Tom Pidcock has stated that the potential for assaults earlier than the Poggio, Milan-San Remo’s decisive climb, shouldn’t be dominated out on Saturday.
The Poggio typically proves to be pivotal within the first Monument of the season however the present racing atmosphere may give approach to a choose group, or solo winner, going clear beforehand.
Mathieu van der Poel launched his race profitable assault on the Poggio’s summit final 12 months earlier than soloing to the road. Matej Mohorič, the winner two years in the past, gained the race after a daredevil descent from the climb utilizing a now notorious dropper seatpost.
Tadej Pogačar lately gained Strade Bianche for a second time after an extended vary, 81 kilometre, solo assault and Pidcock says he can be alert to different riders launching assaults from as far out because the Cipressa on Saturday.
“I feel I’ve been constructing effectively, I haven’t had any setbacks but this 12 months so I can take confidence from that,” Pidcock stated forward of the race. “San Remo is straightforward actually. It’s the people who find themselves quickest up the Poggio after which who can descend it effectively.
“I feel you want a group round you that may get you in there in a superb place. Though assaults on the Cipressa gained’t shock me this 12 months to be trustworthy.”
Pidcock has began the Classics season in stable kind, taking eighth at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and fourth at Strade Bianche. The British rider heads into Milan-San Remo after ending ninth on GC at Tirreno-Adriatico.
He was pressured to overlook San Remo final 12 months because of concussion picked up in a crash in Tirreno-Adriatico. His greatest ever end on the Italian Monument is fifteenth.
“I might say I’ve solely actually raced Milan-San Remo as soon as, that was in my first 12 months, in my second 12 months I used to be sick,” he stated. “So it’s truly a race that I’ve not ridden a lot but it surely’s one which I’ve at all times watched.
“I like this race, I’ve been within the south of France for one winter so I’ve ridden these roads somewhat bit as effectively despite the fact that that was somewhat little bit of some time in the past now.”
In the meantime, Filippo Ganna can be Ineos Grenadiers’ joint chief on Saturday. The Italian completed second behind Van der Poel final trip and is the second of two playing cards that the British group has to play.
Alongside Ganna and Pidcock, Ben Swift, Luke Rowe, Michal Kwiatkowski, and Jhonatan Narváez make up the remainder of the Ineos squad.
Kim Heiduk was initially a part of the road up introduced by the group however a latest crash at Nokere Koerse in Belgium has dominated the German out with a damaged collarbone and elbow.
Pidcock stated that he had religion within the group round him for Saturday in order that he can give attention to his predominant process, being a part of the choose group that finally will contest the win within the streets of San Remo.
“The group round me give me quite a lot of confidence truly,” he stated. “I really feel having these guys behind me, they know what they’re doing and I can depend on them to get me within the place that I must be in to be in with an opportunity of profitable.”
