15/03/2023

Tadej Pogacar on Milano-Sanremo: "I’ve imagined various scenarios of how the race might play out"

Milano-Sanremo is just around the corner. Tadej Pogacar is one of the big favourites and he's talked about some of his background going into the race, as well as initial hopes for the Tour des Flandres and Paris-Roubaix.

“Unfortunately, they didn’t broadcast Milan-San Remo in Slovenia when I was a kid, so I don’t have too many memories. But now I can say I know it well. It’s a race that I like a lot even if I think it’s probably the hardest race to win," Pogacar shared in an interview with Il Messaggero. Across the border in Italy Sanremo was the longest race in the calendar, and one of the toughest to win.

"I think Tadej Pogacar is the only one who, when the going is very fast, can leave a gap to Poggio" - Tom Pidcock

The distance of virtually 300 kilometers will be hard for many riders, and what used to be called the "sprinter's monument" is now frequently one for the classics riders, and even climbers as Pogacar brought in incredible versatility. The Cipressa and the Poggio are tough ascents at the end of so many kilometers, and last year he's attacked several times in search of a win, to then finish fifth on the day.

“I don’t live too far away and sometimes during training, I go as far as the Poggio. I won’t deny that I’ve imagined various scenarios of how the race might play out," he admitted. Resident in Monaco, he's very familiar with the terrain in question. UAE Team Emirates have revealed a lineup full of riders for the climbs, signaling at clear intentions that they will push the pace severely if they have the chance.

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Sanremo will be only his first of the spring classics however, in a schedule that's taking him all the way to Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The Tour des Flandres will perhaps be his biggest goal, whilst he also admits that Paris-Roubaix will one day be a goal as well.

“Last year in Flanders was one of the most fun days, I’ve ever spent on the bike. I’d like to experience Paris-Roubaix some day. And obviously the World Championships are very prestigious, so they’re certainly objectives for the future, even if winning them could be very difficult," he concluded.