Tadej Pogačar will probably be Wout van Aert‘s most redoubtable rival at Milan-San Remo on Saturday however the Slovenian may also show to be a helpful ally of circumstance. Such are the intricacies of biking’s longest day.
Van Aert received this race two years in the past by matching Julian Alaphilippe’s rasping acceleration on the Poggio after which outsprinting the Frenchman on the By way of Roma after they’d rid themselves of the pure sprinters.
Pogačar strains up at this version of Milan-San Remo with appreciable ambition after a exceptional sequence of early-season success however his presence may but assist Van Aert form the race to his liking.
“He’s a stage race rider and he desires a troublesome race. There’ll maybe be extra curiosity than typical in imposing a excessive tempo or attacking early. Along with his situation, he can definitely decide the course of the race,” Van Aert instructed Sporza on Friday.
“In a approach, we’re additionally allies. I’d additionally profit from a tough race. So we do not have to regulate a lot, however he’s one other sort of rider it’s a must to keep watch over. From a pure sprinter, you do not count on an assault on the Poggio: from him you do.”
In a press convention on Friday afternoon, Pogačar appeared slightly open to the concept of launching an offensive from as far out because the Cipressa. “Should you’re good, you possibly can go clear. Within the final couple of years, it was mission unattainable, however you by no means know,” the UAE Staff Emirates rider mentioned.
Van Aert, for his half, reckoned {that a} larger depth on the Cipressa may not take a toll till the next kick up the Poggio.
“It may very well be attainable, however it’s troublesome to drive one thing there,” Van Aert mentioned of a putative Pogačar onslaught on the Cipressa. “Usually not a lot appears to occur on the Cipressa, however that climb typically places the race in a decisive form. And with out the Cipressa, the Poggio wouldn’t be decisive in any respect.”
Van Aert has spent the week since Paris-Good coaching on the Côte d’Azur. The Jumbo-Visma rider received the Montlučon time trial and steadied the waters for Primož Roglič on a turbulent ultimate stage, however he was, by his personal admission, brief a few of his routine sharpness within the dash. “I took it straightforward this week, which is nice for my explosiveness. I could not actually do extra in 5 days,” mentioned Van Aert, who positioned third a 12 months in the past and sixth on his debut in 2019.
An outbreak of chilly and flu within the peloton has seen a variety of contenders withdraw from Milan-San Remo, with Alaphilippe, 2021 winner Jasper Stuyven and Caleb Ewan among the many most notable absentees. Van Aert’s Jumbo-Visma squad is at full power, nevertheless, with Primož Roglič and Christophe Laporte each available, whereas there have additionally been some late additions to his listing of attainable rivals.
Mads Pedersen, who beat Van Aert with a strong dash in Dun-le-Palestel on stage 3 of Paris-Good, has been drafted into the Trek-Segafredo squad to interchange Stuyven, whereas Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) strains out in his first race since a nagging again harm noticed him minimize his cyclo-cross marketing campaign brief in December.
Van der Poel hasn’t raced on the street since he positioned third at Paris-Roubaix final October, and though he has been coaching in Spain in current weeks, he had not been anticipated to return to competitors this weekend. Van Aert, who has been racing in opposition to Van der Poel on all terrains since they have been youngsters, was not stunned to see the Dutchman choose to compete at Milan-San Remo.
“After all, he’ll solely begin if he feels he’s prepared. But when there’s one Monument the place you possibly can go for the win with none race kilometres in your legs, it is San Remo,” mentioned Van Aert. “That is why it was a shock to me that he would not begin at first, however apparently they’ve modified their minds at Alpecin-Fenix.”
