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Sunday, March 22, 2026

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2025 Tour de France | 2025 Giro d'Italia

Trust everybody, but cut the cards. – Finley Peter Dunne


Tour de France: 2023

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Milano-Sanremo reports

We posted the race organizer's report with the results.

Here's the report from winner Tadej Poigacar's UAE Team Emirates-XRG:

Triumphing in the most remarkable of circumstances, Tadej Pogačar produced perhaps the performance of his career to win Milano-Sanremo on Saturday afternoon. In doing so, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider becomes the only active rider to have won four out of cycling’s five Monument Classics.

Such a feat only serves to underline the magnitude of Pogačar’s accomplishment, with the Slovenian quickly mobbed by teammates, friends and even his opponents after the finish line, all of whom were desperate to offer up their plaudits.

In winning a race that has long since been dubbed the impossible dream for a rider in Pogačar’s ilk, the world champion claimed victory against all the odds and took himself to 110 career wins.

Pogacar attacks on the Poggio.

To make the victory all the more impressive, Pogačar actually suffered a crash just 6km before the all-important Cipressa. With rips to his skinsuit and abrasions to his left-hand side, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider bounced back to his feet and was helped back to the peloton by the faultless work of his teammates.

Once back at the front, Pogačar delivered a record-breaking ascent of both the Cipressa and Poggio climbs, eventually whittling his competition down to only Tom Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling) over the top of the final ascent. With the British rider in his wheel, Pogačar dived down towards the finishing straight in Sanremo.

There, on the Via Roma, the Slovenian out-sprinted Pidcock and picked up the Milano-Sanremo crown for the first time in UAE Team Emirates-XRG history. For the magnitude of victory, it is a race that will stand alongside the team’s first wins in the Tour de France and the Tour of Flanders. It is a victory that will be written about for generations to come.

Speaking after the finish, Pogačar had tears in his eyes as he reflected on what he had just achieved in the race known as La Classicissima.

Pogačar: “When I crashed, for a second I thought it was all over. Because to crash just before the most important part of the race is not ideal, but luckily I was quickly back on the bike and not too much damage to me or the bike.

“I saw my team. Florian and Felix, they left everything out there to bring me back to the front. They gave me back hope, and the legs were still ok. Brandon and Isaac did the rest on the Cipressa. Today, if there is no team, probably I would just go straight to Sanremo [and the finish line], I would not go right onto the Cipressa.

“When we were doing turns on the front, I was really happy that everybody worked, but it was a bit of headwind. It was not the ideal circumstances [for a small group] like last year, and it was a bit harder in the middle part. For the Poggio, the wind was better this year, so I tried to go all-out there.

“The idea was to go alone but Tom Pidcock was really strong, and also chapeau to Mathieu – he did an amazing race also. In the end, me and Tom came together and I was lucky in the sprint. Tom is a really fast guy, we all know this. He is punchy, he is fast, and he looks really in shape. So I was a bit afraid when he let me go first [in the sprint], and I was waiting as long as I could. In the end, it was really close, so chapeau to him.”

It was a victory that could not have been achieved without the help of Pogačar’s teammates, who stepped up at every possible moment. After a crash ruled Jan Christen out of the race earlier in the day, Domen Novak was the first to put his nose to the wind and pace the peloton, before Florian Vermeersch was handed the reins.

Thanks to both Novak and Vermeersch, Pogačar looked perfectly set to ride onto the Cipressa climb in front and launch a fierce attack, just as he had done in 2025. However, the crash appeared to bring those plans to a grinding halt.

The world champion was left in a heap on the asphalt, as the peloton whooshed past him on either side and continued its relentless assault towards the Cipressa. With only 6km to the foot of the climb, it could have been panic stations for Pogačar and his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates.

But instead, Pogačar quickly bounced to his feet and had the immediate help of his colleagues, Florian Vermeersch and Felix Grossschartner. Together, the pair closed a 35-second gap that had opened up to the peloton, and poetically, Pogačar regained contact with the back of the pack at the very foot of the penultimate climb.

From here, Brandon McNulty took over as Pogačar’s de facto lead-out man, not only guiding the Slovenian up the side to the very front of the peloton, but then proceeding to deliver a huge turn at the head of the race. It was a performance that deserved all the plaudits in the world, such was the American’s importance to Pogačar’s eventual win.

With McNulty having strung out the peloton, all that was left on the Cipressa was for Isaac del Toro to deliver a ferocious turn of pace, with Pogačar in the wheel. Once the Mexican had created the conditions for attack, the world champion burst around the outside and accelerated off the front of the group. It was an attack right from the 2025 playbook, and saw only two riders stick to his wheel.

