photo credits @ RCS
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won todays’ Milan-San Remo Classic, snatching the victory ahead of Michael Matthews (Team Jayco-AlUla) in a photo finish on the line, while Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) rounded out the podium in third.
Pogačar previously tried to detonate the peloton with an attack along the descent of the Poggio, a move that was quickly countered by 2022 winner Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious). However, Mohorič’s aggressions were rapidly met with a counter-attack from Bora-Hansgrohe’s Matteo Sobrero. But, the Italian rider was soon chased down by Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers).
From there, the Pidcock looked poised for victory, but the British rider was reeled in just before the finish, with Philipsen et al coming from behind to seize the podium.
In the meantime, last year’s winner Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin Deceuninck) had to settle for a paltry 10th place finish.
Race Highlights
Mirco Maestri, Sergio Samitier, Davide Baldaccini, Valerio Conti, Alessandro Tonelli, Samuele Zoccarato, Davide Bais, Andrea Pietrobon, Kyrylo Tasrenko and Romain Combaud marked the day’s first breakaway effort, an ambitious plot that saw of all the escapees but Bais get caught along the descent of the Cipressa.
However, the Italian rider was reined in just a few kilometers later, as a brutal fight for position got underway at the start of the Poggio.
The pace briefly slowed as Lidl-Trek then took to the front, prompting an attack by Pogačar with 5.8 kilometers to go. Meanwhile, Van der Poel bridged the gap just before the summit with a handful of riders in tow.
Pogačar led down the descent as Pidcock and Mohoric moved up, while Van der Poel reacted, taking a few riders across with him. Moments later, Sobrero commenced an attack, followed by Pidcock during the last kilometer.
But all came to naught for Pidcock, as Philipsen and Matthews sped by on the other side of the road, with the Belgian edging out the Australian by the narrowest of margins to make it two triumphs in two years for his Alpecin-Deceuninck team.
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