“I’ve done a lot of recons on the Poggio” - Tadej Pogacar admits Milano-Sanremo is a race he would “love to win” as UAE confirm strong support squad

Tadej Pogacar has made no secret of the race he still wants most on his palmares, and ahead of Milano-Sanremo 2026 the world champion once again admitted the first Monument of the season remains a major ambition.

“It’s no secret that Milano-Sanremo is a race I would love to win,” Pogacar said as UAE Team Emirates-XRG confirmed its lineup for Saturday’s race.

The Slovenian will start the Italian Monument for the sixth time, having come close in recent years without yet managing to land the victory that would complete another major gap in his classics record.

Pogacar explained that his preparation has once again focused on the race’s decisive final climb. “I’ve done a lot of recons on the Poggio, and it’s a climb I know very well,” he said.

UAE Team Emirates - XRG will arrive in Italy with a squad built to support Pogacar’s aggressive approach to the race.

Joining the Slovenian will be Isaac del Toro, Jan Christen, Felix Grossschartner, Brandon McNulty, Domen Novak and Florian Vermeersch, with Andrej Hauptman and Marco Marzano directing from the team cars.

Del Toro arrives as one of the form riders of the early season after victories at both the UAE Tour and Tirreno-Adriatico, strengthening the options available to the team in the closing phase of the race.

The Mexican was also part of the group that helped shape last year’s dramatic finale, when Pogacar launched a fierce acceleration on the Cipressa that split the race apart. Only Mathieu van der Poel and Filippo Ganna were able to follow that move, creating a three-rider fight for victory that ultimately ended with Van der Poel winning the sprint in Sanremo.

For Pogacar, that near miss has only reinforced his determination to keep targeting the Monument.

“I think it suits me well, but also suits a lot of the other top guys. I see that as a good challenge,” he said. “The team was exceptional in Strade Bianche, and if we can repeat that performance, anything is possible for us.”

With the Slovenian once again arriving as one of the central protagonists of the race, UAE Team Emirates - XRG appear ready to follow the same aggressive blueprint that has made recent editions of Milano-Sanremo some of the most explosive in recent memory.

“The competition will be high as always, but we’re used to that, and we’ll do all we can for a result,” Pogacar said. “I hope for a great day of racing and that we can put on a good show for the fans.”