"When you get too close to the sun, you get burned" - Romain Gregoire explodes attempting to follow Tadej Pogacar's Cipressa assault at Milano-Sanremo
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel took victory at a thrilling edition of Milano-Sanremo in 2025 on Saturday afternoon in Italy. It was a brutal attack by Tadej Pogacar on the Cipressa that opened up the fight for the victory, a moment that ultimately cost Groupama - FDJ's hopefuls Romain Grégoire .
"I had asked my team to really put me right in front from the Cipressa in case they attacked. I was really in the right place at the right time," explained Grégoire in a post-race interview at the finish line with Eurosport. Despite being perfectly positioned for the inevitable acceleration from UAE Team Emirates - XRG and Tadej Pogacar though, actually matching such a move is a lot easier said than done.
"I went for it without hesitating when the pace really picked up. Unfortunately, I guess it’s like the saying goes: when you get too close to the sun, you get burned, and that’s what happened to me," the Frenchman concludes his recap honestly. "I don’t regret trying, even though my leg gave out, but I do regret not getting a result when I felt good (30th). It’s still a disappointment; I don’t feel like I’m being rewarded for my effort."
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Romain Grégoire nous a fait vibrer aujourd’hui. Après avoir tout donné pour suivre Tadej Pogačar et le vainqueur du jour Mathieu van der Poel dans la Cipressa, il termine finalement 30e pour son premier Milan-San Remo ! Quentin Pacher termine lui aussi dans le même groupe, à la… pic.twitter.com/uL52bgDMOj
— Équipe Cycliste Groupama-FDJ (@GroupamaFDJ) March 22, 2025
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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