Alpecin-Deceuninck is ready and tomorrow will try to be the protagonist of Milan-Sanremo: the Belgian team will field two of the world's best riders, Mathieu Van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen, who will try to bring home the first Monument Classic of the year. For Alpecin-Deceuninck, Sanremo is a special race: in 2023, Mathieu van der Poel won, and last year, the sprint victory went to Jasper Philipsen.

The approach to Milan-Sanremo has not been without obstacles, with Philipsen falling at Nokere during the last kilometer. "It was a bad fall that I didn't expect, and I needed some time to understand if I would be ready for the race. In the evening, I had to get stitches on my hand. At the UZ hospital in Ghent, everyone was great, and all abrasions were treated with particular care. It's far from comfortable, but fortunately, the pain is not unbearable. Thursday morning, I was already able to pedal quite well, without too much stiffness. So, I want to try."

It's difficult to predict what this means for his ambitions. Only during the race, and particularly in the last 100 kilometers, will the Belgian be able to properly assess his situation. "Milan-Sanremo is never an easy race to win. Last year, everything went in the right direction, and I'm aware of that. Perhaps this year the scenario will be completely different. But with Mathieu and now also Kaden Groves in the team, we have the possibility of having more options. I'm confident that as a team, we can achieve something, and that's ultimately the most important thing. Having your name in the Sanremo record book is something truly special."

Alpecin-Deceuninck can also count on Mathieu Van der Poel, the Dutch champion who has already won at the start of this season. Last year, Van der Poel was wearing the world champion's jersey but chose to help his teammate Philipsen win the race. This year, however, will be different: the Dutchman will do everything to cross the finish line first on Via Roma.

"As always, it will be an unpredictable race. I think Tirreno-Adriatico gave me that last little bit of extra form to be at my most competitive for this race."

Everyone knows that winning the first Monument Classic of the year is very difficult, and Milan-Sanremo is the most difficult race to predict.

"It's definitely the most unpredictable race. It's no coincidence that everyone says it's the Monument Classic you can win without necessarily being the strongest rider. Everything depends on what happens on the Poggio. The toughest moment is when the group is still together after the Poggio descent, and you know that attacks are about to come. That could be the most dangerous moment of the race."

Everyone knows that Pogačar will once again play a key role in the race. The Slovenian is the number one favorite, but he will also be the most watched rider.
"I think Pogačar will wait even less compared to last year. He'll try to push even more on the Poggio to create a significant gap."

Van der Poel has very clear ideas about this race and thinks it's not essential to be first on the Poggio to win. "Sometimes on the Poggio, just following is enough. You don't have to be the first to win Milan-Sanremo. I'm at an age where I've conquered almost all my goals, even more than that. This gives me a lot of tranquility. Everything that comes now is a bonus, and this makes the race more fun. But I still want to try to win the most important races, so I'm still very motivated."

Mathieu van der Poel is one of the strongest riders in the world. He has achieved many important results, and Milan-Sanremo is a race he knows well.
"Everything happens so quickly in this race. Before you know it, you're at the top of the Poggio, and then you have to go full gas to the finish line. I'm aware that I need to be at one hundred and ten percent to beat Pogačar. This is always good motivation."

With Philipsen, Van der Poel, and Groves, Alpecin-Deceuninck will have various options. Philipsen sees this as an advantage that many other teams do not have. "The ideal scenario? For me, it remains the same as last year, of course. I want to be on the Poggio and then see what will be possible. But if I don't feel good in the finale, I'll help the team with pleasure. The most important thing is to win as a team. Last year was fantastic, but two years ago, I also enjoyed Mathieu's victory."