Van der Poel, Pogacar... and now Primoz Roglic? Milano-Sanremo reportedly set for surprise superstar addition to startlist

Milano-Sanremo has become the playground of the modern superstars, shaped in recent years by the rivalry between Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar. Now a very different kind of headline name could be added to that mix, with reports in Belgium suggesting that Primoz Roglic may line up for La Classicissima in 2026.

The Slovenian is not a natural Milano-Sanremo type. He is a Grand Tour specialist, a rider defined by long climbs and stage race consistency rather than short explosive efforts after 300 kilometres. Yet according to Het Laatste Nieuws, Roglic could be part of the startlist on 21 March, setting up one of the more intriguing tactical questions of the spring.

Roglic will turn 36 during the 2026 season and is entering the final year of his contract with Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. Initially it was confirmed that he will ride neither the Giro d'Italia nor the Tour de France this year, instead focusing on a bid for a fifth Vuelta a Espana title in September, after his wins in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2024.

His season is due to begin at Tirreno-Adriatico on 9 March, followed by the Itzulia Basque Country from 6 to 11 April. Milano-Sanremo would fit neatly between those two stage races, but it would also represent a rare detour into Monument territory for a rider whose palmares is built almost entirely around stage racing.

Roglic has only raced Milano-Sanremo twice before. He finished 67th on debut in 2017 and improved to 17th in 2022, his best result so far on the Via Roma. He has never finished in the top ten and has never been a central figure in the finale.

That is what makes this possible appearance so interesting. Milano-Sanremo has been shaped in recent seasons by aggression on the Cipressa and Poggio, most notably from Pogacar, even if he has yet to turn those attacks into victory. Van der Poel has twice capitalised, winning in 2023 and 2025, while Jasper Philipsen took the sprint in 2024, giving Alpecin-Premier Tech three straight victories.

Roglic does not fit that mould. He is not a pure sprinter and he is not known for repeated short explosive attacks. If he does start, his role may be less about winning and more about testing himself, supporting a team leader, or using the race as part of his build towards later goals.

But his presence alone would add another layer to the story. A five-time Grand Tour winner on the startline of the longest and most unpredictable Monument immediately changes how rivals and fans read the race. Is he there to help a teammate, to animate the race, or to quietly see how far his engine can carry him in cycling’s most unique one-day test?

Milano-Sanremo has always been a race where unlikely names can survive longer than expected. If the reports from Belgium prove correct, 2026 could see one of the peloton’s great stage race specialists stepping into a spotlight usually reserved for sprinters, puncheurs and superstars of the classics.