As it happened: World Champion takes Milan-San Remo 2026 by half a wheel over multi-discipline superstar
Tadej Pogačar took it in a two-up sprint ahead of Tom Pidcock with Wout Van Aert leading in the rest to complete the podium
Buongiorno and welcome to Cyclingnews' live updates of the men's 117th Milan-San Remo.
Today is a day that is steeped in history and legend. The longest one-day race in professional cycling at almost 300km, it is the slowest of slow burns. The riders have to manage their nutrition, drinking, positioning, tactics and much more besides in this incredible chess game of a bike race.
Of course, Milan-San Remo has the historic Monument tag, shared with just four other races. Two in Belgium, two in Italy and one in France. They are, of course, Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Il Lombardia.
But let's get focused on today... Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) once again comes to try and take this missing piece in his palmares. However, he still has the defending champion, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) to content with over this 298km route.
It is the usual route for the riders with the Passo del Turchino coming at roughly the halfway point. The riders then have a long ride to the Tre Capi, the Capo Mele, Capo Cervo and the Capo Berta. After that, it isn't far from La Cipressa, where Pogačar launched his attack last year, and finally, the often decidinig Poggio di Sanremo with a terrifying plunge down into San Remo and a finish on the Via Roma.
Where does UAE Team Emirates-XRG use their power this year for Pogačar?
Van der Poel agrees with Eddy Merckx with saying Pogačar should just go on the Poggio, but is this just mind games?
Pogačar teased a possible attack on the Passo del Turchino, but is he actually joking?
The rival team DSs have theories on what the new tactics will be for UAE Team Emirates-XRG...
Its interesting that Ineos Grenadiers think that Josh Tarling could be involved for the win today, but they do have Filippo Ganna...
The teams have all signed on for the race and are set for the neutral start. But, how about this bonkers special kit from Polti-Visit Malta.
About 10 riders away with about three Bardiani CSF-7 Saber, several from Novo Nordisk and Polti-VisitMalta as well as Matthew Dinham (Picnic-PostNL).
The break go the wrong way on the roundabout! The first bit of road interest and it goes wrong. The lead cars and police bikes led the way with the riders following. A new breakaway is forming after that bizarre moment.
The breakaway seems to have formed with the peloton letting it go. A few more riders tried to ride away but got a strong telling off by Domen Novak (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and returned to the peloton.
The break of the day:
And the peloton is almost a minute behind.
And that is the peloton well and truly set as multiple riders take their natural breaks.
The peloton take control with the gap at over two minutes, of course, it is Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Premier Tech) who comes to the front of the bunch. He settles in for his yearly monster ride on the front of the peloton.
Annoyingly for Dillier, the peloton were not ready to follow his pacing early on and he has gone clear with two other riders, Johan Jacobs (Groupama-FDJ United) and Axel Laurance (Ineos Grenadiers). All braking and looking around wondering where everyone else is.
Dillier and co are caught with the former Swiss national champion goes to the front with Novak with Ineos Grenadiers, Lidl-Trek and Soudal-QuickStep all up towards the front.
Almost the entire lineup of Alpecin-Premier Tech hit the front of the peloton including Van der Poel, who is in fourth wheel, very interesting to see the defending champion so close to the front.
The pace in the peloton is actually pretty high as the gap went out to about four minutes and 20 seconds with Dillier bringing it down to just around four minutes again and it is coming down.
The average speed so far is 51.4kph! Absolutely incredible speeds early on.
Polti-Visit Malta are wearing the retro 1990s style Polti kit today...
40 minutes raced and they have covered over 30km already.
This is what the peloton looks like at the moment. Dillier doing what he normally does.
Marcellusi is having a chat with the medical car for a moment. He has gone back to the break now. But, something to keep an eye on.
There are some big name riders who were meant to be racing today but have been caught out by illness and family issues in both the men's and women's races. In the men's side, two standout names are Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) and Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike). However, there is someone who has come in for Milan for his first race appearance in over 40 days, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), how will he be performing today?
The gap is coming down some more with it now at three minutes and 18 seconds.
The rest of the peloton spoiling Dillier's pacing again as he is riding off the front of the peloton once more with Novak. Those two are wanting to keep the pace high but Soudal-QuickStep, Ineos Grenadiers and EF Education-EasyPost aren't as keen.
There's a few splits in the peloton here with a group of about 20 riders having about 50 metres gap on the rest of the peloton.
They come back together again but it is very strung out with riders really in the gutter. The pace is high and the wind seems to be there as well.
