Milano - Sanremo 2025, one day monument, March 22

[Netserk]

The real question is, could Merckx have won here against MVDP?

No. But neither could Van der Poel win against Merckx back then.

 

[Taxus4a]

The real question is, could Merckx have won here against MVDP?

Merkx was much better sprinter than Pogacar, he would have one option even playing as Pogacar...but Pogacar playing this way, zero. Playing another way, 80% to win.

 

[Taxus4a]

I think mvdp was playing a bit of cat and mouse, to be honest. He lured Pog into attacking 2-3 extra times on the Pog(gio).

Definitely his best tactical win. Legend vs legend made this a race for the ages.

He was as well maybe stupid when he attacked at the end of the Poggio...but maybe no, he was so comfortable as Pogacar was working for him after his attacks than he could attack at the Poggio, to fail, and he has sure the sprint as well. He was not interesting in Pippo, just with Pogacar he was going to win for sure...with 3 he has to follow 2 man attacks and you never knows...For Poggi was the opossite, he rode ro be second and finally was 3 again. A champion ride ro win, and in his case means speculate and to follow wheels sometimes, no to try to act asvthe boss of cycling in every moment of the race...
He is not 20 years old..he has some experiences😳

 

[Didinho]

There was one moment the camera came back to the front and Mathieu had to close a bigger gap on the Cipressa. Now I’ve seen footage of Mathieu grabbing a bidon while Pogi just attacked. He closed the gap really impressively. I thought he got a bad moment or caught behind Ganna but he looked super strong instead.

 

[Lequack]

Some pics

 

[tobydawq]

No. But neither could Van der Poel win against Merckx back then.

Not a believer in time travel?

 

[Arvid Falk]

Kudos to Pog, he tried everything and was incredibly strong, but MVDP was on a super day.

MVDP said in interviews afterwards that he was really pressured on Cipressa, but feelt confident he could follow Pogacar on Poggio. He also said that he already during the winter training thought about doing a long spring in MSR, thereby surprising his rivals who presume he wants a short sprint.

That is one of the great things with MVDP, he is nearly always tactically flawless in big races.

Props to Ganna, what a fighter.

 

[Roku]

Great race, Pogi was impressive. If anything, he probably should have been a bit more passive in the Poggio and try only for one or two attacks in the steepest part.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

I enjoyed it, but would've thought Pidcock to be in the mix as well.
Does anyone know if he had a puncture or just was badly positioned at Cipressa? Didn't notice him at all.

He was immediately behind the crash just before the Cipressa; in fact it was the rider in front of him who crashed........

 

[Netserk]

He was immediately behind the crash just before the Cipressa; in fact it was the rider in front of him who crashed........

Yep. He is the blurred rider at the edge of the screen, behind the Cofidis rider who crashes.

He started the climb before Pogi did.

 

[Netserk]

When you know where to look, you can see the crash happen.

 

[Gratemans]

He was the stronger climbing but in those climbs you cannot go with a man as VDP at you wheel.

It's the only way he can win. Either he drops him or he doesn't. Some people said he was 'dragging him up the Poggio', which I think is bull.
He just tried to attack with everything he had. And it either works or it doesn't. Those climbs just aren't steep enough against a MvdP with good legs.
Had he ridden more conservatively, the group would have made it back and he would never even make the podium.
Maybe people should just accept this course doesn't suit Pog when an in shape Mathieu is there. Nothing to be done about it.

 

[Breh]

By 2016, Boonen was also done. He was barely good enough to be relevant, yet he used what age didn't take from him and nearly won the best race of all time. It was of course easier done in a less absurd era though.

Delete this

 

[QueenStagiaire]

When we see how much positioning counted coming into Cipressa, if Pogačar can get to a position closer to Van der Poel, or even, by some miracle, Van der Poel is the one out of position, Pogačar has a good chance of dropping MvdP on the Cipressa. Of course this is unlikely, but it‘s definitely possible.

 

[hayneplane]

Great final hour. Chapeau to 3 great champions who all fully deserved their plaudits.

Fantastic to see 40 years of received cycling wisdom ripped up so comprehensively to the point where the tactics book can be looked on anew.

The future of the race will benefit from this move staying clear so far as we should now expect by moves on the Cipressa most years with some sticking and some coming back bodies or on the Poggio.

This is the dream race for MVDP. I obviously wanted Pogacar to win but nobody can deny the class of MVDP. 7-7 in monument wins now with no sign of either slowing down. Very big chance that both get to 10 monuments with RVV 2025 looming large as having a huge say in who will hit double digits first.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Not a believer in time travel?

