Strade Bianche 2024 men's race as it happened - Tadej Pogacar cruises to victory after audacious solo attack 81km out

Maxim Van Gils makes his move on the climb, but Skujins is fighting back and overhauls Van Gils. Second place looks like it's going to come down to experience, as he becomes the first Latvian on the podium here and his best one-day result at this level. The best of the rest, and that's not nothing. Van Gils finishes in third place, with Pidcock a minute or so back.

He crosses the line and the clock stops 5 hours 19 minutes and 45 seconds since setting out this morning. That was quite something.

How many ways are there to say that? How many superlatives are left to apply to this man? He's just got that steep ramp to come but he can afford to take it far more easily than most have before him.

A grimace from Pogacar, and a fist raised towards the camera. He's as comfortable as it's possible for a rider to be who's just ridden 78km on his own. Group four on the road is down to five riders. They, as all of them and us, can only admire what has been an exhibition for the ages.

I mean, not quite but they're within the Siena limits and the end is very much nigh. It doesn't look like Pidcock is going to link up with Skujins and Van Gils, who have raced very well today. In fact it seems more likely that Pidcock will be reabsorbed by the bunch.

Much thicker than they were first time round (the spectator volume, not the riders) the question is whether there'll be an attack before they enter the city limits or will wait to be separated by that paved climb up to the Piazza del Campo.

And Pogacar has a FIVE minute lead over the peloton. Three minutes on Skujins and Van Gils, four over Pidcock. Bonkers.

Too little too late? He's got a lot of work to do to make it across to the riders occupying the virtual podium.

It's the second passage of Colle Pinzuto, and the same crowds are enjoying the same rider, slightly more fatigued but no less in control than the last time they saw him.

Good for both riders, who can assist each other.

Pogacar has 4.29 over the biggest group left in the race, and less than that only over solo riders Maxim Van Gils, Toms Skujins, and Magnus Sheffield (Ineos Grenadiers.) I know this has been over for a long while, but it really is over. Podium for Skujins, though?

Ineos Grenadiers give chase.

And it's the first one that Tim Wellens has missed, but he should tag onto it. And tbh it doesn't really seem like it's going anywhere. Carry on with painting the spare bedroom, or whatever you were doing.

On the dodgy left-hander that caught out a couple of the female riders earlier. He unclips his left pedal, and briefly off-roads on the right but stays upright. He's 20 seconds ahead of the bunch headed by Davide Formolo (Movistar.)

700m long and brand new to Strade Bianche. He's now ridden 45km on his own.

38KM TO GO: NO, STRADE BIANCHE IS NOT A MONUMENT

Who says so? Me, two years ago. (And who won that day, hmm?)

Maxim Van Gils, who we saw a fair bit of earlier, propels himself out of the field in an effort to, at the very least, split the pack. There's nothing to be gained from a pack this big.

As last year's second place rider Valentin Madouas tries an attack out of the bunch. Pogacar is more than TWO kilometres in front of them.