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Follow us on GoogleTom Pidcock came within touching distance of a Monument win in Milan-Sanremo on Saturday, but the Brit is not yet in the mood to take comfort from the quality of his ride. The Pinarello-Q36.5 rider was the only man in the race able to follow Tadej Pogačar on both the Cipressa and the Poggio, only to lose the final sprint by the smallest of margins.
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That Pidcock is flying was already clear after his victory at Milano-Torino earlier this week, while he had also opened his 2026 road season with a win at the Ruta del Sol. He had targeted Milan-Sanremo, and that showed throughout the day, with Pinarello-Q36.5 constantly present near the front of the peloton. When Pidcock avoided the crash that disrupted part of the finale, his chances only improved.
On the Cipressa, a recovered Pogačar surged clear and only Pidcock and Mathieu van der Poel could go with him. Then, when Van der Poel cracked on the Poggio, Pidcock still managed to hold the wheel. Pogačar could not shake him, so the race came down to a two-up sprint. Pidcock launched from the Slovenian’s slipstream, drew level, but saw his front wheel cross the line just centimetres behind.
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Pidcock needs a few days to reflect
“To be honest, I need a bit of time to reflect,” said an honest Pidcock in the mixed zone afterwards, in comments carried by Eurosport. “Right now I’m very disappointed, because it hurts when you come so close. If Tadej had gone solo and I’d finished second on my own, I’d probably be sitting here happy. But this was four centimetres, and that hurts a lot.”
Even while trying to put the result into perspective, Pidcock admitted he was not there yet emotionally. “Of course I’m losing here to Tadej, the best bike rider ever. I probably shouldn’t be disappointed, but I can’t help it. I’ll need to look at it in the bigger picture, because for now I’m mainly disappointed. I was so close to a Monument, but what I did was incredible, and I’m proud of that.”
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Pidcock knows how strong he was in Milan-Sanremo
“I felt amazing,” Pidcock said, and he needed to, because Pogačar turned the finale into a brutal test despite his earlier crash. “Last year I was really disappointed because I knew I could have been there at the front, and it wasn’t even because of a crash that I missed out. So it’s nice that I was able to prove this year that I do have the legs for it.”
“On the Poggio, Tadej was closer to dropping me there, but the way he rode it — with those 30-second surges and then easing slightly — actually suited me. It meant I could recover a little. I just had to stay in the wheel, like when you’re riding behind a motorbike.” He then joked: “Tadej already told me he won’t be coming back now that he’s won Sanremo, so which motorbike am I supposed to use next?”
“We were really flying, and if you’re the only guy left with Tadej in a Monument, then it has been a good performance. I’ll look at the numbers later, but it was probably one of my best days on the bike. Ask me again in a few days in Catalonia how I feel, and then I’ll have had time to reflect.”
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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
