With Strade Bianche imminent, the energy is building in Siena, not to mention on the many white gravel roads around it. Once again Tadej Pogačar is the overwhelming favourite for victory. After all, he is the defending champion, and he literally rode away from the field last year on his way to scoring his second win in three years. But while he could well equal Fabian Cancellara's record of three wins this year, neither Pogačar nor his UAE Team Emirates – XRG were leaving anything to chance, as they prepared for the annual pre-race recon on Thursday.
Strade Bianche is one of the rare races in the cycling calendar where riders always ride recon, as the notorious gravel roads found in this corner of Tuscany take on a life of their own, often changing with the weather.
Rouleur joined Pogačar and his team for the day as they scoped the crucial sections of Strade Bianche. On tap were the final 115 kilometres of the race, a race the world champion plans on winning once again.
Pogačar walks towards the team bus as he readies for his annual Strade Bianche recon on Thursday morning.
The UAE Emirates - XRG team opted to start the ride on Sarravalle sector, a new edition to this year's race and a section that will be included in this year's Giro d'Italia.
"It's a very long and narrow sector," says sports director Manuel Mori, a native of Tuscany. "It will be important on Saturday, but also in the Giro, and a rider could really lose time if he is not well placed."
Pogačar leads his team into the San Martino in Grania sector, another of the race's long and crucial gravel roads, and it is here where the race really starts to break up each year. 
The Slovenian stops to remove some layers in the warm early spring sunshine in Tuscany.
The Monte Sainte Marie is one of the most crucial sectors in the race. Named after three-time winner Fabian Cancellara, it has often been the site of many winning attacks, including that by Tom Pidcock in 2023 and Pogačar in 2024.
Pogačar climbs the Monte Sainte Marie sector, riding away from his teammates on the 11.5km stretch of gravel road.
It is safe to say that the summit of Monte Sante Marie has taken a life of its own.
Even after the summit, Pogačar powers on.
After finishing the Monte Sante Marie sector, Pogačar turns around to ride, at least some of it, once again.
Pogačar leads his team up the Monteaperti climb, which heads into the race's final circuit.
Arriving in the Piazza del Campo, Pogačar reaches for his phone for a few quick images. It is here where the race finishes each year, and it is here where he once again hopes to be well ahead of his challengers on Saturday.
