The first Monument of the season, Milano-San Remo, went to Jasper Philipsen on Saturday, the winner for the first time in Italy. Michael Matthews and Tadej Pogačar are on the podium.
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In northern Italy, Saturday March 16, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) passed his law on Milan-San Remo. Through 288 kilometers, the ultimate race of exhaustion awaited us, which finally ended, as expected, in the ultimate difficulty, Poggio, leaving the favorites to explain themselves to each other. Defeated, Michael Matthews (Team Jayco AlUla) finished second, ahead of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates). Jasper Philipsen is the first pure sprinter to win in Primavera since Arnaud Démare in 2016 and it is the second consecutive win for the Belgian team in Liguria, following Mathieu van der Poel last year.
He already had nine victories at Grand Tours (six at the Tour de France and three at the Tour of Spain), followed by a green jersey last summer at the Grande Boucle. Now he can boast that he has a monument. Strong in finding his place in the final race, Jasper Philipsen snuck up the left side of the road to beat everyone, especially Michael Matthews, at the line. The blow is hard for the Australian, despite the third podium in Italy, after 2015 and 2020.
Van der Poel, the leader he needed
Already the winner of three different Monuments, Tadej Pogačar hoped to win the fourth, after two consecutive top 5 tournaments. It won’t be this time. Despite two consecutive attacks before the top of the Poggio, he was unable to dislodge the other favorites from his wheel. On the winning side of Philipsen, we especially insisted on the decisive role of Mathieu van der Poel. “DFinally, Mathieu did an amazing job and I thank him. I’m glad we managed to win as a team“.
The world champion was responsible for the Slovenian’s return to the circuit when he tried a strong move in Poggio. Solid to follow his sprinter in the last kilometers and manage the descent, “MVDP” transformed himself into a luxury teammate again, as in the last Tour de France, finishing in tenth place, just behind the found Julian Alaphilippe, ninth despite a puncture under red flames.
Jasper Philipsen’s second place in last year’s Paris-Roubaix already left the impression of a driver capable of shining in the classics. He more than confirmed that in the race that most suited his profile. Discrete qfifteenth a year ago, he was able to enjoy his success after the emotions subsided. “In the final you have to be in a good place, Mads (Pedersen) was very strong and I didn’t think Michael Matthews would still be there and be so strong. The sprint after 300 kilometers is very different. I can’t even fathom it, it was my dream. Milano-San Remo is perhaps one of the few monuments that I can conquer. JI knew it could be my day.“