'I’m excited to get stuck in myself again and finally race' – Tadej Pogačar primes for season debut at Strade Bianche with Isaac del Toro in support

Tadej Pogačar, the formidable Slovenian talent from UAE Team Emirates, is poised to make his highly anticipated 2024 season debut at Strade Bianche this Saturday. The two-time Tour de France winner will lead his squad on the Tuscan white roads, with promising young talent Isaac del Toro confirmed as a key support rider. This marks Pogačar's return to racing after a relatively quiet off-season, setting the stage for his first competitive outing of the year.

This debut is particularly significant given Pogačar's dominant victory at Strade Bianche in 2022, where his audacious 50km solo attack became an instant classic. His performance will be a crucial early indicator of his form, especially with his ambitious Giro-Tour double attempt looming later this season. The inclusion of Del Toro, fresh off his impressive debut at the Tour Down Under, suggests UAE Team Emirates is building a formidable, multi-faceted squad around their leader, aiming for early season dominance.

Pogačar’s return always commands attention, and Strade Bianche is the perfect stage for a statement. One suspects his definition of "getting stuck in" might be rather different from the rest of the peloton's.