"Tadej Pogacar is rewriting the rules of cycling" - Nathan van Hooydonck full of praise for world champ despite Milano-Sanremo disappointment

For Tadej Pogacar, Milano-Sanremo continues to be the itch he just can't scratch. Despite a monumental effort from the Slovenian on Saturday afternoon, it was another near miss as Pogacar came home 3rd having lost out in a three-up sprint for the win against Mathieu van der Poel and Filippo Ganna.

Despite ultimately coming up short though, Pogacar made a massive impact during the race, igniting the fight for the win earlier than ever before with a brutal assault on the Cipressa. As it turned out, the UAE Team Emirates - XRG leader actually broke the record for the fastest Cipressa climb, summiting the ascent in 8:59. "Tadej Pogacar is kind of rewriting the rules of cycling," reflects former Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider turned TNT Sports pundit Nathan van Hooydonck in his post-race analysis for the British broadcaster. 

"When did we see a group going away on the Cipressa, staying away until the finish line?" Van Hooydonck questions in slight disbelief. "I've never seen it before. Maybe it happened a very long time ago, but the way he took the race under control, hats off to Pogacar as well."

Van Hooydonck's co-analyst on TNT Sports, Adam Blythe was in full agreement at the brilliance of the Slovenian even despite the victory being a step too far. "He did literally everything he could. It was almost written down. Everyone knew what he was potentially going to do, and he did that," reflects the former British national champion. "And that's even with the drama at the Cipressa. Don't forget there was a crash at the Cipressa, a lot of people were out of position because of that."

Ultimately though, it's Mathieu van der Poel that emerges with the telling praise. "I can't remember a finish, or a bike race, like that where we've seen so much action - so much enthralling action - and I cannot remember a single time that anyone has attacked Pogacar when he was in full flight, after attacking five, six times," Blythe analyses. "Credit where credit is due. Mathieu van der Poel, we know how good a world champion he is, but that to me is like, 'Phew, chapeau, mate. You are incredible’."