Pogačar’s Strava numbers and power data strike fear — but Seixas also enters alien territory

Could Pogačar really be the best rider in the race on his very first race day of the season? Riders such as Isaac Del Toro and Seixas were in top form, but it still was not enough. On Sante Marie, the world champion accelerated, and the teenage Frenchman blew up on his wheel. From that point on, it was effectively race over, and that is hardly surprising: on Sante Marie, Pogačar absolutely destroyed every record.

Across the full 11.5-kilometre sector, he was no fewer than 30 seconds faster than Seixas, and 52 seconds quicker than Romain Grégoire, the next name on Strava. A time of 18:19 means an average speed of 37.6 kilometres per hour, on a stretch packed with climbs and gravel sectors. And that was not even the only KOM Pogačar obliterated.

Later in the race came the loop featuring Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe, a section he has often said he dislikes. The record there had still belonged to Attila Valter from the 2023 edition of Strade Bianche, but Pogačar went below that on his own. He is the first rider ever to complete the 12.67-kilometre loop in under 20 minutes, which also made him five seconds faster than Van der Poel was on his winning ride in 2021.

He has ridden the brutally steep Pinzuto and Le Tolfe faster before, but that was last year. Back then he had to get rid of Tom Pidcock there; this time, it was more a matter of riding at tempo. But what a tempo it was. According to the data, Pogačar has found another new level. During his solo attack in 2024, he pushed 340 watts over the final 80 kilometres. This time, he managed 380 watts over the same closing stretch: more than a 10 per cent increase.

Another striking detail: Pogačar set a personal record on almost every descent as well. It points to a newer speciality of the world champion. He is no longer only making the difference uphill; with his bike handling too, he now belongs firmly among the absolute best in the world.

There is plenty to say about Seixas’ Strava data, too. The Frenchman had to accept defeat against Pogačar, but over the first part of Sante Marie he was just as fast as the eventual winner. On top of that, recording the second-fastest time ever on the full sector is nothing to be ashamed of. And in the finale he produced more phenomenal numbers, especially on the Pinzuto.

There, on the final passage, he clocked the third-fastest time ever and the fastest time of the day. He was, for example, nine seconds faster than Matteo Jorgenson. Only Del Toro could match him there, but the Mexican eventually had to give in as well. On Via Santa Caterina, the brutally steep finishing climb in Siena, Seixas blasted uphill for the fifth-fastest time ever. It was enough to drop Del Toro and secure second place.