Hypothetical combinations of DNA are notoriously poor at maintaining a good speed on twisty descents like this.

Despite having the lowest possible CdA

 

[Peyroteo94]

Great final hour. Chapeau to 3 great champions who all fully deserved their plaudits.

Fantastic to see 40 years of received cycling wisdom ripped up so comprehensively to the point where the tactics book can be looked on anew.

The future of the race will benefit from this move staying clear so far as we should now expect by moves on the Cipressa most years with some sticking and some coming back bodies or on the Poggio.

This is the dream race for MVDP. I obviously wanted Pogacar to win but nobody can deny the class of MVDP. 7-7 in monument wins now with no sign of either slowing down. Very big chance that both get to 10 monuments with RVV 2025 looming large as having a huge say in who will hit double digits first.

It is Tadej who made the race in Cipressa. Don't see a race without him able to have these fireworks in Cipressa.

 

[Didinho]

When we see how much positioning counted coming into Cipressa, if Pogačar can get to a position closer to Van der Poel, or even, by some miracle, Van der Poel is the one out of position, Pogačar has a good chance of dropping MvdP on the Cipressa. Of course this is unlikely, but it‘s definitely possible.

The difference is that Alpecin can use everyone to lead Mathieu to the front. UAE also needs some riders to pace the Cipressa. Ans some sort of luck that gaps open up or you doesn't get boxed in. Or behind the crash like Pidcock.

 

[Netserk]

If I had to guess on the order entering Cipressa (the blue jerseys are hard to tell apart):

1. Marcellusi
2. Honoré
3. Laurence
4. Ganna
5. Philipsen
6. Albanese
7. Hermans
8. -Astana (Ballerini?)
9. Gregoire
10. -Ag2r
11. Van der Poel
12. Mihkels
13. -Visma (Kooij?)
14. Trentin (EDIT: It was in fact him who pulled off in front of Pluimers and made a gap which Gregoire jumped across with Van Gils on his wheel, the latter had to let go again after the corner)
15. Wellens
16. Sweeny
17. Pluimers
18. Campenaerts
19. -Israel
20. -Astana
21. -Jayco (Bling?)
22. -Astana
23. -Israel
24. -Jayco
25. -Visma (Tulett?)
26. Pedersen
27. -Cofidis, crash
28. -Israel
29. APP, crash
30. Kirsch
31. Pidcock
32. -RedBull
33. -Israel
34. -Bahrain
35. Powless
36. -Tudor (Alaphilippe?)
37. -Intermarche
38. -RedBull
39. -Q36.5
40. -Visma
41. -Lotto
42. Pogi
43. -Ag2r
44. -Visma
45. -RedBull
46. Aranburu
47. -(B)DSM
48. -Ag2r
49. -Vini Fantini
50. -Lidl-Trek
51. Narváez
52. -Bahrain
53. -Bahrain
54. -QS
55. -Uno-X
56. -Intermarche
57. -(B)DSM
58. -Alpecin
59. -Bahrain
60. -UAE
61. -Visma
62. -Lidl-Trek
63. -Ag2r
64. -Lotto
65. -Intermarche
66. -RedBull
67. -FdJ
68. -Uno-X
69. -Arkea
70. -Lidl-Trek
71. Geniets

 

[RedheadDane]

If I had to guess on the order entering Cipressa (the blue jerseys are hard to tell apart):

That is an impressive level of research!

 

[yaco]

And then compare that to how Ganna rode TA.
I think Pedersen was just one of the many riders who made a mistake and slept when Pogi made the first attack on Cipressa. Also the bad weather at the beginning certainly also affected many riders.

Nah - The difference is Ganna rode a controlled race and there was only one mountain stage. Once Pedersen won his stage he needed to take it easy.

 

[Arvid Falk]

So how the hell will other teams, beside UAE and Alpecin, approach MSR next year given that Pog has rewritten the rules? Every other team will know that Pog will do Cipressa in 9 minutes and that only one or maybe two other riders can match that. This new reality must be a headscratch for many teams.

 

[hayneplane]

It is Tadej who made the race in Cipressa. Don't see a race without him able to have these fireworks in Cipressa.

My hope is that it will encourage others such Soudal to send Remco next year as by far their best card to play.

Others like DSM may finally understand their sprinters can’t cope and send Onley instead.

 

[movingtarget]

Great win by VDP and another top four for Matthews at MSR...............

 

[Barkintheeye]

Tadej now has the fastest Strava time on Cipressa at 8:59. No power nor heart rate date but an average speed of 37,6 km/h. Ganna and Van der Poel should be a second or two behind.

Someone will surely calculate estimated power required for this effort.