Toms Skujins (Lidl-Trek) finished his ride into Siena in a heap on the wet cobbles of Piazza del Campo, then picked himself up to accept a runner-up prize at the 2024 Strade Bianche.
He admitted that it was a surprise even to himself to have remained mentally strong, then physically tenacious, in over-powering Maxim van Gils (Lotto-Dstny) on the steep Via Santa Catarina climb for second place. Even though he crossed the line 2:44 behind breakaway winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), it still felt like a major accomplishment for the 32-year-old.
“It’s not a win but second to Tadej Pogačar is quite good. If someone had said I’d come second today I would not have believed,” he said after the finish.
“I mean, honestly, without the team, I would have not been second. Yeah, they really did everything they could. It’s a pity, I mean, against Tadej, there’s not much you can do. I think with everything that happened today, we can be more than satisfied.”
Skujiņš was one of many riders who launched an attack before the first short gravel sector in Vidritta, just 14km into the 215km trek. Before Pogačar shook up the race completely, Skujiņš had multiple mishaps and he was focused on staying in the front half of the peloton.
“I flatted twice already before I crashed. Both times I actually took the wheel from Jacopo [Mosca]. And both times, Eddie [Theuns] and Fabio [Felline], they waited for me to get me back into the mix. And then they, as always, make sure we are well positioned for sector seven [San Martino in Grania],” he recounted.
“I was behind a crash on sector seven, so I was chasing back and then [on the climb of] Santa Maria, all I was thinking about was just holding on to the group. That’s where my gears were jumping around a little bit. So it was a really hard moment.”
The sunny conditions through the rolling Tuscan countryside abruptly changed to heavy rain and chunks of hail as the front of the peloton finished the five-star San Martino in Grania sector of gravel and made their way up the Monte Sante Marie climb. It was on the steepest section of the climb with 81km to race that Pogačar launched his vicious attack and struck out on his solo assault. Only Van Gils jumped away in a lone quest to reach him.
With 74km to go, Skujinš appeared to ride into teammate Quinn Simmons and both went down hard. They were able to restart but Lidl-Trek had lost a lot of momentum.
“I mean, after I crashed, and my gears were not working with…
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