Easy Cipressa the key for Tadej Pogacar to win Milano-Sanremo? Caleb Ewan's advice to the World Champion

Winning Milano-Sanremo has become a prime objective for Tadej Pogacar over the past few years, and into the 2025 edition UAE Team Emirates - XRG are all-in to conquer the Italian monument. However, whilst a hard race on the climbs before the Poggio seems to be on paper the best strategy for the World Champion, former contender Caleb Ewan has advised otherwise.

“The mistake Pogacar made in the past, in my opinion, was that he tried to make it too hard on the Cipressa,” Ewan said in the Geraint Thomas Cycling Podcast. The 'Pocket Rocket', now part of INEOS Grenadiers, won't be at the start, but he has ridden the race in contention for victory on several occasions and believes the best strategy isn't to move in the penultimate climb.

The answer, for the Australian, is not a hard Cipressa, for a very good reason: “That made the race between the Cipressa and Poggio super easy. More riders were dropped, which meant the leaders had fewer helpers. While the lead-out to the Poggio is normally full throttle. I remember once having to put 500 watts in my wheel, even before the Poggio started.”

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INEOS will be backing up Filippo Ganna who is on stellar form and will be a very difficult opponent for Pogacar, but nevertheless everyone's eyes will be on the rainbow jersey and his team who are set to try and break the race. A potential strategy could be that of hoping for the strongest possible pace in the minutes leading up to the Poggio di Sanremo.

“The riders he had to drop started the last climb fresher. His best chance is to take it easy over the Cipressa and keep as many teammates with him as possible. Then they can do a huge lead-out to the Poggio," he argues.

He talked directly about the possibility of Pogacar attacking Cipressa itself. “That section (after the climb, ed.) is so easy in the wheel. If you attack, you are tired when you reach the foot of the Poggio. While the riders behind you are still relatively fresh and can sprint up. Moreover, after the Cipressa there are always teammates present to chase. Especially because of the riders who can climb and sprint, like Van der Poel. On such short climbs it is difficult to make a difference with them.”

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