The first big cycling classic of the year is on the program on Saturday with Milan - Sanremo. Tadej Pogacar is not the big favorite, unlike many of the other races in which he competes.
22.03.2025, 05:00
22.03.2025, 07:59
SDA
Victory in "La Primavera", the ride into spring, is missing from Pogacar's huge palmarès, which includes three Tour de France and one Giro d'Italia triumph as well as numerous victories in major one-day races such as the Tour of Lombardy (4 wins), Liège-Bastogne-Liège (2) and the Tour of Flanders (1).
Of the cycling monuments, the world champion is only missing Paris - Roubaix and Milan - Sanremo. In the city on the Italian Riviera, the 26-year-old Slovenian has finished in the top five in each of the past three years. In 2024, he sprinted to third place behind the Belgian Jasper Philipsen, whose start on Saturday is in doubt after a crash in a race in his home country on Wednesday, and the Australian Michael Matthews.
Pogacar will attack on the Poggio
"I'm ready and I know the final of the course very well. We have to make the race as difficult as possible on Saturday," says Pogacar, which means that Team UAE and its leader Pogacar can expect a very offensive riding style on the Cipressa and Poggio climbs towards the end of the race and the subsequent short descent down to Via Roma.
Alongside Pogacar, the Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel (winner in 2023), the Dane Mads Pedersen (fourth in 2024) and the in-form Brit Tom Pidcock are often mentioned as contenders for victory in "La Classicissima". The Italians' hopes of celebrating the first victory by a local rider since 2018 (Vincenzo Nibali) rest on the shoulders of Filippo Ganna (second in 2023) and Jonathan Milan.
Six Swiss riders at the start
Six riders from Switzerland will be at the start, three more than last year. Stefan Küng was the best-placed Swiss rider in Sanremo in 23rd place. However, the chances of an absolute top result for the rider from Thurgau are much better in a few weeks at the Tour of Flanders and Paris - Roubaix.
Mauro Schmid is contesting Milan - Sanremo for the first time. The start list also includes Silvan Dillier, Fabio Christen, Alexandre Balmer and Fabian Lienhard, who will clearly be busy with support duties for their respective leaders.
Premiere for the women
While the 116th edition of Milan - Sanremo will take place in the men's race, the women's race will make its debut. This leads over 156 km from Genoa to Sanremo. The top favorites are Demi Vollering from the Netherlands and world champion Lotte Kopecky. This is the Belgian's first race of the season, while Vollering has already won three times this year.
Noemi Rüegg from Switzerland is also taking part. The 23-year-old from Zurich has already proven her good form on the Women's World Tour several times this year. In January, she won the three-day Tour Down Under in Australia. After a break from racing in February, Rüegg recently finished in the top 10 at the Strade Bianche (9th place) and the Trofeo Alfredo Binda (6th).