The breakaway had split up as well with some riders taking a chance to have a nature break with Marcellusi and Maestri being the two riders continuing as a duo.
Orluis Aular (Movistar) and Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) both crashed hard on a bridge not so long ago, completely missed by the cameras with both of them having to abandon the race.
Almost an hour and a half of racing done with the average speed at 46.4kph. They are still really hammering along.
Dillier has been let go off the front yet again, this time being let go with a Lidl-Trek rider. He is getting very annoyed with the rest of the bunch. It causes another split in the bunch and is being stitched back together again.
Interesting that Wout Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) is in fourth wheel in the peloton as they ride back across to Dillier.
The break are riding hard but, so are the peloton.
Peron using his EpiPen in the breakaway. He rides for Novo Nordisk. The whole point of the team is that they change the perception of people living with diabetes. Every rider on the team lives with type one diabetes. The team was founded by Phil Sutherland and Joe Eldridge in 2005, they both have diabetes as well.
The riders now have 60km to go until the top of the Passo del Turchino.
Pogačar just returning to the bunch after a nature break and a stop at the car, he is now being escorted back towards the front of the peloton.
The first change at the front of the peloton in some time sees Dilier and his Alpecin-Premier Tech team joined by a rider from Pinarello-Q36.5 riding for Tom Pidcock. The Yorkshireman comes into today off the back of a very impressive victory at Milan-Turin (Milano-Torino) where he soloed away from the likes of Tobias Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility) and Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) on the Superga climb to the finish. How will he do today with the rapid descent off the Poggio suiting him perfectly?
The race goes through three regions in Italy today. They are Liguria, Lombardy and Piedmont.
Victor Campenaerts (Visma-Lease a Bike) just coming back into the peloton. He was a last minute replacement for Matthew Brennan who was ruled out due to illness. Campenaerts was called up yesterday and he got on a plane and flew over to Milan.
Van der Poel riding back into the peloton with teammate, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) as well as Lukáš Kubiš (Unibet-Rose-Rockets). The latter in the full white shorts and Slovakian champs jersey.
Two minutes and 40 seconds split the peloton and the break.
Dillier still doing his thing on the front of the peloton.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG have moved up en masse with Pogačar surrounded by his teammated including Tirreno-Adriatico winner, Isaac Del Toro. Van der Poel also moves up along with Van Aert. Will Pogačar do the unthickable and copy the great Fausto Coppi and attack on the Passo del Turchino?
Multiple teams jostling for position in the peloton behind the little train led by Dillier with multiple UAE Team Emirates-XRG riders behind him.
Biniam Girmay (NSN) and Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) at the back of the bunch having a chat.
They're on the Passo del Turchino, officially it is 5.6km but really it is far less than that.
Bahrain Victorious move to the front alongside Lotto-Intermarche and the Dillier led part of the bunch. Things are changing.
Alpecin-Premier Tech move up to finally join Dillier on the front again. This sees Bahrain Victorious and co move back a little bit as the team that has won the last three additions of this race.
Davide Ballerini (XDS-Astana) having to unclip and get going again after the back of the peloton was squeezed through a tight bridge road.
Teams getting into colour order again. Ineos Grenadiers, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Alpecin-Premier Tech and Bahrain Victorious all on the front. Michal Kwiatskowski (Ineos Grenadiers) just went a little bit agricultural having to go on the grass verge briefly.
The break go over the top, through the tunnel and down what is a very steep and rather twisty descent to the Mediterranean sea.
Peloton now also over the top of the Turchino. It is a plunge down to the Med now before they tackle the beautiful coast road. A road that has already been ridden by the women's race who started earlier today in Genoa. They are now 30km from the finish and nearing the Cipressa climb. Follow the action in our other live page...
Dillier is now right at the back of the peloton and the time gap has dropped by a minute to two minutes up to the break. Dillier will likely reappear on the front once on the coastal road but, for now, it is Dutch national champion, Danny van Poppel (Red BUll-Bora-Hansgrohe), who leads the way.
The peloton sometimes sees splits and crashes on this descent, but today looks a lot calmer, thankfully for the riders.
The descending is down and Alpecin-Premier Tech immediately return to the front of the bunch.
The peloton taking another opportunity for a mass nature break with 133km to go. Back on the front of the peloton, it is Dillier. The gap heading back out to almost three minutes to the break as well.
The peloton is currently absolutely tiny due to the amount of riders stopping for a wee.
