Ready for Pogacar: Van der Poel with a prestigious victory

Eight-time cyclocross world champion Mathieu van der Poel seems to be well prepared for the big duel with cycling star Tadej Pogacar at the spring classic Milan-San Remo in a week and a half.

March 10, 2026

From: dpa/det

The Dutchman won the tough second stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico tour after a ride over muddy gravel tracks in the final of a three-man leading group, securing his next prestigious victory after his win at the Omloop Nieuwsblad classic.

Van der Poel won the stage after 206 kilometers from Camaiore to San Gimignano, narrowly beating Pogacar's teammate Isaac del Toro of Mexico and the Italian Giulio Pellizzari. The trio had broken away earlier on a waterlogged gravel section. Del Toro also took over the overall lead from Italian Filippo Ganna, the winner of the opening stage. Pogacar, who triumphed again at the Strade Bianche gravel race over the weekend, is not participating in the tour.

Pogacar is fighting against the taboo

On March 21, the highly anticipated classic duel between Pogacar and van der Poel will take place at Milan-San Remo. The four-time Tour de France champion has never won the spring classic, while van der Poel has taken the victory twice in the last three years. The two superstars are also expected to battle again at the Tour of Flanders (April 5) and the cobbled classic Paris-Roubaix (April 12).

Keywords cycling racing bike Mathieu van der Poel