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Follow us on GoogleThis coming Saturday, Milan-Sanremo will host the first showdown of the year between Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar. UAE Team Emirates manager Joxean ‘Matxin’ Fernandez spoke to TNT Sports about the clash between the Slovenian world champion and his Dutch rival, who has won the last three editions.
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Van der Poel already noted during Tirreno-Adriatico that Pogacar will once again hold the key to Sanremo this year and that he’ll need to be at 100 percent. “There will come a day when I’m 1 percent off my game and Tadej will win Sanremo.”
“Pogačar can win if he increases that 1 percent,” says Matxin, the team’s sports architect from the Emirates, with confidence.
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Matxin and UAE have great respect for Van der Poel
At UAE Emirates-XRG, they also have immense admiration for Van der Poel, according to Matxin. “I hope Van der Poel always stays true to himself—a worthy rival, a respectful rival, respected by us, who always competes in the most sportsmanlike manner possible.”
“And if we ever have to beat him, may it be in the same way,” says Matxin. "He is a key rider in professional cycling, who generates so much excitement, just like Tadej.
“Beating him in a race like Milan-San Remo is very difficult. It’s very difficult because he knows Tadej, he knows his own game, but we’ll try to turn the result around this year,” the Spaniard concludes with determination.
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
- 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