Tadej Pogačar suffered a nasty crash before the Cipressa, which took a few chunks out of him, but he still went on to get clear with Tom Pidcock and then beat him in the two-up sprint for victory (Photo: Massimi Paolone/LaPresse)
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Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Wout van Aert (Visma Lease a Bike) were among two big name riders to crash in the final at Milan-Sanremo as the field was building speed towards the Cipressa ascent.
Van Aert was delayed at the scene for a prolonged period, with an apparent bike problem. And while Pogačar got going again much quicker, it looked like he had crashed quite heavily.
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His shorts were ripped in a large section on his left side, as was his jersey. And though his team mates waited for him to bring him back on - with Van Aert's team also waiting for him - it was a significant incident for both riders.
The crash, which took down a group of riders, occurred on a left hander with 32km to go, as the remains of the early breakaway was just about to be caught.
Incredibile alla Milano-Sanremo! Tadej Pogacar non riesce a controllare la bici e casca a terra! Con lui anche Wout Van Aert e l'azzurro Pellizzari 🤕
Ps. Lo sloveno è già rientrato nel gruppo di testa#Ciclismo #Cycling #MilanoSanremo #Pogacar pic.twitter.com/vRWo1WTF9M
— Eurosport IT (@Eurosport_IT) March 21, 2026
Las heridas de Pogacar.#MilanoSanremo pic.twitter.com/HfSuWaajGl
— Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) March 21, 2026
The video replays suggest Danish champion Søren Kragh Andersen (Lidl-Trek) and Pogačar crashed first, resulting in many others coming down.
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They included Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling Team) and Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike), among others.
The incident happened as the pace was ramping up in anticipation of the remaining breakaway men being caught and the final effectively commencing, with anticipated attacks from Pogačar on the Cipressa.
When Pogačar got back into a group, led by some of his team mates, he was 55 seconds down on the remains of the peloton and 40 seconds down on the bunch.
Van Aert’s group was about 25 seconds further back, with 29km to go and 1.7km to the start of the Cipressa. However, just as that climb began, Pogačar and his group regained contact with the bunch, though the Van Aert group was still further back.
And as the climb continued, Pogačar got to the front - aided by team mate Brandon McNulty, and was attacking at off the front.
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) and Tom Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) went with him, in the first significant move of the race as a gap of 20 seconds quickly opened. That gap, to a chasing group, was just north of 30 seconds with 16km to go, including the crucial Poggio climb.
That trio led up the final climb, where Van der Poel was dropped. Pogačar and Pidcock went to the finish in a two-up fight, with Pogačar claiming the victory in a tight spirnt.
Behind them, Van Aert attacked the large chase group with 1km to go and just about hung on for 3rd, just four seconds down, though that group caught him right on the line.
Mads Pedersen (Lidl Trek), in his first race back after fracturing his wrist at Volta Comunitat Valenciana last month, was 4th. He won the sprint from the chasing group, but ran out of road to overhaul Van Aert for the final spot on the podium.
Tadej Pogačar has won Milano-Sanremo for the first time🔥 pic.twitter.com/9RHKcwNgbm
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) March 21, 2026
