Van der Poel believes he can outsmart Pogacar again in Sanremo: "It will be difficult to stay up front"

In 2023, Van der Poel was the best on the Via Roma, but a year later, he took on the role of lead-out man for Jasper Philipsen. What did he learn from that particular edition? "That it is a Monument that you can win without necessarily having to be the strongest,' the Dutch rider told L'Équipe. Depending on what happens in the Poggio, it can also be very tactical. Last year, it was obvious that we had two aces up our sleeve with Jasper."

It should normally be the same recipe for Alpecin-Deceuninck, but Philipsen's crash in Nokere Koerse has suddenly caused uncertainty. The defending champion will certainly appear at the start. "We will start with two team leaders, Jasper and I," Van der Poel explained to Het Laatste Nieuws, even before his teammate's crash. "We have proven to adapt quickly, but our scenario will depend on the weather conditions. The direction of the wind always plays an important role."

Last year, the former world champion expertly neutralized Tadej Pogacar's attacks. He is eager to win, and an attack on the Cipressa does not seem out of the question. "Nothing is impossible, but it means sacrificing your entire team at that moment," the Alpecin-Deceuninck leader analyzes. "It also depends a lot on the wind. If it's blowing from the front on the Cipressa, I don't think it's possible. If the wind comes from behind, why not? It also depends on how the teams organize themselves at the back. If someone doesn't panic, the team stays united and rides as hard as possible between the Cipressa and the Poggio; staying up front will become very difficult."

Yet the Poggio seems to be the moment to turn the race on its head, as Van der Poel also sees. But he could just as easily keep a low profile. "Sometimes it's even better if you don't have the legs to try everything on the Poggio, but just try to keep up with the others. And it is unnecessary to be the first to pass the Poggio to win the race; that is clear. But on the Poggio, you can't concentrate on anything specific; it just goes so fast. You don't even have time to realize it, and suddenly, you're at the top."

Van der Poel and Pogacar are the two big favorites at the start of Milan-Sanremo. They are two great rivals, but they get along well. "We have a good relationship, but honestly, I don't think about it that much. You have to accept it if he is stronger than he was two years ago in the Tour of Flanders. That is something I cannot change, especially not when I have done everything I can." The differences between the two rivals make the duels between the two so interesting, as is often the case in the Tour of Flanders.

"Tadej is more of a climber; he can produce very high percentages for a longer period," explains the seven-time cyclo-cross champion. "That's why he's also powerful on the Oude Kwaremont, for example, because it's one of the longest climbs in Flanders. He's one of the riders who can accelerate enormously even before the cobblestones. You don't necessarily see it on television, but the approach is very tough. The pace that Tadej maintains there is already too high for most riders." Is this a sneak preview for the Cipressa? We'll see on Saturday.