Milan San Remo, March 21, 2026, 298 km monument

[Salvarani]

Because clearly he had worse legs than last year.

How does not working, risking being caught and then being able to "drop all the other chumps later" happen with supposedly "bad legs"?

 

[canina82]

Cause he himself admitted to be feeling it after the cipressa. If you know you won't be able to follow on the Poggio like last season, you don't ride like last season in favour of someone stronger than you. last year MVDP could attack on the Poggio now he was gapped. that are 2 very different outcomes and a different outcome he hinted at he knew would come after the cipressa in his interview.

you also did not adress my main question.


you honestly believe he would have sit up and not ridden had MVDP and Pidcock chosen to work less. Allowed a chasing peloton to come back and nullify all the effort on the climbs?

The all flat section between Cipressa and Poggio? Of course not and the other 2 also know that. This is why they work (less but they work) to maximize their chance of winning. If they get caught, they lose every chance of winning the race.
Pidcock rode the perfect race, he lost the race for half a wheel. MVP got dropped this time but last year, he rode the same race and he won.
Again, your bias towards Pogacar blinds your rational side of the brain. It's not complicate to acknowledge that. I see here, I see in the Clinic.

 

[fenns]

Because clearly he had worse legs than last year.

Same reason I criticized Ganna last year for working with Pogacar but didn't criticize Van der Poel for doing it.

Similarly, Pedersen gets flamed every year for doing the same *** in RVV

do we know MVDP's times for Cipressa and Poggio compared to last year?

 

[KoopaCycling]

The all flat section between Cipressa and Poggio? Of course not and the other 2 also know that. This is why they work (less but they work) to maximize their chance of winning. If they get caught, they lose every chance of winning the race.
Pidcock rode the perfect race, he lost the race for half a wheel. MVP got dropped this time but last year, he rode the same race and he won.
Again, your bias towards Pogacar blinds your rational side of the brain. It's not complicate to acknowledge that. I see here, I see in the Clinic.

I mean the reasonable flat section between Cipressa and Poggio, and the final after the Poggio. Do you believe that if MVDP and Pidcock had refused to work and at best given some token pulls, that Pogacar would have allowed the peloton to come back? It's an easy enough question.

 

[canina82]

How does not working, risking being caught and then being able to "drop all the other chumps later" happen with supposedly "bad legs"?

Logic doesn't work

 

[Salvarani]

do we know MVDP's times for Cipressa and Poggio compared to last year?

The clock on the screen showed they rode in 8:57, but Pogs individual time may have been 8:47.

They probably timed the thing on the screen from when the peloton entered.

Last year it was 8:59.

I think the difference it was less stop and go. Less accelerations. Pog tried more times to drop him last year in Cipressa, rather than just keeping the pace up throughout it now.

Dont know Poggio, but it was a tailwind there now instead of a headwind last year.

 

[canina82]

I mean the all flat section between Cipressa and Poggio, and the final after the Poggio. Do you believe that if MVDP and Pidcock had refused to work and at best given some token pulls, that Pogacar would have allowed the peloton to come back? It's an easy enough question.

I responded. WTH?

 

[KoopaCycling]

No you half-dodged, But just indulge me in as simple and clear cut way as possible;

Do you believe that if MVDP and Pidcock had refused to work and at best given some token pulls, that Pogacar would have allowed the peloton to come back?

In the flat, he was also working more and others were working because they want to win and not make Pogacar lose. Maybe you don't understand this simple tactic. If they are caught, they definitely lose the race.

That was the premise. I state that no matter what Pogacar would not have sitten up and made sure they would have stayed ahead of the chasing peloton. Even if that means having to do all the work. I said that Pidcock and MVDP raced dumb, and should have eaten Pogacar plate and tired him out instead of leaving his plate mostly intact.

For me stating this you called me dumb. yet you also now said that YES, Pogacar would have ridden and made sure they stayed ahead of the peloton. so which is it? am i dumb for saying Pidcock and MVDP worked too much cause Pogacar would not have sitten up and made sure the chasing peloton would not have caught them. Or is it your previous answer of NO! pogacar would not have ridden with MVDP and Pidcock in his wheel and doing nothing.

It's one or the other. I want a clear answer.

 

[Extinction]

Well it depends on the race, surely? I'd always put money on MdvP over Pogacar in certain races. MSR (normally), Roubaix, most of the cobbleed classics to be honest. I feel like that doesn't take away from Pogacar, it's good that we have the two riding at the same time and competitive in some of the same races.

I'd put Pog above MvdP in Flanders. He's now even in MSR (if he ever races it again), since Pog will always push MvdP to the limit on Cipressa-Poggio. In Roubaix, until Pog wins it, you still have to go with MvdP.

