Whipcrack Win for van der Poel: Pogacar's Throat Slashed, Dutch Cyclist Reigns in Sanremo
Pogacar Launches Attacks Fruitlessly and Desperately against van der Poel
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In an exhilarating showdown, Mathieu van der Poel, the Dutch cycling phenom, has once more seized the crown at Mailand-Sanremo, vanquishing Tadej Pogacar in the 116th edition of the time-honored race, spanning 289 kilometers.
Van der Poel, the once world champion from the Netherlands, deflected Pogacar's fiercest onslaughts at the Poggio with panache, then charged to victory on the Via Roma with a sprint to send shivers down your spine. The Dutch cycling sensation triumphed for the second time at the spring classic, reaffirming his dominance after his 2023 conquest.
Van der Poel won the 116th edition in a spectacular sprint finish of a trio, outpacing two-time time trial world champion Filippo Ganna and Pogacar, who remains on a hunt for his inaugural Sanremo triumph. German riders, including past winner John Degenkolb, failed to make a significant impact in this year's premier cycling event.
"I cannot fathom this. I was extremely focused. I knew Pogacar was incredibly powerful. I felt fantastic. It's astounding that our team has secured three consecutive victories here," van der Poel commented post-race triumph, summarizing Pogacar's attacks, "He attempted to sever my connection, but I held strong. I believe I took him aback when I sprung from the starting blocks at the 200-meter mark. It was the ideal tactic."
Pogacar's Squad Sets the Torch, Then He Strikes
Earlier, Pogacar and van der Poel engaged in an edge-of-your-seat battle at the Poggio, with the Tour champion launching relentless attacks, only for the cyclocross world champion to cling stubbornly to his wheel. Van der Poel then unleashed a surprise attack, echoing his 2023 victory, but Pogacar was not caught off guard this time, and both descended the steep descent jointly.
For former time trial world champion Ganna, the pace on the climb proved overwhelming, but he managed to whittle down the gap on the final kilometers. However, he was no match for van der Poel in the sprint.
Pogacar's UAE team, helmed by Cologne's Nils Politt, established the pace at the Cipressa, with Pogacar then ratcheting up the tempo to split the pack. Only van der Poel and Ganna could keep pace, leaving sprinters such as last year's champion and van der Poel's teammate Jasper Philipsen in the dust.
Pogacar's Ambitions Haunt Cycling's Sacred Arch
Last year, Pogacar finished third in a sprint among the swiftest riders, short of a match for Philipsen and Michael Matthews. Despite his phenomenal solo victory at Strade Bianche recently, the 26-year-old Slovenian couldn't snag a Sanremo win this time.
This marked Pogacar's fifth unsuccessful affair with La Classicissima. "Mailand-Sanremo will be my undoing... I'm so near, yet it seems an eternity away, it's disheartening," Pogacar almost despairingly muttered beforehand.
The Radstar will redouble its pursuit of the five monuments this year. Pogacar has already conquered at least one in Flanders, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and Lombardy. Mailand-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix still elude him. Pogacar has yet to decide if he'll attack the cobblestone behemoth for the first time. Only the former Belgian greats Eddy Merckx, Rik van Looy, and Roger De Vlaeminck have managed to conquer all five major classics. That was nearly half a century ago.
[1] [5][2] [6][3] [7][4] [8][5] Mathieu van der Poel - Wikipedia[6] Tadej Pogacar - Wikipedia[7] Milan-San Remo - Wikipedia[8] CyclingMonuments
Dangerous Territories: A Peak into Pogacar's Major Challenges
- Milano-Sanremo: Conquering Milano-Sanremo requires a delicate balance of power and deception, as its unpredictable nature and the fierce competition from sprinters make it one of the most challenging Monuments for Pogacar[1]. However, the race has become more welcoming to non-sprinters, granting Pogacar a glimmer of hope with the right tactics[2].
- Paris-Roubaix: Pogacar is set to test his mettle on the cobblestones of Paris-Roubaix for the first time in 2025[3]. The brutal terrain poses a significant challenge for climbers, but Pogacar has demonstrated his prowess on cobblestones during stages of the Tour de France[4], and his rivals, including Mathieu van der Poel, believe he possesses the potential to conquered this Monument[5][6][7].
The odds for Pogacar to claim all five Monuments are promising due to his remarkable skills and adaptability. However, winning Paris-Roubaix will be particularly demanding, requiring a harmonious mix of good weather, luck, and peak form[2][3].
- Mathieu van der Poel, the Dutch cycling phenom, triumphed in the 116th edition of the prestigious Mailand-Sanremo race, outpacing Tadej Pogacar and Filippo Ganna in a thrilling sprint finish.
- Pogacar, the Slovenian Tour champion, had launched relentless attacks at the Poggio but was unable to shake off van der Poel, who then won the race with a powerful sprint.
- Despite Pogacar's impressive performance at other cycling events, he remains one of the few riders yet to secure victory at Mailand-Sanremo, a challenge he references as "my undoing."
