Milano-Sanremo: Philipsen Snatches Monumental Success

Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin Deceunink got here previous the most important names in biking within the last 50 meters of Milano-Sanremo to attain a dash victory of the very highest order in Italy immediately, just a few tire widths forward of Jayco-Alula’s Michael Matthews. The victory, third by a Belgian within the final 5 years, got here thanks largely to some luxurious teamwork, with none aside from World Champion Mathieu van der Poel holding issues collectively for Philipsen to win from a bunch of a dozen riders.

And it got here on the expense of one other champion, Tadej Pogačar of UAE Emirates, who fought to manage the race for the ultimate 90 minutes, solely to finish up third. Group Pogi had Wout Poels, Marc Hirschi, Isaac del Toro and others pummeling away on the peloton over the Capi, as a warning, and on the Cipressa in earnest, lowering the pack considerably to make for a selective trip up the Poggio. An elite group of perhaps 25 riders hit the ultimate climb in competition, and after a bit extra pulling from UAE, Pogačar launched a pair assaults, every time drawing van der Poel out, the second on the summit of the Poggio.

Picture by FABIO FERRARI/POOL/AFP through Getty Photos

They have been rapidly tracked down by INEOS daredevil Tom Pidcock, and former winner Matej Mohorič joined in, attacking as they reached the By way of Roma. At this level van der Poel was little question alerted to the truth that Philipsen had made the finale, as he went into elite teammate mode, first hauling Mohorič again after which monitoring down a second effort by Pidcock and Matteo Sobrero of BORA Hansgrohe to get free. This held the race roughly collectively into the ultimate stretch, when Philipsen and Matthews got here across the attackers, forward of Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek, who then watched Pogačar bounce in. Coming alongside the left aspect boundaries, the Belgian had the quickest flip, however Matthews made it fairly shut, with the Slovene third.

Picture by Dario Belingheri/Getty Photos

Little question UAE didn’t love the outcome, however the small-bunch dash amongst elite sprinters was little question satisfying to many common MSR followers, who’ve watched the Classics guys wrest the race away from the sprinters over the previous decade. That too has been nice theater, however MSR’s defining attribute stays its resistance to manage. UAE despatched a climbing workforce into the race however couldn’t break it to their wrist. Trek had a workforce of pure classics guys in Pedersen and former winner Stuyven readily available, nevertheless it wasn’t their day. Solely Alpecin-Deceuninck had Plans A and B able to launch, relying on how the finale unfolded, and when the classics riders misplaced management, they have been there to grab it.

Outcomes

1. PHILIPSEN Jasper, Alpecin – Deceuninck, 6:14:44
2. MATTHEWS Michael, Group Jayco AlUla
3. POGAČAR Tadej, UAE Group Emirates
4. PEDERSEN Mads, Lidl – Trek
5. BETTIOL Alberto, EF Training – EasyPost
6. MOHORIČ Matej, Bahrain – Victorious
7. VAN GILS Maxim, Lotto Dstny
8. STUYVEN Jasper, Lidl – Trek
9. ALAPHILIPPE Julian, Soudal Fast-Step
10. VAN DER POEL Mathieu, Alpecin – Deceuninck
11. PIDCOCK Thomas, INEOS Grenadiers
12. SOBRERO Matteo, BORA – hansgrohe
13. PEDERSEN Casper, Soudal Fast-Step, 0:35
14. KOOIJ Olav, Group Visma | Lease a Bike
15. PITHIE Laurence, Groupama – FDJ
16. ASGREEN Kasper, Soudal Fast-Step
17. STRONG Corbin, Israel – Premier Tech
18. CLARKE Simon, Israel – Premier Tech
19. PACHER Quentin, Groupama – FDJ
20. COSNEFROY Benoît, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Group

Pavia – Sanremo 288 km

It’s formally spring. In Italy at the very least. The lengthy march to essentially the most hectic of all finales is right here.

Anticipated end time: 16:45-17:30 CET

Primaverist of the Day: Tadej Pogačar

I truly suppose he’s going to do it this time. Matty ought to have executed at the very least a little bit prep racing as a result of the ridiculous UAE workforce are going to tear his race-unaccustomed legs off after which Pog goes to complete the job. Or one thing like that.

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