Eddy Merckx is without question one of the greatest riders in cycling history. The Belgian won the Tour de France five times, the Giro d’Italia five times and, perhaps most remarkably of all, claimed seven victories in Milan-San Remo. Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Merckx looked ahead to the race he won more often than anyone else.
Between 1966 and 1976, the Belgian great crossed the line first in La Classicissima no fewer than seven times, a record that still stands. That makes Merckx the ultimate authority on how to win the first Monument of the season, and it is still one of his favourite races to watch.
“On Saturday, I’ll be at home in Belgium, in front of the television watching it. I don’t think I’ve ever missed one,” he said. Merckx also looked ahead to the battle set to unfold once again on the Cipressa and the Poggio this Saturday. Like many observers, he believes it will be a major challenge for Tadej Pogacar to shake off Mathieu van der Poel.
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Merckx advises Pogacar: ‘Attack only on the Poggio’
“It could be Pogacar’s year if he attacks at exactly the right moment, but the Van der Poel we saw at Tirreno-Adriatico, for those two stage wins and not only that, will not be easy to beat. Not at all,” concluded the now 80-year-old Belgian. “Tadej has to drop him, because if they are still together after 300 kilometres, then Mathieu would be the favourite.”
Merckx therefore believes the world champion should wait for the Poggio before making his move. “He can drop everyone on the Cipressa, and he is capable of going on a long solo move, but in San Remo the chance of being brought back is higher,” the former rider analysed. “And if there is a strong headwind on the Cipressa, then making the difference becomes very difficult, even if you are Tadej Pogacar.”
That view lines up with much of the conversation around this year’s race. Milan-San Remo remains unique among the Monuments: brutally long, tactically delicate and often decided by timing rather than sheer strength alone. Pogacar has the explosiveness to force the race open, but Van der Poel’s endurance, punch and finishing speed make him a formidable rival if the race is still together deep into the finale.
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Merckx: ‘I see the same determination in Tadej’
Although Merckx has never liked being compared directly with riders from other eras, he does admit he sees clear similarities with Pogacar. “Yes, I don’t see many differences,” he said in the Gazzetta interview. “There were days when I won by a big margin over everyone, and in Tadej I see that same determination. But let’s stop there, because as you know I do not like comparisons, especially between different eras.”
There is, however, still one major difference between the two. Pogacar has yet to win Milan-San Remo, while Merckx conquered the race seven times. Asked whether the Slovenian could ever match that record, the Belgian smiled. “Well, we’ll see. It also depends on when he stops and whether he starts the run on Saturday. But let’s say it’s unlikely.”
For now, that leaves Pogacar still chasing one of the few prizes missing from his palmarès. And if Merckx is right, the key question this weekend may be less about whether Pogacar is strong enough, and more about whether he can find the one moment in San Remo when even Mathieu van der Poel cannot respond.