‘Milan-San Remo is a scary race’ – Tadej Pogačar reveals his fears and ambitions for Italian Monument

Tadej Pogačar has described Milan-San Remo as “a scary race”, acknowledging how he has to fight for position at high speed against beefy Classics riders and fearless sprinters and then also take huge risks on the twisting descent of the Poggio.

Pogačar and his UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad are again likely to try to blow-up the Milan-San Remo peloton on the Cipressa but he is expecting a huge fight for position on the coastal Capi climbs.

“Milan-San Remo is really different compared to Strade Bianche, the Tour of Flanders or even Liège-Bastogne-Liège,” Pogačar said after winning Strade Bianche.

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“Until you get to the coast, it’s not really a hard race. Then when along the coast, things start to be nervous, with a lot of towns, a lot of lefts, rights, ups and downs. The speeds are incredibly high too.

“The guys who ride Milan-San Remo are a little bit bigger than the other races that I do, they’re Classic riders and sprinters and that also means the speeds are higher on the flat.

“In a way, Milan-San Remo is a scary race, especially coming to the Cipressa or passing some town even before that.”

Pogačar would love to win Milan-San Remo as he tries to win every major race in the sport.

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However, he has repeatedly to drop the likes of two-time winner Mathieu van der Poel and Filippo Ganna on the Cipressa and Poggio climbs and lacks the sprint speed to beat them in the Via Roma finish.

Last year, his attack on the Cipressa dragged his two big rivals away but then Van der Poel dominated the sprint.

“It’s no secret that Milan-San Remo is a race I would love to win. I think it suits me well but also suits a lot of the other top guys. I see that as a good challenge,” he said when UAE Team Emirates-XRG named their seven-rider line-up.

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“I’ve done a lot of recons on the Poggio and it’s a climb I know very well. The team was exceptional in Strade Bianche and if we can repeat that performance, anything is possible for us.

“The competition will be high as always but we’re used to that and we’ll do all we can for a result. I hope for a great day of racing and that we can put on a good show for the fans.”

Pogačar is again expected to attack on the Cipressa, with 22km to go, in the hope of getting away with a small group and then perhaps making a solo move over the Poggio.

It’s an easy tactic to describe but very difficult to execute.

“You need to be there for the Cipressa. Not at 100% but at 110%. It’s all about positioning. Then you need to do it all again for a second time on the Poggio and be even better,” Pogačar explained.

“The climbs are super fast. We go up the climbs at like 40kph. So sitting on the wheel, you feel the difference and it’s hard to make the difference there.

“One important thing for Milan-San Remo is that it’s not just about going uphill on the Poggio, there’s the descent too. After it there’s not far to go to the finish line.

“It’s a really particular race. In a way it’s a really beautiful race, very interesting to race.”

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