Bruised and bloodied Tadej Pogacar wins Strade Bianche

SIENA, Italy (AP) — Bruised and bloodied, Tadej Pogacar still managed to solo to victory on Saturday.

The defending champion recovered from a heavy crash to become only the second cyclist to win the Strade Bianche three times.

The Slovenian — who also became the first to win the race back-to-back — remarkably had time to sit up on the approach to the line, raise his arms above his head and point both index fingers at the sky as he beamed broadly.

“I enjoyed it until I crossed the finish line, now the adrenaline has worn off, I’m starting to feel a lot of pain," Pogacar said.

“So not the best way to win a race but a win is a win, and let’s hope it’s nothing worse than it looks and all should be fine.”

Pogacar, who also won in 2022, finished 1 minute, 24 seconds ahead of Britain's Tom Pidcock and 2:12 ahead of Tim Wellens of Belgium.

This year’s Strade Bianche was one of the toughest yet as for the first time in 19 editions there were more than 80 kilometers (50 miles) of the white, gravel roads that give the race its name. There were 16 gravel sectors, totaling 81.7 kilometers, on the 213-kilometer (132-mile) route through Tuscany.

Although he was heavy favorite before the race, Pogacar’s chances didn’t look so good when he fell with just under 50 kilometers remaining.

The three-time Tour de France champion was at the head of a leading trio going downhill and he slid out on a corner, sending him flying across the road and tumbling head over heels into a ditch.

Pogacar was swiftly back on his bicycle but covered in scrapes on his left leg and arm, with his skinsuit torn up, and about 30 seconds down on Pidcock.

“I went too fast, I guess," Pogacar said when asked how the crash happened. "I know this road very well, I’ve rode it like already now 20 times for sure in my life, but sometimes you misjudge and I don’t know, I just slipped.

“For a moment, I didn’t know if I was okay, and the bike was not working, so I had to change the bike. I was a bit worried because when you crash, the body takes a lot from you. But I still had enough to finish it off."

Pogacar managed to quickly pass Connor Swift — who had been the other rider in the trio — and, when the gap fell to 15 seconds, Pidcock opted to wait for Pogacar to continue their duel heading into the final 45 kilometers.

Pogacar attacked on the penultimate sector, with 18 kilometers remaining, and left Pidcock in his — white — dust.

“I came pretty close. I mean Tadej crashed, it’s unfortunate, but let’s be honest it gave me a bit more of an opportunity,” Pidcock said. “But he was still too strong in the last attack of his. I’m happy but at the same time disappointed.

“Of course I waited … He made a mistake and this is not how you take advantage in a race. It was also a long way to go. So I also don’t want to ride that far on my own.”

AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling

Riders in action during the 19th edition of the Strade Blanche, a 213 km one day race from Siena to Siena, Tuscany, Italy, Saturday March 8, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

Cyclists in action during the 11th edition of the Strade Blanche Women Elite, a 136 km one day race from Siena to Siena, Tuscany, Italy, Saturday March 8, 2025. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)

Tadej Pogačar riding for the UAE Team Emirates during the 19th edition of the Strade Bianche (White Roads) a 213 km one day race from Siena, Italy, Saturday March 8, 2025. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Tadej Pogačar riding for the UAE Team Emirates celebrates winning 19th edition of the Strade Bianche (White Roads) a 213 km one day race from Siena, Italy, Saturday March 8, 2025. (Marco AlpozziLaPresse via AP)

Tadej Pogačar riding for the UAE Team Emirates during the 19th edition of the Strade Bianche (White Roads) a 213 km one day race from Siena, Italy, Saturday March 8, 2025. ( Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — World Cup fans in a growing number of U.S. cities won't have an issue finding a well-poured pint to go with their late-night match.

State leaders across the U.S. are signing off on extending bar and restaurant hours during the world’s most-watched sporting event. They want to help businesses and improve fan experiences, particularly for those who may have been priced out of tickets. Others see the move as a last-ditch effort to boost sales as expectations for a World Cup economic boon have dampened.

So far, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington — states either hosting World Cup matches or adjacent to the activity — have all approved various measures to extend hours for alcohol sales during the tournament. Similar proposals are being considered in New York and Massachusetts.

