Tadej Pogačar is a favourite for Milan-San Remo but how can the Slovenian win La Classicissima on Saturday? It is the question that is surely keeping the UAE Team Emirates directeur sportif awake at night this week and perhaps even perturbing Pogačar himself.
Pogačar is one, if not ‘the’ strongest and most aggressive rider in the sport as he showed with his 80km solo attack to win Strade Bianche. However, he is not the fastest finisher in a sprint, so he needs a carefully crafted and perfectly executed tactical plan if he is to win on Saturday.
Against the likes of Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Christophe Laporte (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), the Slovenian has little chance in a sprint finish in the Via Roma.
Pogačar needs a harder, more aggressive race, perhaps starting with an attack on the Cipressa with a small group or at least a split in the peloton, before attacking again on the Poggio and riding to a solo victory. It’s an easy plan to put in words but much harder to execute out on the road with so many rivals and with so many variables.
“I’m excited for Milan-San Remo. The finish is not too far from where I live in Monaco so I know the last part of the race and the final climbs quite well,” he said when UAE Team Emirates named their squad for the race, perhaps hinting at some kind of attacking race strategy.
“As we’ve seen before, this race is one of the most difficult to win and can end in many outcomes. For sure we will make a plan and put ourselves in the best position possible. It’s a race we’d dearly love to win.”
The UAE Team Emirates line-up also includes Alessandro Covi, Marc Hirschi, Brandon McNulty, Domen Novak, Diego Ulissi and Tim Wellens, indicating the team is ready to create a hard race and set up Pogačar.
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The many ways to win Milan-San Remo
This year’s Milan-San Remo is the 115th edition of the Italian race, with many of the best riders in the history of the sport on the long Roll of Honour. Each won the race in their own way, each a slight variation on the ten different ways to win Milan-San Remo highlighted by a special Cyclingnews feature.
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