'No regrets' for Tadej Pogačar after falling short of Milan-San Remo podium
UAE Team Emirates rider says the best man won on the Via Roma
![Tadej Pogacar attacks in Milan-San Remo](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gVtFs9zBP4c3MSyvcwF5qb-415-80.jpg)
Two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar has said he has "no regrets" after lighting up this year's edition of Milan-San Remo and finishing fourth.
The UAE Team Emirates rider was the first to attack in the race, launching off team-mate Tim Wellens' wheel on the Poggio with 6.6km to go. He was then caught by Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers), Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), the Dutchman countering decisively one kilometre later.
Speaking after the race, Pogačar said: "I had one goal today and that was to attack after Tim's pull. Tim did a really perfect job today, I have to thank him a lot for setting up this attack in the end.
"I was not strong enough to go solo with four guys, and then Van der Poel attacked, I couldn't follow. He was too strong. Then I was dead to the finish."
On the serpentine descent of the Poggio, Pogačar chased with Ganna and Van Aert, but the trio couldn't close the gap to Van der Poel. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider crossed the line on the Via Roma with a 15-second advantage, alone as he celebrated his first victory of the season.
Asked if he rued how the the race unfolded, Pogačar said: "No regrets."
"I knew that it was going to be hard and I have high hopes for the coming years for this race," he added. "Last year I attacked four times, this year, just once and I tried to go to the top.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"Mathieu was sprinting at the top. I was already dead from my turn and he opened the gap really fast. Then, on the downhill, he was so [much] better than us. Out of the corners, you could see that he was really sprinting and the three of us couldn't do the same as him."
Pogačar, who has already won Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Il Lombardia, will next line up at a Monument at the Tour of Flanders in two weeks' time. Last year, the Slovenian broke free on the Flemish cobbles with Van der Poel, but was outfoxed in the finale, eventually crossing the line in fourth.
"The best man won today," he said in San Remo, before adding ominously, "and the best man will win in Flanders."
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Tom joined Cycling Weekly as a news and features writer in the summer of 2022, having previously contributed as a freelancer. He is the host of The TT Podcast, which covers both the men's and women's pelotons and has featured a number of prominent British riders.
An enthusiastic cyclist himself, Tom likes it most when the road goes uphill and actively seeks out double-figure gradients on his rides.
He's also fluent in French and Spanish and holds a master's degree in International Journalism.
-
How to watch the Olympic cycling time trial at Paris 2024
Get all the information you need to watch the action of the men's and women's Olympic cycling time trial at Paris 2024
By Cat Glowinski Published
-
Ribble Cycles looking to capitalise on 'big summer of sport' with 30% off highly-rated models
Direct-to-consumer Ribble Cycles has always been rated highly among the Cycling Weekly tech team. This is our pick of the best Road, Gravel and E-bikes from their 'Summer Sale'
By Matt Ischt-Barnard Published
-
Tadej Pogačar broke 288 Strava KOMs during Tour de France victory
Slovenian won his third Tour title in Nice last weekend, and picked up a host of new trophies on Strava
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tadej Pogačar to skip Olympics road race
Tour de France champion was originally selected as part of four-man Slovenia team
By Adam Becket Published
-
'Even if I never come back to the Tour de France I will be satisfied': Tadej Pogačar revels in third victory
Three Tour de France wins before turning 26, the Giro-Tour double, the suggestion of a triple crown. Records tumble for the Slovenian
By Adam Becket Published
-
Tadej Pogačar: 'There will always be doubts... but cycling is the cleanest sport'
Tour de France champion addresses critics, saying it would be "super stupid" to dope
By Adam Becket Published
-
How Tadej Pogačar created history and won the Giro d'Italia-Tour de France double
A journey that was supposedly fraught with risk and uncertainty was anything but for Giro d'Italia and Tour de France victor Tadej Pogačar
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
'You always need to go for the victory if you can' - Insatiable Tadej Pogačar won't stop winning at Tour de France
The Slovenian says that he was "at the limit" on the final climb of stage 20
By Adam Becket Published
-
'The best rider I've ever seen': Even UAE Team Emirates are astounded by Tadej Pogačar's Tour de France brilliance
The Slovenian is just two days away from becoming one of only eight men to win the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France in the same year
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
Remco Evenepoel on Tadej Pogačar: He's not the same as us
Belgian was unable to follow Tadej Pogačar's attack on the climb to Isola 2000 on Friday
By Adam Becket Published