The peloton have really come off the gas now. Dillier is riding again and riding hard but the break are really pushing on as well with over four minutes between them now.
Pinarello-Q36.5 return to the front and sit behind Dillier in the peloton with Pidcock placed among them.
The breakaway now have five minutes on the peloton! Dillier really needs some help. That said, there is still over 100km to go so there is now stress yet.
Dillier looks in a lot of pain as he grits his teeth.
Dillier continues to lead, PInarello-Q36.5 are the team behind him followed by Unibet-Rose-Rockets. None of the big name favourite teams are near the front. In fact, Del Toro is right at the back of the bunch. No stress at all.
Break gets its gap to six minutes!
Pinarello-Q36.5 crowding Dillier on a feed zone. The Swiss rider is really suffering with the gap still growing with over six and a half minutes to the breakaway.
Almost seven minutes between the break and the peloton!
Domen Novak comes up to the front. Dillier is done, he rode for 199km on his own. The pace changes dramatically.
Lozano dropped from the breakaway.
Gap down to six minutes with 20km to go to the first of the Tre Capi, the Capo Mele.
Multiple teams starting to move up. Tudor, Lotto-Intermarche, Bahrain Victorious and more all challenging to control and keep their men well placed.
Spread across the road with Pinarello-Q36.5, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, Lotto-Intermarche, Bahrain Victorious and Tudor all in colour order.
Marcel Camprubi (Pinarello-Q36.5) also went down with a tangle of wheels. Pidcock and Ganna narrowly missing the crash that happened right by them.
Lozano has been caught by the peloton.
Ben Turner went down for Ineos Grenadiers, not Josh Tarling.
Just 3km to the Capo Mele!
Soudal-QuickStep move up for the first time in a while. They have Paul Magnier with a big opportunity to become the first French winner since Julian Alaphilippe riding for the same team in 2019. Alaphilippe riding today but for Tudor.
Break down to seven with Peron also dropped.
Onto the Capo Mele! 1.8km long with an average gradient of 3.5% but it does kick up a bit.
PInarello-Q36.5, Groupama-FDJ United, Soudal-QuickStep and UAE team Emirates-XRG leading the peloton with the gap dropping under four minutes as the break go over the Capo Mele.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG win the fight for control with Felix Großschartner leading the way.
Onto the second Capi, Capo Cervo. 2.1km long with an average gradient of 2.5% with a max kick of 6%.
Reminder of the break:
Riders dropped and back in the bunch who were there earlier...
Andrea Peron (Novo Nordisk)
David Lozano (Novo Nordisk)
Ineos Grenadiers have good numbers, which is quite something considering three of their team went down earlier. They lead alongside Pinarello-Q36.5, Soudal-QuickStep, Lotto-Intermarche and UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
Over the Capo Cervo go the break.
Uno-X Mobility also move to the front with Lidl-Trek and XDS-Astana.
Almost six hours of racing with the average speed over 45kph!
The breakaway falling apart as per usual. Marcellusi, Tarozzi and Moro all dropped.
Maestri is pushing hard on the front of the break.
The peloton starts the Capo Berta as well.
Ineos Grenadiers and UAE Team Emirates-XRG leading the way with Ben Turner and Florian Vermeerch.
Novak returns to the front of the peloton.
The gap is plummeting and Faure-Prost is dropped by his breakaway companions.
Over the top of the Capo Berta goes the break.
Ineos Grenadiers, UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Ineos Grenadiers leading the way in the peloton. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek_ being kept up to the front by teammate, Matthias Vacek. Alaphilippe (Tudor) and Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) moving his way back up. Likewise Van Aert.
Faure-Prost is trying to get back to the leaders of Maestri, Belletta and Milesi.
Ineos Grenadiers, Pinarello-Q36.5, Decathlon-CMA CGM, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, UAE Team Emirates-XRG all spread across the road.
6km to the Cipressa.
Crash!
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
Wout Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike)
Binian Girmay (NSN)
Soren Kragh (Lidl-Trek)
Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike)
>>> Tadej Pogačar, Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert caught in crash in finale of Milan-San Remo
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Uno-X Mobility lead the way with Ineos Grenadiers and Groupama-FDJ United all up there.
Van der Poel was caught in the crash but he is about to get back into the peloton again. They still have a good gap to close.
Van Aert also needed a bike change after his crash.
The peloton is 16 seconds off the back of the breakaway. Pogačar is 35 second sdown and Van Aert at 54 seconds with Van der Poel back in the peloton again.
Del Toro is the main man for UAE Team Emirates-XRG as he sits in the peloton.
