Pogacar's presence doesn't change the main favourite at Milano-Sanremo for Thijs Zonneveld: "Van der Poel is one of the top favorites in all scenarios"

We are now officially in Milano-Sanremo week, and in a matter of only a few days we will have the likes of Tadej Pogacar, Filippo Ganna and Mathieu van der Poel fighting up the iconic climbs. The latter however, for Mathieu van der Poel, is the main favourite based on his ability to thrive in any scenario for such a race.

"I didn't think he was super good in the rain, even a little disappointing. He lacked the punch to ride Ganna off and he was caught quite easily," Zonneveld said of van der Poel regarding stage 4 on the Het Wiel podcast. "He was also outclassed in that sprint against Kooij. He had also done more in the final than Kooij, but still."

Zonneveld didn't get the best impressions from the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider during the opening days of the Italian race, but the truth is he was always present. On all three hilly stages he was in action and in contention for victory, whilst on the final day of the race he was in the breakaway to try and surprise - besides working on his form for the classics.

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Zonneveld argues that once the heavy rain stopped falling on the peloton, van der Poel looked more lively. "You saw more punch again. That makes sense, because in the cold that punch simply disappears. We are not all called Mads Pedersen. So I think he will be fine. If he wants to be good somewhere, he will be there," he assures. "Two years ago he rode very poorly in Tirreno, now he was a lot better."

The Dutch pundit believes van der Poel is ultimately the rider who can most likely win the first monument of the season, mostly because of his ability to tackle this kind of climb regardless if at pace or by attacking, his endurance abilities and also his very strong sprint - besides clear good form.

"Van der Poel is one of the top favorites in all scenarios. If it goes fast on the Cipressa, if it goes slow on the Cipressa and fast on the Poggio, if it becomes a sprint of fifteen men, if he is left alone with Pogacar, if it comes down to the descent... It can happen in so many ways for him. Even more so than for Pogacar, I think," he concluded.

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