Strade Bianche defending champion Tom Pidock (Ineos Grenadiers) known as the prolonged 215km course pointless after an further 31 kilometres, and extra gravel sectors than ever have been added for the 2024 version.
Pidcock heads into the Italian one-day race because the second favorite behind 2022 winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Staff Emirates) after a powerful begin to his season at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the Volta ao Algarve.
“Is it mandatory? No,” mentioned Pidcock bluntly to reporters together with Cyclingnews on the wet workforce presentation on Friday. “However, you realize, folks’s remark about this race was all the time that it isn’t lengthy sufficient.
“I do not suppose a race must be lengthy for it to be epic, so yeah, we’ll see. It is courageous additionally, to alter a course like this. We are able to make extra of a choice about that after tomorrow’s race.
“The course adjustments could have a huge impact on the dynamics of the race. The race did not ask for extra kilometres, however it would undoubtedly be harder. 40km to go after Le Tolfe looks like an extended approach to go.”
In 2023, Pidcock made his eventual race-winning transfer on the Monte Sante Marie gravel descent, 45km out from the Piazza Del Campo in Siena, whereas Pogačar the 12 months prior was alone simply over 50km from the road after a equally audacious assault.
The additional kilometres make it appear unlikely that anybody will get away earlier than taking within the now double loop of the Colle Pinzuto gravel climb and Le Tolfe sector, which start after 168km of the boys’s race this 12 months.
In whole, there are actually 15 sectors on the white Tuscan gravel roads as a substitute of 11, and the race will now surpass the psychological 200km barrier.
Pidcock acknowledged he gained’t be feeling the warmth of the Slovenian or anybody else in the course of the race because the defending champion and {that a} stable opening stint to 2024 places him in good stead to problem for victory.
“I am trying ahead to it, similar to final 12 months. I’ve had a extremely good run as much as the race, an extended coaching block, and few races to start out the 12 months the place I’ve been steadily build up,” mentioned Pidcock in a press release launched by Ineos Grenadiers.
“It is attention-grabbing to start out a race because the final winner, however I do not really feel any further strain. It’s what it’s. In fact, I will probably be watched extra, however it does not change how I’ll race.”
The rain-soaked presentation on the Fortezza Medicea in Siena wasn’t off-putting for the multi-discipline star, who’s greater than used to the rain and gravel as a former cyclocross World Champion and present MTB cross-country World Champion.
“Nicely, to be sincere, it [the rain] does not make a lot distinction,” Pidcock mentioned. “You already know, folks suppose the rain is gonna make it tougher, however it means it is truly grippier on the gravel.
“I feel a moist one could be fairly thrilling, however possibly we gained’t fairly get that.”
The present forecast in Tuscany suggests a moist race is unlikely, however that might nicely change in a single day.
Pidcock leads a powerful Ineos workforce alongside fellow former winner Michał Kwiatkowski, Thymen Arensman, Kim Heiduk, Salvatore Puccio, Magnus Sheffield and Geraint Thomas, who hasn’t raced the Italian Traditional since 2019.
