As Tadej Poga\u010dar prepares for another shot at Milan\u2013Sanremo this weekend, the great Eddy Merckx has offered some (unsolicited) tactical advice: don\u2019t go too early.<\/p>\n
Last year, Tadej Poga\u010dar lit up the race with an attack on the Cipressa, only to be matched by Mathieu van der Poel. According to Merckx, a seven-time winner of La Classicissima, that move came too soon. Repeating it may lead to the same outcome. Meanwhile, UAE Emirates has been quite clear\u2013with a stacked team, no less, that the Cipressa is the place to be. It\u2019s a little longer, a little steeper than the Poggio. But the Belgian says it\u2019s simply too far from the finish on Via Roma.<\/p>\n
Cipressa ain\u2019t it<\/p>\n
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport<\/a>, Merckx argued that the Cipressa is no longer decisive enough. Even if Poga\u010dar manages to drop most of the field, as he nearly did last year, modern racing dynamics make it easier for chasers to regroup and bring attackers back before the finish.<\/p>\n Merckx also pointed out how conditions can make a difference. A headwind on the Cipressa, for example, would only reduce the chances of a successful solo move. In his view, patience is key\u2026even for a rider as strong and aggressive as Poga\u010dar. (We all know that the world champ loves to go early.)<\/p>\n Pogi on the Poggio<\/p>\n So where should the race be decided? Merckx says there\u2019s only one option: the Poggio. The final climb before the run-in to San Remo remains the most effective launchpad for a winning attack, especially if timed perfectly. (And hey, it even kinda sounds like your name, so why not, Pogi?)<\/p>\n As many predict another win for van der Poel\u2013there is still a path to victory for Poga\u010dar, Merckx said. The Slovenian has come close in recent editions, finishing as high as third, and clearly has the engine to win. If it\u2019s timed right. However, if he reaches the Via Roma finish alongside the Alpecin-Premier Tech rider after three hundo in their legs, it\u2019s pretty much a fait accomplit.<\/p>\n It\u2019s clear that van der Poel is flying, too. His win at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, plus his wins at Tirreno\u2013Adriatico<\/a> show he\u2019s on form. (Even if he said he didn\u2019t feel quite as good in Italy.)<\/p>\n Merckx says if Poga\u010dar wants to win Milan\u2013Sanremo, he needs to wait\u2014and strike at exactly the right moment.<\/p>\n