Van der Poel put on pedestal across Europe: "Long time since Pogacar had that confrontational thought"

Mathieu van der Poel delivered a masterful victory in a spectacular edition of Milan–San Remo on Saturday. The Dutchman from Alpecin-Deceuninck overcame Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates-XRG) and Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers) after a thrilling showdown that kicked off on the Cipressa. Across Europe, media outlets spoke and wrote with admiration about this extraordinary edition of La Primavera. Here's a roundup.

Starting with the Italians themselves, led by La Gazzetta dello Sport: “Mathieu has the bright eyes of a child who once only dreamed of becoming cyclo-cross world champion, but instead, he has become a ruthless hunter in the classics. The king of kings. Cycling showed its beautiful side during this 27-kilometer attack, which even left Van der Poel impressed. His stats are equally jaw-dropping: seven wins and twelve podium finishes in nineteen Monument appearances.”

Back in the Van der Poel's home country, the headlines also spoke volumes. “Is this the best Mathieu van der Poel ever?” asked AD. “Van der Poel’s bluff and class frustrate Pogacar,” analyzed De Telegraaf. “This will be talked about for a long time,” predicted Trouw.  

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“Milan–San Remo route being reinvented”

Just across the border in Belgium, they were just as stunned by Van der Poel. “Mathieu van der Poel has won an incredible edition of Milan–San Remo, perhaps the most beautiful of the century. The Dutchman had to dig incredibly deep for it, as Tadej Pogacar turned the finale into a brutal battle. But even on the Cipressa and the Poggio, the world champion couldn’t break away,” wrote HLN.

Het Nieuwsblad identified a problem for Pogacar: “Even if the Slovenian executes his winning formula to perfection and rides the ideal race, Van der Poel, thanks to his finishing speed, will always have the upper hand in Milan–San Remo. It must have been a long, very long time since Pogacar left a finish line with such a sobering thought.”

“An exceptional winner and a brilliant runner-up,” headlined L’Équipe. “Milan–San Remo known as a boring race? These riders are reinventing the route, turning it into one of the most thrilling Monuments. The Italian classic sets the tone for spring. In two weeks, Mathieu van der Poel will face Tadej Pogacar again at the Tour of Flanders. This time, the Slovenian might have a slight edge. Damn—we can’t wait.”

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Van der Poel as "emperor of Via Roma"

“Van der Poel defies Pogacar’s torture,” wrote Spanish outlet Marca. “The Dutchman claimed his second victory on the Via Roma, the seventh Monument of his career, after withstanding the fury of Tadej Pogacar, who threw everything he had at him on the Cipressa and the Poggio. An unforgettable race.” AS fully agreed: “Emperor of the Via Roma. Eternal glory for Van der Poel after a historic race.”

Delo, from Slovenia, noted that their own Pogacar still hasn’t solved the complex San Remo puzzle. “Van der Poel remains Pogacar’s unsolved mystery in San Remo. Pogacar did everything he could to win the first Monument of the season, but still finished in third place.”

Read also

Ganna gains nothing from seemingly impossible performance: “Only Van der Poel will be remembered”

Armstrong hits back hard: "My rivals cheated too, and some have been completely destroyed by it"

“Trained more than ever” and solo Tour of Flanders recon: Van der Poel’s recipe to beat Pogacar this spring

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