 

[YavorD]

Pogacar had made MSR one of his main goals this season, you honestly believe he would have sit up and not ridden had MVDP and Pidcock chosen to work less. Allowed a chasing peloton to come back and nullify all the effort on the climbs?
In my opinion MVDP rode like he left his brain somewhere. pidcock is more understandable (though still not smart to not fully optimise his chances against Pogacar) as he felt capable of backing himself.

Kinda like how everyone speaks/asks about why certain riders pulled.
If Pidcock didn't pull, they probably would have been caught. And now he put himself in a great position to have a chance to win the race. And he would have (probably) if he didn't close himself. But yeah, why would he pull..
Van Der Poel did the same last year. And Poggio being Poggio he had all the reasons to back himself.

All in all both had a reason to pull because without their pulling they would have been caught. Neither of them benefits from being caught by the peloton, that's why they worked.


Now, if the group was 2 minutes behind I would get the questioning, but with it this close. .

Ultimately, I'm fairly sure that riders would prefer to lose like Pidcock did rather than how Fuglsang/Ala lost Amstel Gold. And even then people laughed at them for not pulling.

 

[canina82]

No you half-dodged, But just indulge me in as simple and clear cut way as possible;

Do you believe that if MVDP and Pidcock had refused to work and at best given some token pulls, that Pogacar would have allowed the peloton to come back?

So you are now adapting your answer. Eheheh.

I didn't dodge anything. I will answer like a kid from elementary school.
If others didn't cooperate at all, Pogacar wouldn't pull them all the way between Cipressa and Poggio (specially on a headwind). They would have been caught.

If they worked far less than Pogacar, they would also been caught. The gap was 8" before the Poggio. Again, Pogacar would not work close to his limit to maintain the group ahead (with a marginal gap) to maximize MVP's chances.

 

[canina82]

Kinda like how everyone speaks/asks about why certain riders pulled.
If Pidcock didn't pull, they probably would have been caught. And now he put himself in a great position to have a chance to win the race. And he would have (probably) if he didn't close himself. But yeah, why would he pull..
Van Der Poel did the same last year. And Poggio being Poggio he had all the reasons to back himself.

All in all both had a reason to pull because without their pulling they would have been caught. Neither of them benefits from being caught by the peloton, that's why they worked.


Now, if the group was 2 minutes behind I would get the questioning, but with it this close. .

Ultimately, I'm fairly sure that riders would prefer to lose like Pidcock did rather than how Fuglsang/Ala lost Amstel Gold. And even then people laughed at them for not pulling.

Maybe with you, he can understand

 

[KoopaCycling]

You honestly believe he would have sit up and not ridden had MVDP and Pidcock chosen to work less. Allowed a chasing peloton to come back and nullify all the effort on the climbs?

The all flat section between Cipressa and Poggio? Of course not

If others didn't cooperate at all, Pogacar wouldn't pull them all the way between Cipressa and Poggio (specially on a headwind). They would have been caught.

Thank you for making clear your contradiction

 

[canina82]

Thank you for making clear your contradiction

oh dear... since you feel so angry when Pogacar wins, I suggest you to skip the rest of classics. Your heart will be broken

 

[kingjr]

Because Van der Poel underperformed significantly while Pogacar did not.

Someone who drops an all timer clearly wasn't affected by the crash very much.

He did not. He was about as good as last year, despite having to chase to catch up before Cipressa. Pogacar was just considerably stronger than last year.

 

[kingjr]

do we know MVDP's times for Cipressa and Poggio compared to last year?

I don't know the exact times, but he rode Cipressa and Poggio combined roughly 2 seconds slower this year.

 

[YavorD]

Maybe with you, he can understand

He can, but he probably won't.
People are just salty that certain riders always win
It was the same in Omloop. People asking why Vermeerch worked with VdP? Because if he didn't work, they would have been caught. By working he ensured himself a podium with a big chance of 2nd and a very small chance of winning instead of being caught and finish 25th.

But yeah, why would riders prefer to finish 2nd or 3rd over 25th? I can't get it. What a headless chickens they are..

 

[KoopaCycling]

If Pidcock didn't pull, they probably would have been caught. And now he put himself in a great position to have a chance to win the race. And he would have (probably) if he didn't close himself. But yeah, why would he pull..
Van Der Poel did the same last year. And Poggio being Poggio he had all the reasons to back himself.

All in all both had a reason to pull because without their pulling they would have been caught. Neither of them benefits from being caught by the peloton, that's why they worked.


Now, if the group was 2 minutes behind I would get the questioning, but with it this close. .

Ultimately, I'm fairly sure that riders would prefer to lose like Pidcock did rather than how Fuglsang/Ala lost Amstel Gold. And even then people laughed at them for not pulling.

