Tadej Pogacar had another landmark victory on Saturday as he edged a thrilling Milan-San Remo, finally adding the fourth of road cycling’s five “Monument” races to his collection.
Pogacar beat Tom Pidcock in a thrilling two-man sprint finale, despite most of his race strategy exploding in mid-air when he crashed a few kilometres before the penultimate climb, Cipressa, on the way to victory in the 298-kilometre battle from Pavia.
UAE Team Emirates’ Pogacar was first across the line on San Remo’s Via Roma, followed closely by Pidcock after a thrilling duel between the two from the last of San Remo’s Poggio climbs, with Wout Van Aert in third.
The Slovenian, 27, who won Strade Bianche earlier this month, is the first man in two generations to win Milan-San Remo in rainbow stripes since Giuseppe Saronni did so in 1983.
“When I crashed, for a second ‘I thought it’s all over’ because crashing just before the most important part of the race is not ideal but fortunately I was quickly back on my bike and with not too much damage to me,” said Pogacar.
“Tom, we all know he is a very fast guy. He’s punchy, he’s fast and he seems really in shape so I was quite scared when he let me go first (in the final sprint).
“I was waiting… but I also know I cannot wait too long because he has probably a better kick than me… so in the end it was really close.”
Paris-Roubaix is the only one of the Monuments that four-time Tour De France champion Pogacar has yet to win, but the next edition of the “Hell of the North” won’t be until after next month.
He came second in Paris-Roubaix last year and judging by Saturday he may yet join Eddy Merckx, Rik Van Looy and Roger De Vlaeminck in the exclusive club of riders to have won all five Monuments.
Pogacar, who was riding with his jersey torn and a large graze running down the left of his shin following the crash, managed to get back into the leading group but had to abandon the tactics he predicted would be employed with an attack from around 30 kilometers before arriving at the foot of the Cipressa climb.
Pogacar dominance
Pogacar’s teammate Isaac del Toro went to the front before unleashing Pogacar, with last years’ champion Mathieu van der Poel and Pidcock following his wheel. The trio built a slender advantage of about 30 seconds over a strong chasing group.
By the time Pogacar attacked again on the Poggio and dropped Van der Poel, Pidcock had hung on as the gap closed to nine seconds.
Pidcock remained alongside Pogacar as they approached the finish line, where the Slovenian launched his final, successful effort at securing one of several stated goals for what will surely be another massive season.
“I was told it (the winning margin) was four centimetres and that hurts quite a lot, it being so close,” said Pidcock after going agonisingly close to the biggest win of his life just days after claiming Milan-Turin.
“Of course I lost to Tadej, who is one of the best cyclists in history so I can’t be disappointed, but I can’t help that.
“I have to kind of look at it from further out, because I think what I did was pretty darn amazing. I’m quite proud.”
Lotte Kopecky took the women’s race, which was marred by a horrible crash descending from the Cipressa, in a multiple bike pile up that wiped out former Tour de France winner Kasia Niewiadoma and Kimberley Le Court.
The most seriously injured was the Italian Debora Silvestri, who collided with fallen riders ahead of her and sailed over a roadside barrier before crashing on to the tarmac of a ramp beyond, several feet below ground level.
“Debora Silvestri is stable after being treated by the race medical staff first, and later by emergency services,” the Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi team said.
“She will be hospitalised for a few more hours and under observation, more tests will now follow to check her injuries.”
Polish rider Kasia Niewiadoma, winner of the 2024 Tour de France, also crashed. As Le Court came to her aid, it meant the end of her own race.
Niewiadoma “was checked by our team doctor and has multiple cuts and bruises,” her Canyon-SRAM team said in a statement.