Mathieu van der Poel Set to Start His Road Season at Milano-Sanremo

As confirmed by Alpecin-Deceuninck, via CyclingNews, World Road Champion Mathieu van der Poel will start his 2024 road season by defending his Milan-Sanremo title on Saturday, March 16.

Perhaps to no one’s surprise, Van der Poel of Alpecin–Deceuninck had yet another incredible cyclocross season. Last month, he secured his sixth cyclocross world title, leading in Tábor from the gun to the finish line. He won 13 of his 14 races through the season, many with complete dominance, and only Visma-Lease-a-Bike’s Wout van Aert could upset his streak.

But despite his continued success, the Dutchman recently hinted that it could be his last cross season and that he will likely start his 2024 road season in Italy.

“Apart from the world title and the fun, there is not much left for me to gain in cyclocross. My focus is increasingly shifting to the road,” van der Poel explained in interviews after his victory in Tábor, hinting at a potential shift in his career focus towards road racing.

First up for Van der Poel’s 2024 road season? Milan-Sanremo. Van der Poel had an epic performance there last year, winning the 114th iteration of the race. He had a stunning finish, with a breakaway from Tadej Pogačar, Wout van Aert, and Filippo Ganna with 5.4 km to go. That victory marked the fourth time a Dutchman has won the race and the first in almost 40 years to do so.

Milan-Sanremo, also known as La Classicissima, is the longest professional one-day race in modern cycling hitting nearly 300 kilometers (182 miles) of Northwest Italian roads. Last year 175 men took to the start line, including fan favorites Mark Cavendish, Julian Alaphilippe, and Peter Sagan. But it was all Van der Poel at the end, and he’s gunning to make a repeat performance this year.

The 2024 race takes place next weekend, on March 16, with a first-ever start from Pavia and a traditional finish along the Via Roma in Sanremo after 288 kilometers. The new route will run in the Oltrepò Pavese for the first 44 km, and once in Casteggio, the race will return to the original route tackling the Turchino, the Capi, the Cipressa, and the Poggio climbs before descending into the finish straight.

All eyes will be on the returning champ in Italy, and he’s sure to have a full day of work. According to the lineup, Van der Poel will be up against some heavy hitters, including Tadej Pogačar, Tom Pidcock, Matej Mohorič, Mads Pedersen, Julian Alaphilippe, and Filippo Ganna. Bring on the drama!

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