Bahrain Victorious’ leader, Matej Mohorič, demonstrated his power at the challenging “Strade Bianche” on Saturday, securing an impressive 5th in Siena’s iconic Piazza del Campo. After a grueling 215km, including 15 sectors of demanding gravel roads that totalled 71km, Mohorič bettered his result last year by one place.

The Italian WorldTour race, which many believe should now be given ‘monument’ status, lived up to its fiendish reputation. This year was the longest in the event’s 18 year history, and ended with two laps of a finishing circuit. And as always, the start list was packed with some of the biggest names in our sport.

Tadej Pogacar’s (UAE) legendary solo victory stole the spotlight: the Slovenian made his daring move 81km from the finish on the Monte Sante Marie gravel sector. Despite Mohorič being part of the chasing group, he missed the decisive attack, which hindered his podium chances.

Reflecting after the race, Mohorič said, “Pogacar is the number one in cycling. Unfortunately, there was a lack of collaboration in the chasing group, and the opportunity slipped away. Still, 5th place is a positive result, boosting my confidence for the upcoming Belgian campaign, and before that Milano-Sanremo.”

Team Bahrain Victorious Sports Director, Roman Kreuziger, expressed satisfaction with Mohorič’s performance, stating, “We aimed for a top-five finish, and Matej delivered an incredible race. His focus and composure were evident throughout. Despite challenges with Zambanini and Buratti involved in a crash, the team displayed resilience. They tried to come back but we never managed to have enough numbers in the front. We leave this race with confidence and excitement for the upcoming classics.”