"Plan is to do Cipressa under 9" - Report shines light on UAE Team Emirates - XRG's expected Milano-Sanremo tactics
CyclingWednesday, 19 March 2025 at 14:02
Will Tadej Pogacar finally be able to get over the winning line at Milano-Sanremo this weekend. After a string of increasingly closer close calls over recent years, the Slovenian is expected to mix things up tactically in 2025 and according to a new report, the plan of attack for UAE Team Emirates - XRG may have been leaked.
In the last three years, Pogacar has been getting consistently closer to the win, without having the ultimate success he craves. 5th in 2022, 4th in 2023 and then last year, on the podium for the first time in 3rd as Jasper Philipsen prevailed in a reduced bunch sprint. According to a new report by respected journalist Ciro Scognamiglio for La Gazzetta dello Sport, Pogacar has settled on the plan to light things up earlier than ever before in his quest to finally add Milano-Sanremo to his glistening palmares.
According to Scognamiglio, UAE Team Emirates - XRG's line-up for Milano-Sanremo 2025 will consist of the aforementioned Pogacar, Tim Wellens, Nils Politt, Jhonatan Narvaez, Domen Novak, Vegard Stake Laengen and Isaac Del Toro. Further information is also given, that should any last-minute injuries or illnesses befall Pogacar's selected support squad, Brandon McNulty is set to act as a first reserve.
As for the tactics, the UAE plan is as mentioned, to ignite the fight for victory early. According to Scognamiglio, Pogacar and co are expected to light things up on the Cipressa, with a somewhat ambitious, if not wholly unrealistic aim of completing the climb in under minutes. If they were to do so, and Pogacar attacked over the top, it's unlikely to see how the faster finishers of the peloton would be able to stay in touch for a reduced bunch sprint finale. Whether or not the plan comes to fruition and gives Pogacar the win he so desperately craves? Time will soon tell.
#MilanoSanremo UAE line-up will be Pogacar, Wellens, Politt, Narvaez, Novak, Laengen, Del Toro. Mc Nulty can replace someone at last minute. Plan is to do Cipressa under 9'. (Scognamiglio, Gazzetta)
— La Flamme Rouge (@laflammerouge16) March 18, 2025
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1 Comments
Yeah, yeah. Ignore the race on the day totally and stick to a plan you make public well in advance and hope your rivals fall for it. Could even have worked, if there’d not been a very similar report last year. And how many (anonymous and not) reports do you think reporters could find and choose from anyway?
I think Tadej was quite honest about his plan during last year MSR, but they couldn't go up Cipressa fast enough. At least, that's what he said post-race.
Anyway, he also spelled out his plan of attack at Strade Bianche last year, but it seemed so ridiculous at the time. I doubt anyone took his words seriously.
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