Tadej Pogacar has done it again. The World Champion and UAE Team Emirates XRG leader overcame a dramatic crash, a cracked frame, and a malfunctioning rear derailleur to win the 2026 Milan-San Remo on Saturday — adding yet another Monument to a palmares that is quickly becoming one of the most extraordinary in cycling history.
It was, by any reasonable measure, one of the greatest single-day performances the sport has ever seen. With 33 kilometers to go, Pogacar hit the tarmac in a multi-rider crash on the approach to the Cipressa, taking several contenders with him, including Wout van Aert. What followed was a masterclass in determination, tactics, and raw power that left the cycling world struggling for superlatives.
The Crash That Should Have Ended His Race
The crash happened roughly 6 kilometers from the foot of the Cipressa, sending Pogacar, Van Aert, Matteo Jorgenson, Biniam Girmay, and several others to the ground. Pogacar was back on his bike within seconds, but the damage was worse than anyone initially realized.
Post-race inspection revealed that Pogacar had cracked his frame in the fall. His Shimano Di2 rear derailleur had also shifted into crash protection mode, effectively locking him in a single gear until he could hold down the reset button on his junction box — all while chasing back to the peloton at race speed. His skinsuit was torn, his knee was bloodied, and he was approximately 30 seconds behind the lead group.
None of it mattered.
The Chase and the Cipressa Attack
Within minutes, Pogacar had clawed his way back to the front of the race — an effort that, on its own, would have been the story of most riders’ seasons. But Pogacar was not interested in merely surviving. With 2.2 kilometers remaining on the Cipressa, he attacked.
Only two riders could follow: Mathieu van der Poel, the two-time Milan-San Remo winner, and Tom Pidcock of Pinarello Q36.5. The rest of the field watched from behind as three of the sport’s biggest talents rode away toward the Poggio and the finish.
The Poggio and a 4cm Victory
Van der Poel was perhaps the most dangerous man left in the race. The Dutchman had won Milan-San Remo in both 2023 and 2025 and knew the Poggio descent as well as anyone. But Pogacar had other plans. Halfway up the climb, the Slovenian delivered a series of accelerations that finally shook Van der Poel loose, leaving only Pidcock in his wake.
From the summit of the Poggio to the Via Roma finish line, Pogacar and Pidcock raced shoulder to shoulder. The gap between them never exceeded an arm’s length. In the final sprint, Pogacar threw his bike across the line first by the slimmest of margins — later measured at just 4 centimeters.
Van Aert, having recovered from the same crash that took down Pogacar, surged through the remnants of the chase group to claim third place.
A Fourth Different Monument
The victory gives Pogacar his first-ever Milan-San Remo title after four consecutive top-five finishes, and it makes him the winner of four different Monuments. At 27, he is on pace to join the ultra-elite club of riders who have won all five of cycling’s most prestigious one-day races.
The performance also ended a 43-year drought for the rainbow jersey at Milan-San Remo. The last World Champion to win La Primavera while wearing the rainbow stripes was Giuseppe Saronni in 1983.
The Numbers Behind the Ride
The data from Pogacar’s ride only added to the legend. The race was completed at an average speed of 45.5 kilometers per hour, with Pogacar estimated to have sustained a functional threshold power of around 415 watts across the decisive final hour. Given that he achieved this on a cracked frame with brake rub from a damaged disc rotor, the power figures are even more remarkable.
His team’s directeur sportif later confirmed that had Pogacar known the full extent of the damage to his bicycle, he likely would not have descended the Poggio the way he did. That he won regardless speaks to a rider operating at a level that transcends equipment, tactics, and even misfortune.
What It Means for the Season Ahead
With the Classics season now in full swing, all eyes turn to the cobbled Monuments: Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Pogacar has already shown he can win on any terrain. Whether he targets both races or saves his legs for the Grand Tours remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the 2026 season belongs to the World Champion until someone proves otherwise.
