After four top 5 finishes in a row, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) pulled off a major coup at Milan-Sanremo 2026. The Slovenian wins La Primavera for the first time, taking the fourth of five cycling monuments in his career. His biggest rival is not last year's winner Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech), but Tom Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team). In the sprint duel on the finishing straight, the Slovenian rider saved half a wheel's length advantage over the finish line.

Pogačar wins despite a fall

However, Milan-Sanremo 2026 did not go according to plan for Tadej Pogačar and his team. Around 33 kilometres before the finish, not far from the Cipressa, the Slovenian slipped off the road on a left-hand bend and crashed onto the tarmac. However, his punctured racing suit and his lacerations did not stop him from continuing to ride to victory. He not only sucked himself back into the peloton on the Cipressa, but also attacked just a few minutes after his crash. Only Mathieu van der Poel and Tom Pidcock were able to follow him in the attack.

Although Pogačar managed to shake off his big rival van der Poel on the Poggio, he simply couldn't get away from the strong Pidcock. On the finishing straight, the Slovenian rode the sprint duel from the front and was lucky not to be caught by the Briton in the end. A few centimetres were enough for the Tour de France winner to win the legendary classic.

"When I crashed, I briefly thought it was all over. Crashing near the most important part of the race is not ideal. Fortunately, I was back on the bike quickly and not too badly injured. My team gave me the hope I needed and my legs were good. Thanks to my team, I won today." - Tadej Pogačar in the winner's interview

Milan-Sanremo 2026: Results

"Tom Pidcock is in great shape. I was a bit worried when he let me ride from the front on the home straight. It was really close at the end. Chapeau to him." - Tadej Pogačar on Tom Pidcock

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How Milan-Sanremo 2026 went

The almost 300-kilometre-long 117th edition of Milan-Sanremo 2026 took the riders from Pavia to Sanremo. The first attacks came immediately after the start of the race. Among others, Alexy Faure Prost (Team Picnic PostNL) was active and managed to break away from the peloton with eight other riders. Alongside the Frenchman, Lorenzo Milesi (Movistar Team) and Martin Marcellusi (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber) were also part of the leading group.

The peloton let the nine riders go first. For a long time, the lead group had a lead of three to four minutes, with a maximum gap of seven minutes at times.

Alpecin and UAE control

Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Premier Tech) regularly worked in the wind, especially in the first half of the race, and was assigned to the chase, but he was repeatedly relieved by riders from other teams. As the race progressed, it was UAE Team Emirates - XRG that increasingly took command. Probably for an early attack by Tadej Pogačar. Austria's Felix Großschartner also had to keep pushing in the wind for the Slovenian.

At Capo Berta, the first riders in the leading group ran into problems. Manilo Moro (Movistar Team) and Martin Marcellusi, among others, dropped back before the race really got going.

Milan-Sanremo 2026: Pogačar falls and recovers

Around 33 kilometres before the finish, Tadej Pogačar slipped and crashed. The Slovenian wasn't the only one to fall, as Wout van Aert (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) and Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling Team) were also on the floor. The crash happened just as UAE were pushing hard to prepare an attack for their captain. Both Pogačar and van Aert lost time and had to close the gap to the peloton. It was briefly unclear whether the two riders would be able to have a say in the decision.

But Pogačar quickly recovered. He quickly got on his bike and set off in pursuit of the peloton. The other riders around van Aert were also able to continue the race. It took less than 15 minutes before Pogačar was not only back in the peloton, but also launched an attack on the Cipressa after preparatory work by Brandon McNulty and Isaac del Toro. Meanwhile, the last three remaining breakaway riders Lorenzo Milesi, Mirco Maestri and Dario Igor Belletta (both Team Polti VisitMalta) were also caught.

A trio of favourites forms

Only two riders were able to stay on the Slovenian's rear wheel in the Pogačar attack: Last year's winner Mathieu van der Poel and Tom Pidcock. In the lead, the trio not only entered the descent, but also the decisive climb of the day: the Poggio. At this point, 20 seconds separated the leading trio from the peloton with ten kilometres to go.

Van der Poel can't follow

The tired-looking van der Poel had to let go as soon as Pogačar set the pace and was swallowed up by the peloton in the final kilometres. Pogačar attacked twice more on the Poggio, but was unable to distance the strong Pidcock. He was literally glued to the Slovenian's rear wheel and skilfully stayed in his slipstream.

Milan-Sanremo 2026: Pogačar wins

Pogačar also tried several times to hand over the lead to the Briton, but he refused time and time again. This brought the peloton closer to the leading duo, but they were unable to intervene in the decision. In the sprint, Pogačar won Milan-Sanremo 2026 just ahead of Pidcock. Wout van Aert was able to break away from the rest of the chasers and finished a respectable third place after a crash.