Despite not successful a stage at Tirreno-Adriatico final week, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) will enter the primary Monument of the season at Milan-San Remo on Saturday with a strong week of robust racing in Italy beneath his belt.
Van der Poel believes he has sharpened the instruments greater than sufficient in his second race of the season, after debuting in 2025 with a win at Ename Samyn Classic, scoring a 3rd place and second place end on levels 4 and 5.
The Dutchman is eyeing a second title at La Classicisima so as to add to his 2023 victory, and for Alpecin-Deceuninck’s third Milan-San Remo win in a row, after serving to convey again assaults on the Via Roma for eventual winner Jasper Philipsen eventually season’s race.
“Of course, I might have preferred to win a stage. But I nonetheless really feel wholesome and that will have been a victory on this climate anyway. I had a couple of good days final week. This is what I wanted in the direction of the classics,” Van der Poel informed Nieuwsblad and reporters earlier than stage 7, after lighting up the racing a number of instances on the Race of the Two Seas.
“The solely pity is that I could not win a stage. That would not have modified a lot for Milan-San Remo, however I might have preferred to win anyway.
“I’ve additionally discovered the odds I used to be on the lookout for. This was merely an excellent week. And I repeat: I’ve stayed wholesome. With a view to the Classics, that was maybe an important factor.”
Van der Poel has headed residence from Italy to Belgium for the week forward of the race, opting to not recon the Poggio as he has in earlier years. With the work carried out at Tirreno, he is making an attempt to not overdo it earlier than the near-300km and sure six-and-a-half-hour take a look at within the saddle that awaits him.
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“Every monument is vital to me. I do know what I nonetheless have to do that week to be good on Saturday,” mentioned Van der Poel.
“Rest however on the similar time give the physique some stimulation. Yes, I’ll return to Belgium. I’ll most likely get my gravel bike out a couple of instances. Will I discover the Poggio this week? No, not this time. I believe I’ve seen sufficient of the Poggio lately.”
Milan-San Remo was Van der Poel’s first race of the season in 2024, together with his 2025 build-up nearer resembling how he approached the Italian Monument when he gained it two years in the past, albeit with an look at Strade Bianche as a substitute of Le Samyn.
Defending champion Philipsen will, after all, be one of many favourites for the race alongside the previous world champion, nevertheless, Van der Poel assured that their ways would be the similar.
“You shouldn’t conclude from that that I’m the clear chief this time. We began with the identical thought as final yr and that labored,” he mentioned.
“So much will rely on how we really feel. Last yr we proved that we will swap in a short time, even in a busy closing. The climate situations may also decide lots. If now we have a headwind on the Cipressa, then I do not suppose the ultimate will break open early.”
Van der Poel has additionally been maintaining a detailed eye on the racing and his rivals, singling out a rider he raced towards at Tirreno-Adriatico, one who was on kind at Paris-Nice and one other who’s the present odds on favorite to win on Saturday as key rivals.
“I didn’t see many surprises. Saturday can be between the established names once more,” mentioned Van der Poel. “[Filippo] Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) has confirmed as soon as once more that he can be one of many high favourites, in Paris-Nice I noticed that [Mads] Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) is in excellent form. And then after all there may be [Tadej] Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who’s at the moment at residence.”
Milan-San Remo is famously often called the simplest Monument to complete however the hardest to win, proven greatest in the truth that no rider has gained it in back-to-back years since Erik Zabel in 2001, however Van der Poel is assured that he is nearing the form to take victory once more.