Mathieu van der Poel knows his six teammates for Milan-Sanremo, as last year’s fifth-place finisher misses out
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Follow us on GoogleAlpecin-Premier Tech has completed its selection for Milan-Sanremo, the first Monument of the 2026 season. The Belgian team will head to the start in Pavia with clear ambitions once again, with two former winners in its ranks in Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen.
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Van der Poel has already shown that his form is right where it needs to be, with victory at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and two stage wins at Tirreno-Adriatico. Philipsen, meanwhile, took his first win of the season on Wednesday at Nokere Koerse.
On Saturday, the two leaders will be supported by one other Dutch rider, Tim Marsman, along with Belgians Edward Planckaert and Emiel Verstrynge. Experienced Austrian Michael Gogl is also part of the team, as is breakaway specialist Silvan Dillier.
The notable absentee is Kaden Groves, who had already been forced to pull out of Tirreno-Adriatico because of knee problems. The Australian finished fifth in Milan-Sanremo last year, so his absence is a significant one for Alpecin-Premier Tech.
Van der Poel is widely seen as the top favourite for Milan-Sanremo, where he may have to respond to the expected attack from Tadej Pogacar on the Cipressa. The Slovenian is still chasing his first victory in La Primavera.
Selection Alpecin-Premier Tech Milan-Sanremo 2026
Mathieu van der Poel
Tim Marsman
Jasper Philipsen
Edward Planckaert
Emiel Verstrynge
Michael Gogl
Silvan Dillier
Tim Marsman
Jasper Philipsen
Edward Planckaert
Emiel Verstrynge
Michael Gogl
Silvan Dillier
Tom van der Salm (27) comes from the charming town of Zeilberg (Deurne) in the Netherlands and has been working as editor-in-chief & journalist at IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, In de Leiderstrui, since 2019. He travels with the peloton from the Tour de France to the AlUla Tour and from the World Championships in Rwanda or Canada to the Zilvermeercross in Mol. In his spare time he enjoys playing football, mountain biking, running, walking with his Labrador/Stabyhoun, investing, holidays, (specialty) beers, reading, cooking and watching sports & documentaries!
Contact: [email protected]
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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
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- 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
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- 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