The Japan Times - Pogacar ends long wait for Milan-San Remo glory after edging epic

Pogacar pipped Tom Pidcock in an enthralling two-man sprint climax, even after his race strategy was blown to bits by crashing a few kilometres before the key Cipressa climb, the penultimate ascent of the race and the one where everything was expected to be decided.

UAE rider Pogacar crossed the line on Via Roma in San Remo with Pidcock right on his wheel after a brilliant battle between the pair from the final Poggio di San Remo climb, with Wout Van Aert rounding off the podium.

Pogacar, who also won Strade Bianche earlier this month, became the first man since Giuseppe Saronni in 1983 to win Milan-San Remo as world champion.

"When I crashed for a second I thought it's all over, because crashing just before the most important part of the race is not ideal, but luckily I was quickly back on the bike and with not too much damage to me," said Pogacar.

"Tom is really fast guy, we all know this. He's punchy, he's fast and he looks really in shape, so I was a bit afraid when he let me go first (in the final sprint).

"I was waiting as far as long but I also know that I cannot wait too long because he has a better kick than me probably... in the end it was really close."

Paris-Roubaix is the only Monument four-time Tour De France champion Pogacar is yet to win, with this year's edition "Hell of the North" coming up next month.

Pogacar finished second in Paris-Roubaix last year and on Saturday's evidence he could yet join Eddy Merckx, Rik Van Looy and Roger De Vlaeminck in winning all five Monuments.

- Pogacar dominance -

Riding with his outfit ripped and a big graze down his left shin from the impact of his crash, Pogacar managed to get back into the main group but the fall ruined his predicted strategy of attacking at the bottom of the Cipressa climb.

His teammate Isaac del Toro pushed ahead before sending out Pogacar to attack, with Mathieu van der Poel and Pidcock sticking on his wheel, the trio establishing a small lead of around 30 seconds over a powerful chasing group.

However that gap was cut to nine seconds by the time Pogacar attacked again on the final Poggio climb and dropped Van der Poel, with Pidcock hanging on.

Pidcock stayed with Pogacar right until the finish line on Via Roma, where the Slovene launched his final, and successful attempt to claim one of his stated objectives for what promises to be another huge season.

Lotte Kopecky won a women's race marred by a horrible crash on the descent from the Cipressa, a multi-bike pile up which took out former Tour de France winner Kasia Niewiadoma and Kimberley Le Court.

However the worst victim was Italian rider Debora Silvestri who flew over the roadside barrier and thumped into the tarmac of a ramp several feet below, where she then lay unconscious.

Silvestri's team Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi confirmed her to be awake and in hospital, not long after track and one-day road cycling specialist Kopecky surged to victory in the final metres on via Roma.

Kopecky, a two-time world champion, held off Noemi Ruegg to claim her second win of the season after Puck Pieterse had pulled a group of five away from the main peloton.

Y.Watanabe--JT