🎥 Pogacar already focused on Milano–Sanremo: World Champion goes all-out on the Poggio

At just 27 years old, Tadej Pogacar’s palmarès already overflows with major victories. But despite being a multiple world champion and Tour de France winner, the Slovenian still has one glaring omission: Milano–Sanremo. 

The Italian Monument — renowned for iconic climbs like the Cipressa and the Poggio — has proven a tough code for Pogacar to crack. Its relatively gentle parcours often leaves riders who survive to the finish capable of outsprinting him, which is one reason he hasn’t yet won. 

According to former winner Vincenzo Nibali, Pogacar must not only rely on his brute strength but also be willing to ride more tactically to finally unlock this Monument victory. In the last four editions of Milan–Sanremo, Pogacar has consistently finished in the top five — including two third-place results — but has fallen short of victory.

In 2025, he tried to make the difference first on the Poggio and then earlier on the Cipressa, launching a blistering attack after a strong team lead-out. However, both Mathieu van der Poel and Filippo Ganna matched his effort, leaving Pogacar to finish just behind them in the final sprint.

Pogacar isn’t giving up, though. He is hoping that 2026 will be his year at Milan–Sanremo, and to that end he spent Saturday riding a full reconnaissance of the finale, testing himself all-out on the iconic Poggio climb to sharpen every detail ahead of the spring classic.

We’ll find out whether this effort pays off on Saturday, 21 March — where Milan–Sanremo will be only the second race of the season for the UAE Team Emirates-XRG leader. Strade Bianche on 7 March kicks off his campaign, followed by the cobbled Classics. Beyond Sanremo, Pogacar also has his sights set on Paris-Roubaix, another Monument yet to grace his palmarès.