Just like last year, Tirreno-Adriatico and Paris-Nice were won by Primoz Roglic and Tadej Pogacar, although this time they changed places. The two races also taught us a lot for the classics, starting with Saturday’s Milan-Sanremo. What has the connoisseur’s eye of José De Cauwer noticed?
Tadej Pogacar
Tadej Pogacar won Paris-Nice with force majeure and has 9 victories in 13 race days. “It was not the case that he won every time with a marathon breakaway. He won convincingly, but usually also economically.”
“If I were his team, I would try to throw the sprinters overboard on the Cipressa in Milan-Sanremo. But it will not only be Pogacar who will have a good start.”
Wout van Aert
“For me, Wout van Aert dispelled all doubts after his illness in the Tirreno. He was very good, especially in that penultimate ride over “the walls”. If you saw how long he could stay with the top climbers there… On In the end he even came close to the head.”
Mathieu van der Poel
“I think we haven’t seen everything from Mathieu van der Poel yet. Okay, on that one stage he had touched on in Tirreno he had to fit in at the end, but an extra week can do a lot. I would definitely put him in the candidate set winners.”
Jasper Philipsen
Jasper Philipsen closed Tirreno-Adriatico with 2 victories in the sprint. Can he also sprint for victory on the Via Roma?
“If Pogacar really throws all the ropes loose, it will be difficult for him. But if a group can still return, Philipsen can be there. He is sharper than ever and if he is good, he can last a long time uphill.”
Julian Alaphilippe
“The same applies to Julian Alaphilippe as to Van der Poel: a lot can still be added in one week. It is still early in the season and we are now going to a different period. The preparation is over. Now it has to happen in the classics .”
