"I was lying on Pogacar’s bike" - New details emerge from World Champion's Milano-Sanremo crash

The 2026 Milano-Sanremo edition was one of the most exciting in recent years and the comeback of Tadej Pogacar could be seen as an absolute highlight of the spring. The World Champion had to overcome a high-speed crash right before Cipressa; and the rider who landed on top of his bike Tim Marsman now shares his insight.

The run-up to Cipressa is extremely fast and with a fresh peloton taking it on, the tension is sky-high into the decisive climb of the race. This year, near the front of the peloton, a crash took out Tadej Pogacar and Wout Van Aert - whilst Mathieu van der Poel was also in some way involved.

That is because it happened right near the front. Not only did van der Poel come down, but several of his teammates. Tim Marsman was one of them, and the footage of the crash shows an Alpecin-Premier Tech rider laying on the road right next to the Slovenian.

Unknowningly, he had been part of what was one of the major stories of the week. “I read a day after Milano-Sanremo that Pogacar’s bike had broken in that crash, and I was lying on Pogacar’s bike,” Marsman shared with Wielerflits at the Tour of Turkey.

“I was in good form that day too. That is evident from the moment you fall, and with whom: Pogacar, [Wout] Van Aert, Mathieu [van der Poel] himself. You are in the right place at that moment, but it is a shame that it happens. I think I really could have done something for Mathieu. But I do think I can draw confidence from this for the coming years.”

The Dutchman didn't sustain meaningful injuries but found himself surrounded by the sport's best at that particular moment, where he was on the ground with the winners of all four monuments of the season thus far.

That is certainly quite the story for the 25-year old, who was signed from continental level onto Alpecin this winter. “It took some adjusting, but actually everything is going very well. I am very happy about that. It is a step up from the continental level, but it is just going well. You notice that you are making rapid progress and that it is getting easier and easier.”

“The biggest adjustment, strangely enough, is the traveling," he describes through the lens of a World Tour debutant.

"In the WorldTour, you are away from home much more. At the beginning of the year to Australia, Oman, Paris-Nice… You are home much less. That takes some getting used to. And the level. Everyone can ride a bike, everyone gets paid to ride a bike".