The first Italian classic race of the season, the Strade Bianche, took place Saturday.
“It’s one of the nicest races of the year no matter who you ask, and that’s because it has something different and because it’s entertaining,” Durangoan Quinn Simmons said before the race in a video posted by his team, Trek Segafredo.
The 184-kilometer race features some gravel sections, which is unusual for road cycling. The men’s edition this year was marked by an early and massive crash, which happened on the gravel. Team Jumbo Visma’s Tiesj Benoot, among others, crashed hard and had to leave the race. Sepp Kuss crashed twice, but got up and finished in 31st place.
Simmons also was involved in the crash, which took down many of the cyclists with about 100 kilometers to go.
Simmons recovered and was part of five-man move that raced in front for the win. Despite his aggressiveness, Simmons ended up in seventh place, crossing 1 minute, 21 seconds behind winner Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates.
“The team was perfect, my equipment was perfect, in the end I just didn’t have the legs,” Simmons said in a post-race interview posted by his team. “To miss out on a good result hurts a bit, but no excuse. I went all in, and I’ll come back next year.”
“Maybe it’s a fault,” Simmons said later. “But I always race to win.”
On Monday, both Durangoans began racing in the Tirreno Adriatico, a seven-stage race in Italy.
In the first stage time trial, Simmons led Trek Segafredo, crossing 46th in 16:22. Kuss crossed 104th, 1:31 behind stage winner Ganna Filippo of INEOS Grenadiers’ 15:17.
On Tuesday, they competed in a 219-kilometer stage.
Both cyclists finished in the peleton, with Simmons crossing 25th and Kuss crossing 107th. Tim Merlier of Alpecin-Fenix won the stage in 5:25:23, edging Jumbo-Visma’s Olav Kooij.
On Wednesday, they’ll race in a 170-kilometer third stage, continuing to build up for Sunday’s final stage.
