Mathieu van der Poel claimed victory in the 116th edition of Milan-San Remo, beating rivals Tadej Pogačar and Filippo Ganna in a thrilling sprint to the finish. His win marked the first time since the early 1970s that Alpecin-Deceuninck secured three consecutive victories in the prestigious race, while also ending a streak of 17 different winners.
The race’s finale was a spectacle, with van der Poel, Pogačar, and Ganna battling over the Cipressa and Poggio climbs before heading into the final sprint. Van der Poel, who overcame challenging wet and cold conditions earlier in the race, admitted that the early part of the day had been tough. “The beginning was horrible with the rain and the cold, but when we came down to the coast, I started to feel better and better,” he said, adding that by the end, he felt strong and ready for the final push.
Although van der Poel was focused on securing the win, he acknowledged Pogačar’s strength throughout the race. “Tadej was the strongest on the climbs. He was impressive on the Cipressa,” the Dutchman admitted. He noted that the trio worked well together between the climbs, which guaranteed them podium spots. However, the key moment came on the Poggio. “I knew Tadej would try to drop me, but I felt pretty strong and hoped I could counter. He was strong enough to get me back,” van der Poel reflected.
When the race reached its final sprint, van der Poel, confident in his abilities, knew he had an edge. “I think I surprised them a bit when I saw the 300-meter sign and launched my sprint. I felt strong enough to keep it going until the finish line, and I think it was the right tactic,” he said, before adding, “Winning San Remo is special, and beating those two incredible riders is an honour for me. I’m super happy.”
For Pogačar, the defeat was a tough pill to swallow, though he remained gracious. “I was beaten by two better riders today, but there’s another chance next year,” he said. The world champion, who had hoped for a longer and more challenging Poggio climb, admitted that the race format made it difficult to make a decisive move. “It’s a really hard race for me to make the difference. The laws of physics are in play and you can’t perform magic,” Pogačar remarked. Despite feeling his legs were strong, he acknowledged missing just a bit of extra power to hit peak performance when it mattered.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG team boss Mauro Gianetti reflected positively on the team’s tactics. The strategy had been to attack on the Cipressa, a plan executed well with one minor setback when Isaac Del Toro got caught in the peloton, preventing him from making a final push on the climb. “It was an amazing and thrilling day with the three best riders for this race,” Gianetti said. “We tried everything today, and like always, Tadej put on an amazing show. We have no regrets. We need to recognize when riders are better than us.”
Van der Poel’s victory in Milan-San Remo was not just a personal triumph but also a testament to his team’s perseverance and strategy in one of cycling’s most prestigious one-day races.
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