Those two riders were Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) and Tom Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling), with the trio then turning collaborators on the descent of the Cipressa and into the base of the Poggio. Onto the final climb, they took a slender nine-second advantage over those chasing behind, but it was a gap that would prove definitive.

Van der Poel, a winner of this race in both 2023 and 2025, was perhaps the biggest danger to Pogačar’s designs on the trophy, so the Slovenian delivered a series of accelerations that shook the Dutchman loose halfway up the climb. From here to the finish, barely an inch could separate Pogačar from Pidcock, as the duo rode to the finish line on the Via Roma.

In Sanremo, it was Pogačar that triumphed in the two-up sprint, with a winning margin of just 4cm across the line. It was a finish befitting of perhaps the most memorable Milano-Sanremo in decades, and one that saw Pogačar elevate himself only higher into the pantheon of greats.

With wins in four out of cycling’s five Monuments – Milano-Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Il Lombardia – only Paris-Roubaix remains yet to be added to Pogačar’s palmarès. If Milano-Sanremo appeared to be the impossible dream just minutes before the start of the Cipressa on Saturday afternoon, who is to say that Paris-Roubaix could not one day be vanquished?

For Pogačar and UAE Team Emirates-XRG, there is time first to celebrate the accomplishment of winning the 117th edition of Milano-Sanremo.

And here's the Milano-Sanremo report from third-place Wout van Aert's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:

Wout van Aert claimed third place after a thrilling finale at Milan-Sanremo. The Belgian had to chase back just before the Cipressa but fought his way back brilliantly in the closing stages, eventually securing a podium spot with a late attack from the chasing group. Tadej Pogacar proved the strongest on the Via Roma.

In the 117th edition of the Italian spring classic, all eyes were on the final 50 kilometers. Heading toward the base of the Cipressa, the yellow-and-black squad was well positioned at the front.

Just before tackling the decisive climb, disaster struck. Pogacar crashed, with van Aert and Jorgenson also caught up in the incident. The two leaders had to chase back but managed to rejoin the chasing group before the Poggio.

On the final climb, van Aert was perfectly positioned by his teammates, and in the closing kilometers, he launched an attack from the chasing group. The 31-year-old Belgian showed his class and secured third place.

Before the race: Wout van Aert heads to the start. Sirotti photo

“If the moment came, the plan was to go for it,” van Aert reflected on his late attack. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t for the win, but after the crash and my bike change, this was the best possible outcome. We fought back well as a team and kept believing in a strong result. I’m very happy with my podium finish.”

Although van Aert is proud of his performance, he regrets not being able to challenge his main rivals. “It’s a shame I couldn’t fight for the victory, but that’s how it goes. I kept pushing after the crash and gave it everything I could. To still finish third in the end is, of course, very satisfying.”

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Fifth-placed Corbin Strong's NSN Cycling Team posted this report:

An instant-classic edition of Milano – Sanremo on Saturday is also a race that will go down in NSN Cycling Team history. Corbin Strong sprinted to fifth on the Via Roma to a career-best Monument result, the team’s best-ever result in La Classicissima, and an equal-best Monument placing in our history.

“I’m happy. I felt good, the teamwork and the guys were awesome, and this has always been a race that I thought could suit me really well,” said Strong.

“I’ve had horrible luck this year. I think I’ve crashed or had mechanicals or got ill in every race I’ve done so far this year, so it’s really nice to be in the final racing and to get a top five in a Monument, it’s really special. Actually, it means a lot.”

As usual, the action kicked off in the final hour of racing but this time, it was before the Cipressa when a crash took down Biniam Girmay alongside a bunch of race favourites including Tadej Pogačar.

Fortunately, Biniam was able to get back on the bike but with the peloton well and truly flying ahead of the decisive climb, where positioning is always crucial, it was impossible for the Eritrean to get back to the front of the group.

The crash that took down Tadej Pogacar, Biniam Girmay and several other riders.

Up ahead, Strong remained well positioned on the Cipressa and was part of the main chase group when Pogačar, Mathieu van Der Poel, and Tom Pidcock went clear. Although the trio established a solid gap, the race wasn’t over and with the peloton chasing hard behind, Pogacčr and Pidcock had just eight seconds as the race turned onto Via Roma.

With Pogačar taking the win by half a wheel over Pidcock, and a late attack from Wout Van Art rounding out the podium, Strong dug deep to sprint to fifth place.

For Sports Director Sam Bewley the first Monument of the season was a day of ups and downs.

“I had in my head that a top five was achievable today, with Corbin or Bini,” explained Bewley. “So to get fifth is in line with that expectation, and obviously it was always going to be a challenge, with some of the best in the world here. So we actually can be really happy, and I am really happy with fifth. I’m happy for Corbin to finally get on the board this year as well after a tough start.

