Alberto Contador backs ‘big favourite’ Tadej Pogacar for Milano-San Remo 2023 glory - 'He has all the chances'
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ByEurosport
Updated 16/03/2023 at 10:39 GMT
Alberto Contador has told Eurosport that Tadej Pogacar is the “big favourite” to win Milano-San Remo. Pogacar finished fifth and 13th in his two previous outings at the first Monument of the season. However, Contador says the two-time Tour de France winner’s versatility makes him the outstanding candidate to win, as he can “beat almost any rider”.
'Dominant from start to finish' - Perfect Pogacar seals Paris-Nice win with stage 8 victory
Tadej Pogacar is the favourite to win Milano-San Remo, Alberto Contador has told Eurosport in an exclusive interview.
The Slovenian Pogacar will lead a strong UAE Team Emirates roster at the 114th running of Milano-San Remo on Saturday.
It will be Pogacar’s third outing at the first Monument of the year, having finished fifth in 2022 and 13th in 2021, and Contador – winner of the event in 2012 – is backing the 24-year-old to further burnish his palmares.
“I think he has all the chances,” Contador exclusively told Eurosport.
“For me, Pogacar is a big favourite to win Milano-San Remo.
“We know he is a rider that can launch an attack on a climb that isn’t that hard and still open up a gap.
“Even if he takes another rider with him or a small group, he is a rider that one-on-one can beat almost any rider. I won’t say any rider, but almost any rider.
“So for sure, he is one of the riders to follow and to watch in this next edition of Milano-San Remo because, for me, he is in the top two or three favourites to win the race.”
The first of cycling’s five Monuments in 2023 – the others being the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Giro di Lombardia – will see the riders tackle the 294km ride from Abbiategrasso to San Remo.
Coverage of the event begins on Saturday at 08:45 UK time on Eurosport 2 for the start of the race, all the way to the finish at just before 17:00.
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Tadej Pogacar, Milano-Sanremo 2022
Image credit: Getty Images
Pogacar was in bullish form when it was announced that he would be riding the race.
"Milano-San Remo is a beautiful race,” he said. “I know the roads pretty well. I don’t live too far away, and sometimes in training I can go to the Poggio and ride it.
“I’ve pictured many scenarios in my head of how the race can go. But it’s unpredictable, and for sure, one of the hardest races to win.”
Pogacar comes into the race in fine form having won his first Paris-Nice title in dominant fashion.
The Slovenian took three stages, including the final two, as he finished 53 seconds ahead of David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) in the final overall standings and is eyeing more glory in Italy.
“After a great week at Paris-Nice, I’m recovering a bit now and getting ready for the big weekend,” he added.
“We have a strong team and we’re riding well together so I think we’ll have a few different options maybe for the finale.”
This year’s route begins in Abbiategrasso, 22km southwest of Milan, with a series of climbs in the final portion of the race.
The final climb, the Poggio di San Remo, is likely to be where the race is decided.
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