Mathieu van der Poel claimed his second Milan-San Remo title in an exciting finish, holding off Filippo Ganna and Tadej Pogacar.
With 25km left in the 289km race, only Van der Poel and Italian rider Ganna could keep up with three-time Tour de France winner Pogacar’s attack.
Van der Poel and Pogacar battled on the final climb before Ganna caught up, setting the stage for a three-man sprint to the finish.
Riding for Alpecin-Deceuninck, Van der Poel made his move first, using his powerful sprint to defeat his rivals and repeat his 2023 victory.
This win marks his seventh across cycling’s five prestigious ‘Monument’ races, putting him on par with Pogacar in their ongoing rivalry.
“It’s unbelievable. I was really focused on winning,” said the 30-year-old Van der Poel.
“I surprised them with my sprint at the 300m mark. I felt strong and knew I could hold on until the finish.”
In the women’s race, held for the first time since 2005, Dutch rider Lorena Wiebes narrowly beat fellow Dutchwoman Marianne Vos and Switzerland’s Noemi Ruegg.
Van der Poel Dominates with Second Win
Van der Poel, Ganna, and Pogacar were strong contenders for victory in the first Monument race of the season, and the event delivered plenty of excitement.
Despite cold and rainy conditions, an early breakaway of eight riders formed but was eventually caught.
Slovenian rider Pogacar, aiming for his first Milan-San Remo win after three consecutive top-five finishes, relied on his UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad to launch a powerful attack on the Cipressa climb, followed by more aggressive moves on the Poggio.
As the race neared the final stretch, the riders hesitated, watching each other closely. Seizing the moment, Van der Poel made a decisive move, securing victory. Ganna, from Ineos Grenadiers, finished second—just like in 2023—while Pogacar took third place for the second straight year.
Only six riders in history have more Monument wins than Van der Poel and Pogacar, with legends like Gino Bartali, Tom Boonen, and Fabian Cancellara also holding seven titles.
Van der Poel became the first multiple champion of Milan-San Remo since Spain’s Oscar Freire, who claimed his third title in 2010.
Michael Matthews won the bunch sprint to secure fourth place, while Fred Wright was the top British finisher in 10th.
Men’s results
- Mathieu van der Poel (Ned/Alpecin-Deceuninck) 6hrs 22mins 53secs
- Filippo Ganna (Ita/Ineos Grenadiers) Same time
- Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
- Michael Matthews (Aus/Team Jayco-Alula) +43secs
- Kaden Groves (Aus/Alpecin-Deceuninck) Same time
- Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den/Uno X-Mobility)
- Mads Pedersen (Den/Lidl-Trek)
- Olav Kooij (Ned/Team Visma-Lease a Bike)
- Matteo Trentin (Ita/Tudor Pro Cycling Team)
- Fred Wright (GB/Team Bahrain Victorious)
Wiebes Claims Victory in Returning Women’s Race
The women’s race was held seven times between 1999 and 2005 before making a comeback this year with a 160km route starting in Genoa.
Italy’s Elisa Longo Borghini launched a strong attack after descending the Poggio, creating a significant gap. However, her lead didn’t last long as Lotte Kopecky, Wiebes’ SD Worx-Protime teammate and two-time world champion, quickly responded.
Once Longo Borghini was caught, Marianne Vos surged ahead, but Wiebes found another burst of speed and overtook the three-time world champion in the final stretch to claim victory.
“Longo Borghini made a powerful move, but I saw Lotte close behind, and her effort was incredible,” said Wiebes, 26.
“She put me in the perfect position. I didn’t want to start my sprint too early, but it was enough to win.”
Women’s results
- Lorena Wiebes (Ned/Team SD Worx-Protime) 3hrs 43mins 32secs
- Marianne Vos (Ned/Team Visma-Lease a Bike) Same time
- Noemi Ruegg (Swi/EF Education-Oatly)
- Demi Vollering (Ned/FDJ-Suez)
- Kimberley le Court (Mri/AG Insurance-Soudal Team)
- Chloe Dygert (US/Canyon–SRAM zondacrypto)
- Elisa Balsamo (Ita/Lidl-Trek)
- Juliette Labous (Fra/FDJ-Suez)
- Lotte Kopecky (Bel/Team SD Worx-Protime)
- Puck Pieterse (Ned/Fenix-Deceuninck)
