Tadej Pogacar bests Tom Pidcock to win Milano-Sanremo by half a wheel after bruising crash as Wout van Aert takes third
By Marcus Foley
Updated 23/03/2026 at 13:53 GMT
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Tadej Pogacar recovered from a bruising crash to win his maiden Milano-Sanremo. The world champion hit the ground before the Cipressa but recovered to battle Mathieu van der Poel and Tom Pidcock on the Poggio in record time. Van der Poel was dropped first before the Slovenian beat Pidcock to the line by half a bike wheel as Wout van Aert finished third.
Highlights: Pogacar burnishes GOAT candidacy with stunning Milano-Sanremo win
Video credit: TNT Sports
Tadej Pogacar won Milano-Sanremo at the fifth attempt by half a wheel over Pinarello-Q36.5's Tom Pidcock.
Along with Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech), the pair broke clear of the rest of the peloton on the penultimate climb, the Cipressa, before Van der Poel succumbed to Pogacar's repeated attacks on the Poggio.
The UAE Emirates-XRG star tried his utmost to also distance Pidcock on the descent but they arrived in Sanremo together, all set for a heads-up sprint. As they reached the Via Roma with enough distance to assure victory to one of them, the British rider forced the Slovenian to lead it out.
Pogacar duly obliged and Pidcock almost came past him at the line. A bruised and bloody Pogacar hung on by half a wheel to add the fourth of the five Monuments to his palmares, with only Paris-Roubaix remaining.
The victory was made more impressive by Pogacar having crashed seven kilometres out from the foot of the Cipressa. Although he was able to resume quickly, with the race up to full speed it looked to have all but ended his hopes.
Quick thinking and able navigation from his team-mates delivered him back to the battle within ten minutes and his adrenaline and talent did the rest.
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Watch: Pogacar beats Pidcock to the line by half a bike length to win Milano-Sanremo
Video credit: TNT Sports
The 30km of thrills came after 268km of relatively controlled racing. The peloton rolled out of the Milanese satellite town of Pavia with the break looking to set itself up as efficiently as possible.
A misdirection sent the early escapees the wrong way at the first roundabout, forcing a reset. Nevetheless nine riders were able to fly the coop within fifteen minutes of the flag drop.
Martin Marcellusi (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber), Manuele Tarozzi (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber), Lorenzo Milesei (Movistar), Manlio Moro (Movistar), Andrea Peroni (Novo Nordisk), David Lozano (Novo Nordisk), Alexy Faure Prost (Picnic PostNL), Dario Igor Belletta (Team Polti VisitMalta), Mirco Maestri (Team Polti VisitMalta) got themselves settled into a rhythm up front as they headed south.
Behind them Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Premier Tech) settled into his familiar position at the head of the bunch, applying a lid on the break's lead when it reached four minutes.
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Watch: Huge moment as Pogacar and Van Aert crash
Video credit: TNT Sports
Which is how the race largely remained until the completion of the Passo del Turchino. As they reached the Ligurian coast, the peloton appeared to take the foot off the gas, allowing the break's lead to grow to nearly seven minutes with 80km remaining, 50km from the foot of the Cipressa, where Pogacar was widely expected to initiate an attack.
His UAE Emirates team took over from Dillier at the front, with Domen Novak single-handedly taking three minutes from the gap by the first of the capi, the three small climbs before the Cipressa.
Florian Vermeersch and Felix Grosschartner did the rest of damage and, with 34km to go, the break itself was down to three riders. The race looked to be going to plan, until a touch of wheels sent Pogacar, along with Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) and others skittling to the floor.
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The Tour de France champion was rapidly on his feet, apparently only superficially damaged and with his bike in full working order, but with a supreme effort required to return him to contention.
Just eight minutes after his crash, Pogacar was back in the bunch. A kilometre later it was like nothing happened.
He set his team-mates to work straight away on the Cipressa, with Isaac Del Toro putting in an almighty acceleration. That served as a launchpad for Pogacar's big move of the day. Only Van der Poel and Pidcock were able to follow, in a move that appeared likely to settle the podium, if not determine the order.
Over the top they went, onto the descent and back onto the flat approach road to the Poggio. The superstar cooperated well in an effort to keep the bunch at bay but, driven largely by Lidl-Trek, the gap, which had reached thirty seconds, was down to ten as they turned onto the climb. Van der Poel couldn't keep up, Pidcock could. The lead soon doubled again.
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Watch: Pogacar finally drops Van der Poel
Video credit: TNT Sports
Pogacar was unable to distance his remaining rival on the ascent, so applied the pressure on the way back down as well. Pidcock would not be shaken and the pair reached Via Roma with the only solution a sprint finish.
Pidcock locked himself to Pogacar's wheel, refusing to be the one to blink first. With Van Aert closing fast, the world champion had no choice but to launch into his gallop 200m from the line. Pidcock held on, then came out, and almost came past, but Pogacar hung on for the win.
"I was lucky in the sprint," he said afterwards. "Tom is really fast and I was a bit afraid when he let me go first. I knew I couldn't wait too long."
Watch: Pogacar beats Pidcock to the line by half a bike length to win Milano-Sanremo
Video credit: TNT Sports
He also paid tribute to his team-mates for their help after the crash.
"I thought it was all over," he said. "Luckily I was quickly back on the bike, with not too much damage to me or the bike. Then I saw my team, Florian [Vermeersch] and Felix [Grosschartner], who gave everything to get me back to the front.
"They gave me back hope and the legs were still okay. Brandon [McNulty] and Isaac [Del Toro] did the rest on the Cipressa."
Second place for Pidcock was still his best result in a Monument, while Van Aert broke from the peloton to claim third.
Pogacar could become only the second rider in history to complete the set of Monument titles if he wins Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, April 12.
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Pidcock: Pogacar told me he won’t race Milano-Sanremo again
Video credit: TNT Sports
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