Except that if you go from the premise that pogacar would never have allowed the chasing peloton to come back, Pidcock and MVDP need not have worked at all thus further increasing their chances. Pogacar has made a custom of outracing entire pelotons. yet in one of his main races of the season he'd allow the peloton to just come back and probably concede defeat? I doubt it personally. I think it very weird why you would think Pogacar would sit up and be okay with losing a certain top 3 and possible shot of winning san remo just cause the others do not work with him. Very strange.

What spot did MVDP finish btw?

 

[YavorD]

Except that if you go from the premise that pogacar would never have allowed the chasing peloton to come back, Pidcock and MVDP need not have worked at all thus further increasing their chances. Pogacar has made a custom of outracing entire pelotons. yet in one of his main races of the seasons he'd allow the peloton to just come back and probably concede defeat? I doubt it personally.

It wasn't up to Pogacar though.
The gap was small, if Pogacar was the one pulling he would have been caught.
Besides, I somehow doubt that Pogacar is the headless chicken you think he is and he'll go full gas in a headwind with people like VdP and Pidcock on his wheel. That's effectively riding for second from him.
But hey, maybe I'm stupid and Pogacar is indeed brain dead and he would just pull MVDP and Pidcock until the last 200 meters...

 

[Red Rick]

He did not. He was about as good as last year, despite having to chase to catch up before Cipressa. Pogacar was just considerably stronger than last year.

He was grimacing all Cipressa and struggling while last year he was in full control of his effort. The gap to the chasing group was smaller. Then he takes pulls consistently, but gets instadropped on the Poggio while literally everyone else does a faster Poggio time than last season after very similar race strategies, whereas last season he was counterattacking on the Poggio and even trying to drop Pogacar.

Pogacar did a lot less stop/start on the Poggio than last season because Van der Poel dropped instantly and he didn't mind taking Pidcock to a sprint.

 

[KoopaCycling]

It wasn't up to Pogacar though.
The gap was small, if Pogacar was the one pulling he would have been caught.
Besides, I somehow doubt that Pogacar is the headless chicken you think he is and he'll go full gas in a headwind with people like VdP and Pidcock on his wheel. That's effectively riding for second from him.
But hey, maybe I'm stupid and Pogacar is indeed brain dead and he would just pull MVDP and Pidcock until the last 200 meters...

I disagree on the premise it wasn't up to Pogacar. he's been able to outrace pelotons, but not this time around somehow....

And my second problem. you apply one logic for Pogacar and a different one for Van der Poel.
Even when I agree Pidcock had more reason to help, he could have stepped off the gas the moment the descend of Poggio was over. And helped less between Cipressa and poggio.

 

[YavorD]

If VdP and Pidcock waited to play poker games, they would be better of staying in the group, leaving Pogacar alone in the headwind with a couple of teams chasing.
But once they spent energy on his attack, they were bound to pull.

 

[KoopaCycling]

If VdP and Pidcock waited to play poker games, they would be better of staying in the group, leaving Pogacar alone in the headwind with a couple of teams chasing.
But once they spent energy on his attack, they were bound to pull.

Rly, drafting Pogacar ahead of a peloton is the same as staying in the peloton on the premise that pogacar will make sure he stays ahead of the chasing peloton? the guy that's been raiding entire pelotons for years now?

You know what, for debate sake, lets say Pogacar lets the peloton come back, and he shakes everyone except Pidcock on the poggio again. in what world is it smart for Pidcock to work with Pogacar after Poggio's descent?

 

[YavorD]

I disagree on the premise it wasn't up to Pogacar. he's been able to outrace pelotons, but not this time around somehow....

And my second problem. you apply one logic for Pogacar and a different one for Van der Poel.
Even if agree Pidcock had more reason to help, he could have stepped off the gas the moment the descend of Poggio was over.

It's not different for Van Der Poel. Fairly sure he wants to win this race as much as Pogacar and he was the best sprinter in the group. He would naturally back himself. He's been in the same position 12 months ago and he won.

 

[KoopaCycling]

It's not different for Van Der Poel. Fairly sure he wants to win this race as much as Pogacar and he was the best sprinter in the group. He would naturally back himself. He's been in the same position 12 months ago and he won.

12 months ago he felt strong, now he felt weak after the Cipressa.

I also disagree he is the best sprinter in that group. Before the race i would always say it's pidcock, but that MVDP has better accel.

Also if we go from the premise that pogacar will allow the peloton to come back, we must also assume that after the Poggio we will once again be left with a small group with Pogacar, MVDP and Pidcock in it. At best a few others like WVA would have been able to follow. So even in that scenario, an MVDP that is feeling weak probably has more chances by trying to make Pogacar work harder.