🎥 Sanremo: Leading group took wrong turn; crashes involving INEOS, Pogacar, Van Aert, and Van der Poel injured
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Follow us on GoogleMilan-Sanremo 2026 got underway early on Saturday for the elite men, but the organisers did not look fully switched on either. When the peloton officially rolled out at 10:10 AM local time, a group quickly went clear. They thought they were joining the break of the day, but at a roundabout they went straight on when they were supposed to turn right. After a few calmer hours, things then went wrong again later in the race.
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Two weeks after Strade Bianche, where a chasing group in the elite women’s race was incorrectly directed by the organisation onto a gravel section, there was another organisational blunder. The Italian race convoy once again appeared to lose track of the route, with the cars and motorbikes going the wrong way before the riders followed them.
Suddenly, the brave attackers were no longer out in front and had to chase back to the peloton. They managed to do that without too much trouble, because another group had already gone clear and the bunch quickly shut things down. Even so, for many of the riders who were sent the wrong way, their race plan was effectively ruined before Milan-Sanremo had really settled down.
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Pogacar loses a teammate, INEOS Grenadiers crash with three riders
Once the opening phase was over, nine riders had established the breakaway and the peloton had settled into position, it was time for a few relatively quiet hours. That changed as the race moved inside the final 60 kilometres. More teams wanted to move up, the fight for position intensified, and a crash followed. INEOS Grenadiers
Marcel Camprubí, riding for Pinarello-Q36.5, came into contact with a rider from INEOS before several riders hit the deck heavily on the left-hand side of the road. Camprubí was clearly in pain but was able to continue. The same was true for Connor Swift and Ben Turner. Michal Kwiatkowski, however, could not continue and was forced to abandon while lying in pain at the roadside.
Earlier in the race, Jan Christen of UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Orluis Aular of Movistar had also crashed. Both riders were forced to abandon as well.
Pogacar and Van Aert; Van der Poel hits a bike
Early in the race, Jan Christen (UAE) and Orluis Aular (Movistar) had already crashed. Both riders withdrew. But the most significant crash occurred near the base of the Cipressa. Tadej Pogacar went down, and of course, he had major contenders on his wheel. Footage showed Wout van Aert was also among those involved in the crash, but it later turned out that Mathieu van der Poel was injured as well.
The Dutchman was held up, but was the first to return to the Cipressa. At the finish, however, IDLProCycling.com noticed significant wounds on his left hand and arm. It turned out to have been caused by contact with a bicycle. Despite the crash, Pogacar won the race and Van Aert finished third. Van der Poel ended the day in eighth place in the results.
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- Why would a mountain time trial be different from a normal one? Is it just that the riders have to climb the whole course?samanthak03-11-2026
- I don’t quite buy the “fear of failure” argument. Riders can race the Giro and still have confidence in July; it comes down to recovery and planning, doesn’t it?patriciaw03-11-2026
- The Giro-Tour double is a massive ask, even for the very best. Pogačar made it look almost routine in 2024, but that’s hardly a sensible benchmark for everyone else!pedalpowe2903-11-2026
- Bakelants makes a fair point: if the 2027 Tour really suits Remco, he can’t afford to dilute the build-up. That 37km flat TT will be tempting, mind.julien03-11-2026
- Mont Blanc sounds like a spectacular finish, though four climbs on the final day might be a bit much after eight hard stages. Hope the route details are clear soon.raceready703-11-2026
- Is the Valdigne time trial uphill all the way, or are there flatter sections too? I’m still figuring out how these stages work.jennifer1903-11-2026
- Three sprint chances, then all that climbing? The GC battle should really take shape after Passo San Marco. Can’t wait!robert6503-11-2026
- Finishing on the same day the men race Stage 20 is a nice touch, but I hope the women’s race gets plenty of coverage too.pedalpowe2903-11-2026
- Three mountain finishes and an uphill time trial—this route looks tailor-made for Vollering. That final stage to Mont Blanc could be brutal.cadencekingm03-11-2026
- Seixas has said he’s bored with the transfer talk, so maybe the article could give more space to the racing itself. He’s under contract until 2027; there’s no need to turn every appearance into a signing saga.velodromevirtuoso103-11-2026
