Rho, Italy – Tom Pidcock of Pinarello-Q36.5 delivered a commanding performance on Wednesday, winning the Milan-Turin classic with a decisive attack on the iconic climb to Superga. The 26-year-classic Briton finished four seconds ahead of Tobias Halland Johannessen and five seconds clear of Primož Roglič, solidifying his status as a top contender heading into Saturday’s Milan-San Remo.
The 174-kilometer race, contested between Rho and Superga, saw Pidcock navigate a challenging course and expertly respond to early moves from Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, who set a brisk pace in the final two ascents of the Superga climb. Pidcock’s victory marks a significant achievement, adding his name to a prestigious list of champions that includes Isaac del Toro (2025) and Mark Cavendish (2022).
A breakaway of six riders – Adrien Maire (Unibet Rose Rockets), Patrick Konrad (Lidl-Trek), Valentin Ferron (Cofidis), Alessandro Milesi (Biesse-Carrera-Premac), Andrea Pietrobon (Polti VisitMalta), and Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies) – initially established a lead of nearly two minutes. However, the peloton, driven by Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe and later UAE Emirates XRG and Pinarello-Q36.5, kept the escapees within striking distance. Pietrobon proved the most resilient of the breakaway, but was ultimately caught as the race approached the foot of the Superga for the first time.
The decisive action came on the second ascent of the Superga, a grueling 4.9km climb with an average gradient of 9.1%. Roglič launched an early attack with approximately 15 kilometers remaining, initially gaining a compact advantage. Pidcock quickly responded, bridging across to Roglič alongside Jefferson Alexander Cepeda and Cian Uijtdebroeks. Following the summit, a larger group of eight riders joined the lead quartet, setting the stage for a thrilling finale.
However, it was Pidcock who proved strongest in the closing stages. Attacking 600 meters from the summit, he quickly opened a gap that neither Johannessen nor Roglič could close. He crossed the finish line solo, securing his second victory of the season following a stage win at the Vuelta a Andalucía in February.
“It was a strange day,” Pidcock said after the race. “I felt almost like it was my first race of the season. I felt every acceleration in my legs, but luckily I had what was needed to win the race. I didn’t really understand how Roglič was going, and I hesitated about when to attack, but I think I got the timing right in the finish. No victory is easy, so this is great.”
The Milan-Turin victory serves as a crucial confidence boost for Pidcock as he prepares for Milan-San Remo, a race where his descending skills on the Poggio are expected to be a major asset. The Briton’s climbing prowess, demonstrated on the Superga, further underscores his versatility and potential to challenge favorites like Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel.
Movistar similarly showcased a strong performance, with Tesfatsion and Cepeda working diligently on the final climb to support Cian Uijtdebroeks. Uijtdebroeks, in his second race with the Spanish team after abandoning the Comunitat Valenciana due to a crash, launched two attacks on the final ascent, ultimately finishing fifth.
Elsewhere, at the Tour de Taiwan (2.1), Paul Hennequin of Euskaltel-Euskadi finished second in the stage, narrowly missing victory to Dusan Rajovic (TFT). Jordi López remains third in the general classification, seven seconds behind the leader, with Louis Sutton in eleventh and Xabier Isasa in thirteenth. The Tour de Taiwan concludes on Thursday with a challenging 154-kilometer stage that finishes with a slight uphill incline. Euskaltel-Euskadi currently leads the team classification.
Euskaltel-Euskadi’s sports director, Pablo Urtasun, expressed disappointment at Hennequin’s near miss. “We were so close again. Paul was a little boxed in on the right and couldn’t quite launch his sprint. A cleaner sprint would have given him more options.”
Pidcock’s win in Milan-Turin is a clear signal of his form and ambition as the cycling season progresses. With Milan-San Remo looming, the Briton has positioned himself as a serious contender for one of cycling’s most prestigious one-day races.
What’s Next: All eyes now turn to Milan-San Remo on Saturday, March 21st, where Pidcock will look to carry his momentum and challenge for victory against a stacked field of contenders.
