top riders to other races. They can't run away all season and one day they will have to face him (monuments and GTs).

Well it's a bit hard to believe that they actually are afraid of racing Pogacar. Like, is it really humiliating for Wout, Jonas and Jorgenson if Pogacar beats them at strade? I think it is more to do with Visma being a super rigid system.

My big frustration is that Visma also don't priotize ardennes and other hilly one days/monuments even though they have a super team (on paper) for that. I think it is because to do a one-day race you need to taper before and recover after - and that just equalls almost a week of "not optimal training" for them. A pathethic approach.

 

[Pozzovivo]

Lol, literally no team is afraid of Pogacar. No one is deliberately not riding races because Pogacar is riding them.

It's also my position, but how do you know that?

 

[Berniece]

It's also my position, but how do you know that?

You don't, but saying he's being avoided as the default is silly. He isn't being avoided, unless someone says it. Not the other way around.

Oh look, Pogacar was avoiding WVA at de Omloop, must be the only reason for this non-attendance.

 

[Pozzovivo]

You don't, but saying he's being avoided as the default is silly. He isn't being avoided, unless someone says it. Not the other way around.

Oh look, Pogacar was avoiding WVA at de Omloop, must be the only reason for this non-attendance.

I agree with you in general.

Must be said that Pog and Rog basically didn't race against each other for two years at Rog's peak. Now Pog and Jonas basically only meets at the Tour, and Remco vs Pog is a rare sight in one-weeks but they do typically want to race ardennes but injuries prevent them. While Rog and Jonas not been racing ardennes since 2021. This is super frustrating for me.

It may of course be Pog who is avoiding the others. I kinda think that sometimes.

 

[Froome]

They don't want to admit but they are afraid of Pogacar. So they send their top riders to other races. They can't run away all season and one day they will have to face him (monuments and GTs).

That's why Vingegaard will do Dauphine, Tour, and Vuelta.....guess what, just like pogacar.

 

[MyFTP5.9w/kg]

Dude, why go to PN as defending champion to ride in support of Jonas? Strade W is way more attractive than that. And he could easily do Tirreno instead right? This is the stuff that are so fustrating for fans who want to see competitive races among the best. Obviously it's a great shame that PN is not possible to combine with Strade - and this is UCI's fault. Shame on them too.

However, Visma consistently don't show up with their best riders to many of the biggest races every year (especially 1-day's) and we thus loose out on great racing. It's a real shame imo and Plugge can't stand there and complain when it is his choices that leads to this scenario time and again. Jorgenson should 100% be at Strade. So should Wout.

Valter and Benoot and whoever are fine riders, but the fact remain that they always, always, always are going to loose out by a large margin to the real players like Remco, Pog and MVDP in the big one-days. Visma knows this and didn't even pace after pogacar last year when they had 4 guys in a group of ~20. They simply don't even try to win.

A 26 year old guy with a total of 4 wins and this dude thinks Jorgenson is some kind of world beater who is being held back by Visma lmao.

 

[Pozzovivo]

A 26 year old guy with a total of 4 wins and this dude thinks Jorgenson is some kind of world beater who is being held back by Visma lmao.

He is a world class rider in his prime and the number of previous wins is irrelevant. Clearly top 10 rider imo. Closest rider to Pogacar in terms of versatility. Can conceivably win a GT and RVV. Only one other guy can do that.

Never said he was held back by Visma in terms of level. I said his race schedule is very strange given he can win Tirreno and podium Strade. Riding in support of Jonas in a race he won last year doesen't seem to be a good use of resources for me.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Well it's a bit hard to believe that they actually are afraid of racing Pogacar. Like, is it really humiliating for Wout, Jonas and Jorgenson if Pogacar beats them at strade? I think it is more to do with Visma being a super rigid system.

My big frustration is that Visma also don't priotize ardennes and other hilly one days/monuments even though they have a super team (on paper) for that. I think it is because to do a one-day race you need to taper before and recover after - and that just equalls almost a week of "not optimal training" for them. A pathethic approach.

Matteo is not racing SB because he (and Visma) knows he will race for second. It is better to help Vingegaard in PN and give him a boost before facing Pogacar in Tour-Vuelta. Vingegaard is Visma's only hope to win big races this year.