Picture 1 of 26
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) snatched the victory in Milan-San Remo, out-pacing Michael Matthews (Jayco-AlUla) and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Staff Emirates) after a flurry of assaults from the Poggio to the end line from the entire pre-race favourites.
First it was Pogačar, who tried to smash the race on the descent, then 2022 winner Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious). Bora-Hansgrohe’s Matteo Sobrero put in a late transfer, chased down by Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) – and it seemed as if the Briton would possibly win when he shot away from the Italian.
However the entire strikes got here to nought and Philipsen got here from behind as Matthews opened up his dash, squeezed in between the Australian and the obstacles, then powered to the victory.
Extra to return.
The way it unfolded
A barely shorter a hundred and fifteenth version of Milan-San Remo additionally introduced with it a brand new begin vacation spot in Pavia, simply exterior of Milan. Nonetheless, the well-known route in direction of the By way of Roma in San Remo remained largely unchanged, with the Passo del Turchino, the three Capi, the Cipressa, and the decisive Poggio all lining the route forward of the end line.
After kicking issues off at 10 a.m. native time, it could take slightly below 20km of the 288km route for the breakaway of the day to type following a interval of high-paced attacking led by Italian wildcard squads Polti-Kometa, VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè, and Corratec-Vini Fantini.
The groups would finally contribute eight of the 11-rider transfer, with Bardiani’s Alessandro Tonelli making the Milan-San Remo breakaway for the sixth version in a row. He’d be joined by teammate Samuele Zoccorato, within the transfer for a second consecutive yr, in addition to four-time breakaway rider Mirco Maestri, Davide Bais, Andrea Pierobon (Polti-Kometa), Valerio Conti, Davide Baldaccini, Kyrylo Tsarenko (Corratec-Vini Fantini), Sergio Samitier (Movistar), Lorenzo Gemani (Groupama-FDJ), and Romain Combaud (DSM-Firmenich PostNL).
Lidl-Trek and Alpecin-Deceuninck have been among the many groups taking management on the entrance of the peloton, limiting the break’s benefit to a mere 1:30 and prompting Germani to surrender the ghost and drop again with an enormous 250km nonetheless left to race.
The excessive tempo set early did let as much as some extent because the riders headed in direction of the 200km mark, although it nonetheless solely hit a most of two:50 at that time.
As ever at Milan-San Remo, the highway to the Passo del Turchino handed with out a lot incident, barring a couple of bike adjustments for Van der Poel and a minor crash involving Carlos Canal (Movistar) and Yuhi Todome (EF Schooling-EasyPost). On the best way to the highest, at nearly the midway level of the race, the break lay simply over two minutes up on the peloton.
The group’s benefit fell to 1:45 on the opposite aspect because the riders raced down into Genoa and the Ligurian coast, with Lidl-Trek and Alpecin-Deceuninck persevering with to set the tempo behind.
Other than Bais struggling a puncture and making his method again to the break, there was little of observe because the riders raced into the ultimate 100km, with all eyes on the climbs that lay forward and the inevitable upping of the tempo and stress because the decisive a part of the day neared.
Alongside the best way, the break’s benefit remained within the area of two:30 because the riders closed in on the Capi climbs of the Mele, Cervo, and Berta. The run in direction of the trio of hills heralded a shakeup on the entrance of the peloton as a number of new groups – together with Ineos Grenadiers, Bora-Hansgrohe, Jayco-AlUla, and Lotto-Dstny – moved up.
UAE Staff Emirates additionally confirmed themselves for the primary time on the Mele as Pogačar put his males to work when the highway angled uphill. The break continued to battle on over the Cervo and Berta, nevertheless, holding a niche of 1:30 over the opposite aspect of the Capi regardless of dropping Baldaccini on the final of them.
Christophe Laporte (Visma-Lease A Bike) was the primary big-name casualty of the day, dropping from the rear of the peloton on the Berta together with former race winner Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X Mobility).
The Cipressa and Poggio
The 9 males out entrance stored on going to the Cipressa, hanging on to 43 seconds as they hit the 5.6km, 4.1% hill whereas Lidl-Trek, Alpecin-Deceuninck, and Ineos Grenadiers – amongst others – rotated on the entrance of the peloton.
Tsarenko was subsequent to drop from the break, whereas again within the peloton Alessandro Covi hit the entrance to push the tempo with Pogačar in his wheel. Out entrance, the break shredded additional as Isaac Del Toro grew to become the following UAE man to placed on the strain.
Behind them, the acquainted favourites – Pedersen, Ganna, Van der Poel, Alberto Bettiol, and Michael Matthews included – remained in prime place, although the peloton was fracturing into items additional again.
At 2km from the highest, Wellens took over from Del Toro, with Pogačar signalling for the Belgian to maintain pushing in direction of the highest after a brief slowing within the tempo. Excessive, solely round 40 males remained within the peloton, hanging only a handful of seconds behind the breakaway survivors.
These survivors did not final for much longer out entrance, although, with Samitier working large on a nook partway down the descent, in flip holding up the group simply because the peloton got here again. However Bais was decided to maintain going and countered because the riders hit the flat last 17km.
The Italian toughed it out on the run to the Poggio, however his time within the lead was drawn to a detailed simply earlier than the race hit the day’s last climb as Lidl-Trek led the best way within the much-reduced peloton.
Two riders from the Swiss crew Tudor hit the entrance on the base of the hill whereas on the rear teams of riders fell away. Ineos Grenadiers, after which a second act from Wellens, took up the pacemaking shortly afterwards because the tempo flew up.
Pogačar lastly made his transfer 6.5km from the road and a kilometre from the highest of the Poggio, blasting off with Van der Poel, Bettiol, and Ganna in his wheel. The Slovenian could not get clear however would attempt once more within the last metres of the climb, as soon as once more with Van der Poel following.
The paid led the best way down the quick, technical descent into San Remo, with Ganna after which Pidcock chasing just some seconds again. The Briton led the choose chase group throughout with names together with Pedersen, Mohorič, and Julian Alaphilippe additionally in there.
On the base of the descent, Mohorič made a break for it, grabbing a couple of seconds because the leaders raced into the ultimate 2km with Van der Poel as soon as once more main behind. A regrouping 500 metres later introduced a counter by Matteo Sobrero (Bora-Hansgrohe) after which Pidcock.
It was the Briton who seemed the stronger of the pair, pushing on previous Sobrero into the ultimate kilometre and sustaining a small hole because the sprinters ready to launch behind.
Briefly, it seemed as if the multi-disciplinarian would possibly pull off his first Monument victory, however Lidl-Trek had different concepts, with Stuyven launching Pedersen in direction of the road.
The Dane did not have the facility to achieve the road first, nevertheless, as Philipsen and Matthews sped by on the opposite aspect of the highway, with the Belgian edging out the Australian by the narrowest of margins to make it two triumphs in two years for his Alpecin-Deceuninck crew.
Behind Matthews, who can now depend three profession podiums at this race, Pogačar sped via to say third forward of Pedersen and Bettiol because the reigning champion Van der Poel rounded out the highest 10.
Outcomes
Outcomes powered by FirstCycling