The changes mean that closing time won’t come until 4 a.m. in Philadelphia during the World Cup and America 250 celebrations. In Kansas City, some bars can stay open as late as 5 a.m.

Many of these changes are dependent on municipality approval, and no business would be required to extend business hours. But for the hospitality industry, already struggling under waning sales and inflation, the option to stay open later is welcomed.

Mark Prinzinger, owner of Lion Sports Bar in Philadelphia, described watching soccer with fans from all over the world as a “magical experience." Now that he has the option to keep his bar open two hours longer, he’s hired extra staff, streamlined the menus and planned late-night programming.

“People want to have a beer with other soccer fans and the great thing about the World Cup is that it brings people together from all over the world into one place to watch a sport that everybody loves,” he said.

Prinzinger and other bar, restaurant and nightlife venues in Pennsylvania will be allowed to move their closing times from 2 a.m. until 4 a.m. during the World Cup and the America 250 anniversary celebrations, between June 11 and July 20. Gov. Josh Shapiro approved the legislation by releasing a video showing him cracking open a beer, signing off the social media post with a cheeky warning to the City of Brotherly Love's reputation for getting rowdy: “Celebrate responsibly, Philly.”

With more hours available to drink, some critics have raised concerns about public safety and potential strain on law enforcement even as the effort has received bipartisan support from lawmakers.

In Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas initially stated that his city “doesn't need bars operating 23 hours” during the World Cup and joked, “Worry not, if you want to drink a ton, bars can open quite early.”

Yet bar owners bristle under such opposition, saying that most businesses prioritize training staff to prevent patrons from being overserved.

“Just because people are hanging out at the bar watching a soccer game doesn’t mean they’re getting blitzed,” Prinzinger said. “In fact, I would say it’s completely the opposite. I think people want to watch the game. People want to be engaged.”

Rhode Island Rep. Teresa Tanzi agreed.

“Not everybody that’s going to walk into a place is going to be chugging drinks and getting loaded,” Tanzi, a Democrat, said earlier this month on the House floor. “There are going to be families who are going to want a cheeseburger, an American cheeseburger, and a Coca-Cola."

Rhode Island, which is closer than Boston is to World Cup matches host Gillette Stadium, is weighing whether to extend alcohol sales to 3 a.m. and closing times to 4 a.m. Currently, last call in the smallest U.S. state is 1 a.m., with some exceptions for its capital city of Providence.

Even Lucas relented, eventually submitting a plan allowing Kansas City restaurants and bars to remain open until 3 a.m., and certain establishments to remain open until 5 a.m. if they submit a security plan to the police department. Currently, alcohol sales can generally be made between 6 a.m. through 1:30 a.m.

The extended hours aren't entirely a U.S. trend. Pubs in England and Wales will be able to stay open as late as 2 a.m. if the English or Scottish teams are playing in the knockout stages after the U.K. government relaxed its licensing rules.

In Scotland, which has its own semiautonomous government, local authorities can allow pubs to stay open until 30 minutes after matches end.

According to the World Cup schedule, a majority of games will be held from early afternoon through early evening. But a handful start later, with four games starting at midnight and eight games starting at 10 p.m. for those watching in the Eastern time zone.

Just how big of a demand there will be for late-night bites and drinks is somewhat unknown. In the U.S., consumer habits have shifted drastically ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, with more people choosing to go out earlier in the day and spending less overall, said David Henkes, senior principal at Technomic, a firm that monitors restaurant and food industry trends.

“It’s so hard to stay open late night or overnight just because it’s hard to find labor,” Henkes said. “I applaud the effort to give restaurants an opportunity to earn more revenue, but I’m not sure that there’s going to be significant enough demand for it to make sense for a lot of operators to do so.”

Associated Press writer Brian Melley contributed from London.

AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Lion Sports Bar owner Mark Prinzinger poses behind the bar as fans watch a Champion league soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)

Fans arrive to watch a Champion league soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at the Lion Sports Bar, Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)

Fans watch a Champion league soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at the Lion Sports Bar, Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)

Fans watch a Champion league soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at the Lion Sports Bar, Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)

Fans watch a Champion league soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at the Lion Sports Bar, Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)