With a 43-kilometre solo, Tadej Pogacar showed the competition the limits right at his 2023 season debut and crossed the finish line 49 seconds ahead of Ben Turner (Ineos Grenadiers) and Tim Wellens (also UAE Team Emirates). The team of the two-time Tour de France winner was represented by three riders in the top five. Georg Zimmermann (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty) was the best German eighth.
Clasica Jaen Paraiso Interior: Result - the top 10
- Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) 4:36:41
- Ben Turner (Ineos Grenadiers) +0:49
- Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates) +0:49
- Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates) +1:17
- Andreas Kron (Lotto-Dstny) +1:17
- Ben Tulett (Ineos Grenadiers) +1:17
- Lorenzo Rota (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty) +1:17
- Georg Zimmermann (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty) +1:31
- Warren Barguil (Arkea-Samsic) +1:31
- Gorka Izagirre (Movistar) +1:31
Clasica Jaen Paraiso Interior with parallels to Strade Bianche
In the second edition of the Spanish one-day race Clasica Jaen Paraiso Interior, parts of which - similar to the Strade Bianche in Italy - run over gravel roads, the two-time Tour de France winner took things seriously 43 kilometres before the finish and pulled away from the competition. At this point, Sergio Samitier (Movistar) was the last remaining rider from the day's breakaway group at the front of the race. But the Spaniard was quickly caught by Pogacar and left standing.
Defect cannot stop Pogacar
A few kilometres before the finish, Pogacar had to change his bike after a puncture, but his lead was big enough. "You're always a bit scared, but I was lucky that I had a big lead on the second group and there was a car behind me, so it wasn't so stressful at the end," said Pogacar about the puncture shortly before the finish.
The Slovenian's victory is reminiscent of his triumph at the Strade Bianche 2022, when he pulled off a similar solo on the gravel roads in Tuscany. "I wouldn't compare them," said the 24-year-old. "They are similar races because they both have gravel, but the gravel is completely different in both races, different climbs, different approaches to the gravel sections. It was a completely different experience today."
Pogacar at the start of Paris-Nice?
The next race on the programme for Pogacar is the Tour of Andalusia from Wednesday to Sunday. This year, he will forgo the UAE Tour (20/02-26/02), which he won in 2021 and 2022.
This might not be the only change to his racing programme. L'Equipe reported on Monday that Pogacar will travel directly from Strade Bianche (4 March) to Paris-Nice (5 March) this year instead of returning to defend his title at Tirreno-Adriatico.
Tour de France the main goal for 2023
At the start in Ubeda on Monday, Pogacar was reluctant to give specific details of his race programme, saying only that Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders and Liège-Bastogne-Liège will be the main targets of his spring campaign.
The centrepiece of his 2023 season is and remains the Tour de France, where he wants to try and win for a third time.
