Former Tour de France stage winner believes Pedersen will defeat Pogacar and Van der Poel at Milano-Sanremo: "He knows he's fast, even if other sprinters are too"
Cycling
As cycling’s Monument season begins with Milano-Sanremo,
former Tour de France stage winner Cyril Saugrain has shared his thoughts on
the riders to watch and the key storylines heading into the first major one-day
race of 2025. Speaking to Cyclism’Actu, the 51-year-old RTBF consultant
reflected on the recent stage races and outlined why he believes this year’s
Sanremo could be especially explosive.
Looking back at Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico, Saugrain
was struck by both the intensity of the racing and the brutality of the
conditions.
“We're sure that the weather at Paris-Nice will definitely
leave some mark on our bodies. We had a race that, because of this weather, was
made even more difficult. We know there are some men in good shape. I was
impressed by Mathieu Van Der Poel in Tirreno-Adriatico, but also by Mads
Pedersen in Paris-Nice. He handles difficult weather conditions quite well,
which may have helped him. All of this promises to be a spectacular
Milano-Sanremo. I can't wait for this weekend!”
Asked to name his favourite for the race, Saugrain didn’t
hesitate. Pedersen, he believes, is the rider to beat, and it’s not just
because of his recent form.
“If I had to name one, I would bet on Mads Pedersen, because
he really impressed me. He's a rider who has Milano-Sanremo in mind. He knows
he's fast, even if other sprinters are too.”
That said, Saugrain is just as intrigued by the tactical
approach Tadej Pogacar might take, especially considering how previous editions
have unfolded.
“What's fascinating this year is the presence of a cycling
virtuoso like Tadej Pogacar. He knows he has to make the race difficult to hope
to win. We saw it at the Tour of Flanders a few years ago: the first time, he
was beaten by Van Der Poel in the sprint because he hadn't toughened up the
race enough. The following year, he attacked several times and finally made Van
Der Poel crack.”
If Pogacar wants to stand on the top step in Sanremo,
Saugrain expects him to lean into a similar approach.
“I expect a similar strategy at Milan-San Remo. Pogacar and
UAE could toughen up the race on the 'capi' and the Cipressa to tire out the
sprinters before the Poggio. This could be their only option against faster
riders like Philipsen or Pedersen.”
One of the major talking points heading into this weekend is
the absence of Wout van Aert. Saugrain, however, believes the decision is part
of a calculated effort to time his peak for later targets.
“I'd rather side with the patient crowd. Wout Van Aert has
often started his seasons with a bang, winning the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad or
Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. But this year, he seems to be focusing on a gradual
build-up to reach his peak form at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.”
He credits Van Aert’s team, Visma | Lease a Bike, for taking
a data-driven approach to his season planning.
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“The Visma | Lease a Bike team is very focused on physical
preparation. They analysed his past performances and probably concluded that he
was sometimes fit too early. This year, the goal is to get him to 100% fitness
for the two Flemish classics. We'll see if this strategy works.”
Saugrain also touched on Remco Evenepoel’s situation as the
Belgian star continues to build form following his winter injury. In his view,
it’s more important for Evenepoel to focus on the long-term goal (the Tour de
France) than to rush back to full fitness.
“I think too often we expect too much too soon. His main
goal is the Tour de France. He mustn't rush things. Winning
Liège-Bastogne-Liège a third time would be wonderful, but it's not a top
priority. Remco knows he'll be competing against Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej
Pogacar in the Tour. He's already finished on the podium and now wants to fight
for victory.
“To do that, he needs to manage his progression and arrive
at 100% for the Tour de France. It's better to avoid peaking too early and
dropping off in July.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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