Tom Dumoulin doesn’t see Van der Poel as big favorite for San Remo: "It will be very difficult"
Cycling fans have been eagerly awaiting this for days, if not weeks: the anticipated showdown between Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar in Milan-San Remo. The Dutchman is widely tipped as the top favorite, but Tom Dumoulin sees it differently. "Pogacar has really been focused on this for months," he states in the NOS Cycling Podcast.
Dumoulin does view Van der Poel as the only real challenger to the world champion. "He is the only rider who could follow Pogacar on the Cipressa. I really hope it works out, because then we’ll have a beautiful mano-a-mano battle again, also on the Poggio and the final kilometers to the finish. Just like last year. But Pogacar has apparently been preparing for this for months," Dumoulin explains.
"During his training, he has ridden the Cipressa very hard many times, even managing to improve his own top time. Pogacar is so determined to win and has climber Isaac Del Toro supporting him, who can set a blistering pace on the Cipressa. It will be very difficult for Van der Poel."
"But if anyone can do it, it's Mathieu," says Dumoulin. "And we shouldn’t forget that the Cipressa is not an Alpine climb. It’s not really steep. Riding in the slipstream is a huge advantage. You need less power than the rider at the front. If Mathieu can sit tightly in that wheel, he certainly has a chance."
No room to anticipate?
Dumoulin sees little to no room for rivals to preempt Pogacar. "There’s no other option. You can’t launch attacks on the Capi (the three climbs before the Cipressa) to anticipate Pogacar’s acceleration. You will never get far ahead, and even in this phase the peloton rides very hard. You would have to make an ultimate effort for just fifteen seconds..."
"You mainly have to hope you’re not too far behind after the top of the Cipressa. That you have top legs, can still come back because Van der Poel and Pogacar are watching each other, and that the scenario can be rewritten on the Poggio. That’s what you have to hope for if you’re Wout van Aert, Jasper Stuyven, or someone like that."