Pogačar is in the cars and just off the back before the start of the Cipressa.
Breakaway caught right at the base of the Cipressa with Ineos Grenadiers leading the way.
Pogačar and Girmay back in the peloton.
Pogačar is absolutely flying up the side of the peloton but he has a long way to go.
Pogačar hits the front with McNulty.
McNulty now has the pace ramped up for Pogačar. Will he attack on the Cipressa?
Del Toro moves ahead of Pogačar. Pidcock, Ganna, Van der Poel, Lund Andresen, Pedersen and the rest all in the immediate wheels of the world champion.
3km to go to the top of the climb.
Pogačar, Pidcock and Van der Poel have flown with no-one in sight! What an incredible acceleration.
Pogačar is pushing hard but Pidcock and Van der Poel look very composed.
Pidcock is working with Pogačar but Van der Poel is not. Van der Poel took his usual Cipressa bottle. Lidl-Trek have numbers in the chasing peloton at 21 seconds.
Van der Poel now starts taking on the pacing.
Pidcock looks so smooth on the descent of the Cipressa with Van der Poel taking the opportunity to take on some nutrition. Pogačar leading down.
Some spots of rain on the camera lens.
Del Toro stalling the chase in the second group.
All three leaders are working together now on the coast road on the way to the Poggio with 32 seconds back to the chasers.
Tom Pidcock could become the first non-WorldTour team rider to win Milan-San Remo since 2013 when Gerald Ciolek won for MTN-Qhubeka.
Vacek is leading the chase in a Lidl-Trek train for Pedersen who, despite riding his first race in over 40 days, is looking very good.
The gap drops down to 20 seconds to van der Poel, Pogačar and Pidcock and Campenaerts is working flat out for Van Aert and he brings the gap under 20 seconds.
Lotto-Intermarche his the front of the peloton and are hammering the tempo for goodness knows who! Just eight seconds gap!
Pidcock has stopped working.
Attack!
Tadej Pogačar
Pidcock follows but Van der Poel is gone!! Pogačar has finally distanced the defending chmpion on the Poggio but Pidcock is still there.
Pogačar leading the way with 8km to go, Pidcock on his wheel and looking extremely good. Van der Poel now 10 seconds back with the peloton at 19 seconds.
2km to the top of the climb. Visma-Lease a Bike and Lidl-Trek continue to work behin. Van der Poel in the gap and isn't done yet.
Pogačar is hammering the pace but Pidcock is showing he is still there and halfwheeling the world champion.
Pogačar slows up and is now playing poker. Waiting for the final big kicker.
Pidcock is holding on so well and is locked onto the rubber of Pogačar's wheel.
600 metres to the top. 6km to go to the finish.
Van der Poel now 20 seconds behind the leaders.
Pogačar slows up and looking around for Van der Poel as he is closing down but the peloton isn't far off either.
Pidcock moves to the front. The descent starts and he is in his element. Pogačar needs to be careful.
Pidcock gets Pogačar to come back through again with the world champion attacking Pidcock on the descent. This would be quite something.
Pogačar is pushing so hard but Pidcock is in the wheel.
3km to go
Pidcock and Pogačar finish the descent and they are working together. 23 seconds to Van der Poel with the peloton almost catching him.
Van der Poel caught by the peloton with Lidl-Trek pushing flat out for Pedersen.
500 metres to go!
Tadej Pogačar wins Milan-San Remo 2026! He beats Tom Pidcock by centimetres!
Just Paris-Roubaix is left for the world champion.
Milan-San Remo 2026 Top 10
1. Tadej Pogačar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates-XRG 6:35'49"
2. Tom Pidcock (GBR) Pinarello-Q36.5 S.T.
3. Wout Van Aert (BEL) Visma-Lease a Bike +4"
4. Mads Pedersen (DEN) Lidl-Trek
5. Corbin Strong (NZL) NSN
6. Andrea Vendrame (ITA) Jayco-AlUla
7. Jasper Stuyven (BEL) Soudal-QuickStep
8. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Premier Tech
9. Matteo Trentin (ITA) Tudor
10. Edoardo Zambanini (ITA) Bahrain Victorious all S.T.
Make sure to read out post race report on what was an incredible edition of La Primavera!
It is the first time since 2021 that a rider from Alpecin-Premier Tech is not on the Milan-San Remo podium. Tadej Pogačar has done it ahead of a superb Tom Pidcock and a rejuvenated Wout Van Aert.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
