"Tadej thanked me for the work done and said sorry for not winning" - Alessandro Covi talks about pleasure of working for Tadej Pogacar at Milano-Sanremo

Tadej Pogacar finished 'only' third at Milano-Sanremo. After the race, we've heard some complaints about the performance of his UAE Team Emirates teammates, but that doesn't seem to concern the 25-year-old Alessandro Covi who dug deep on Cipressa to set up his leader for the finale, despite fighting a headache, he confides to Sporza.

"I had set my alarm early to have breakfast on time. Tadej was the last to come to the table. Chill and relaxed, as he always is," Covi begins the story of his Milano-Sanremo.

"I was worried, not about the distance of almost 300 kilometers. But about my tendonitis, because it had worsened the night before. Luckily the first 3 hours felt like a workout. Ideal for small talk with my Italian friends like Samuele Battistella and Simone Velasco."

"When I crossed the line, Tadej immediately came to me. He looked as fresh as before the start," laughs Covi. "Tadej thanked me for the work done and said sorry for not winning. But Tadej didn't have to apologize. He was where he needed to be in the final. And it was a pleasure to work for him."