“But obviously at the same time, it’s a bit of a bittersweet day with Bini in great shape, and I have no doubt he would have been in that group too and would have had some really good options to play, but he was caught up in that crash. It’s unfortunate for him, but at the same time for the team, it was a day we can be happy with.”


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Here's the Milano-Sanremo report from seventh-place Jasper Stuyven's Team Soudal Quick-Step:

Jasper Stuyven achieved his 11th top-ten finish in a Monument, after a strong day in the saddle at Milano-Sanremo, cycling’s longest one-day race. The Belgian was Soudal Quick-Step’s top finisher Saturday afternoon, as he took his most significant result since the start of the season, which underscored his upward trajectory – already visible in Paris-Nice – ahead of the cobbled Classics.

Just like last year, the race exploded on the Cipressa, where three riders broke away, while the small group behind fought hard to limit the damage. Stuyven, who was making his 29th Monument appearance, showed good legs by making the cut and staying in the reduced peloton that managed to reduce the gap to just ten seconds ahead of the Poggio. There, the gap widened once again, only for it to come down again on the descent and flat section to the finish.

The field sprint for third place, won by Wout van Aert. Sirotti photo

The group arrived on the Via Roma only four seconds behind winner Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Jasper sprinted to seventh place, a result from which he took a lot of confidence that he will now carry into next week’s one-day races in Flanders.

“There are always a lot of ifs after a race, but I am satisfied to be in the top ten in my first Monument with the Wolfpack. I had no idea of what to expect, but the legs were there and the team believed in me, working and keeping me out of the wind, helping me as far as they could. It’s a good result for the morale and for the whole squad before taking on the cobbled Classics”, said Jasper after the finish.

Eleventh-place Jenno Berckmoes' Lotto-Intermarché team posted this Milano-Sanremo report:

Jenno Berckmoes narrowly missed out on a top ten finish at Milano-Sanremo today, crossing the line in 11th place after a powerful and united team performance in one of cycling’s most prestigious races.“I felt so strong today, so to just mis out on a top 10 does hurt a bit”, Berckmoes reflects.

The team rode with clear intent throughout the whole day, ensuring that Berckmoes was positioned well when it mattered most. On the decisive climb of the Poggio, the team was amongst the first teams to move to the front, underlining their ambition and strength as a collective. Every rider contributed, delivering a committed effort from start to finish.

The peloton just before tackling the Turchino Pass.

In the fast and chaotic finale, Berckmoes was unable to fully engage in the sprint, slightly compromising his chances of a top result. Still, an 11th place finish in such a top field stands as a strong outcome.

After the race, Berckmoes shared his mixed feelings: “I felt so strong today, so to just mis out on a top 10 does hurt a bit. The team rode really well as a collective today and we really showed ourselves out there. We can be really proud of ourselves today!”


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Filippo Ganna's INEOS Grenadiers team posted this:

Filippo Ganna battled hard at Milano-Sanremo, finishing in the chasing peloton following a thrilling edition of the Monument.

The INEOS Grenadiers riders went all in, hitting the front and supporting Ganna onto the race’s penultimate climb, the Cipressa. The winning move went clear towards the top, with Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates – XRG) bouncing back from a crash to edge out Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Cycling) in a two-up sprint.

The team rebounded well from a crash with 65 kilometres to go on the approach the Tre Capi sequence of climbs. Ben Turner and Connor Swift were able to quickly remount and return to the front, while Michal Kwiatkowski was taken to hospital for checks.

Regrouping on the approach to the Cipressa, Jack Haig, Axel Laurance, Swift and Ben Turner helped string out the bunch and position Ganna well, before Ganna was led onto the climb by Josh Tarling.

Pogacar himself had gone down in a crash with a number of contenders, with the peloton splitting briefly prior to the Cipressa.

Filippo Ganna before the stage start. Sirotti photo

Pogacar and Pidcock were able to distance Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-PremierTech) on the Poggio, before battling it out at the finish in Sanremo.

And here's the Milano-Sanremo report from Team Picnic-PostNL:

The first Monument of the season was on the menu this Saturday afternoon as the peloton took on the almost 300 kilometres of Milano – Sanremo. Team Picnic PostNL were active at the start and made the break of nine with Alexy Faure-Prost. Behind, the peloton kept them in check with their advantage only ever growing to six minutes, and as the climbs started to approach in the finale that gap quickly fell.

It was a big battle for position going into the Cipressa and Faure-Prost was caught, as a few crashes scattered the bunch. Nonetheless, a fast tempo was set and the big expected attack by the race favorites was made, while the team fought to the line in one of the chasing groups.