"He set a fantastic tempo, but he didn't make it to the top and they went down" - Lance Armstrong impressed by Isaac del Toro but harsh on UAE's Milano-Sanremo performance
Cycling
Lance Armstrong reviewed in his podcast The Move what happened in last weekend's Milano-Sanremo that ended up with Jasper Philipsen taking the win.
UAE Team Emirates tried to disrupt things but ultimately failed to carry out a race-winning strategy for Tadej Pogacar, with the only domestique that worked being Mexican wonderkid, Isaac del Toro. Armstrong praised Del Toro for his performance on his The Move podcast, although he was less impressed by the overall team tactics.
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"Putting the focus on Del Toro on the Cipressa you have to say he set a fantastic tempo, people were struggling immediately," Armstrong recalls. "He's a young guy and it was his first Milano-Sanremo."
"If you don't know the exact tempo you have to go at and how much you can hold it, it's difficult. He couldn't hold it until the end. He was on a fantastic pace, he was pulling UAE Team Emirates the whole time and he couldn't make it to the top, which stopped the group. They went down," Armstrong concludes.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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Like last year, the tactic for UAE will be simple: Pace the Capi/Cipressa/beginning of the Poggio as hard as possible. Lead out by Del Toro & Wellens on the Poggio, launch Pogačar on the steep section. It's a matter of trying; one year it will work out #MilanoSanremo
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