We hoped for it, but deep down it felt almost too good to be true. And yet, it happened. Tadej Pogačar attacked on the Cipressa. A legendary move, one of those thermonuclear blasts that only he can deliver. But this time, unlike many others, the Slovenian didn’t manage to go solo, as Mathieu Van der Poel and Filippo Ganna were right there on his wheel, joining the madness. Together, they made a 5.6 km climb at 4.1% look like a Dolomite wall, with riders scattered across every switchback. The climb record? Obliterated. Unofficial times clocked them at 8’55” – the mythical 9-minute barrier was crushed.
Then came the descent – the three superstars already 45 seconds clear, no games, no glances, just full commitment. No words needed. They locked in, rotated like a team trial squad, and charged together toward the Poggio, where Pogačar attacked again just 100 meters into the climb. Ganna cracked a bit, losing a few meters. But not Van der Poel! The World Champ glued himself to Pogačar’s wheel, shutting down every dig. As if to prove he had more, Van der Poel even dared to counter, trying the same move that won him the race two years ago – but this time, Pogačar was ready.
A few seconds behind, Ganna rode a remarkable tempo – steady, measured and, powerful – and just as they hit the final kilometer, he closed the gap and made it back in. Milano-Sanremo 2025 came down to a royal sprint – a showdown between three titans of this sport. And the crown went to Mathieu Van der Poel, ahead of a phenomenal Filippo Ganna and a relentless but still cursed Tadej Pogačar, doomed to keep chasing that elusive Classicissima victory. For the drama, for the names, for the way it all unfolded, this was a Milano–Sanremo for the ages, one we’ll be talking about for decades, simply, one of the best ever.
And just as unforgettable was the return of the Sanremo Women, back on the calendar after two long decades. The best in the world lined up to battle it out across the Capi, the Cipressa, and the Poggio, with attacks, counters, and lightning moves shaping the race. Elisa Longo Borghini dared to dream, launching a huge move at 2 km to go. For a few precious moments, it looked like the win was hers. But she was caught just 100 meters from the line, as the sprint erupted behind her.
And once again, it was a Dutch rider who raised her arms in triumph: European Champion Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx–Protime), perfectly led out by none other than World Champion Lotte Kopecky. Wiebes outsprinted a living legend – Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike) – who came agonizingly close to adding yet another line to her mythical palmarès, and the impressive Noemi Rüegg (EF Education–Oatly), who rounded out the podium. Spring has arrived, and so has a spectacle like never before. See you next year on the Riviera!