Julian Alaphilippe: "Whether I should follow Tadej Pogacar on the Poggio? Yes"

Julian Alaphilippe is one of the several past winners of Milano-Sanremo to be in start line today. Leading Soudal - Quick-Step, he is one of the favourites after showing his best form in quite some time at Tirreno-Adriatico.

“I need that race to be good," Alaphilippe told Sporza at the start of the Italian monument this morning. "In Tirreno-Adriatico we rode long and hard stages, which is an important incentive for me. Normally your form can improve as a result, if you can recover well."

Alaphilippe will have the support of the team's classics block which simultaneously work towards the other spring classics. At the Poggio di Sanremo he's expected to be the Belgian team's best card, and he talks of his form ahead of it: "I don't know if I'll be in shape in time, I hope I've been able to recover enough and well. Of course I hope that I can win Milan-San Remo again. In any case, I will do everything I can."

With more and more sprinters showing terrific climbing skills, Alaphilippe's odds rely more and more on the attacks in the final kilometers. He is most likely not going to be the rider who will be covered the most, but is expected to match the best when the offensive starts. "Whether I should follow Tadej Pogacar on the Poggio? Yes, but it's not over yet. The race is only ridden on the Via Roma," he concluded.