Philipsen, a flash in San Remo

words: CHRISTIAN GIORDANO ©

Sky Sport Italy © -- March 16, 2024

The most resistant puncheur in the world, the fastest Milan-San Remo ever -- 46,112 km/h average speed winner, blown away the 1990 Gianni Bugno's 45,806.

Jasper Philipsen, won the 115th Classicissima di primavera burning in via Roma, after 288 km starting from Pavia, the Australian Michael Matthews, at his third podium in San Remo (after two third places), and the Slovenian Tadej Pogačar, with the rainbow jersey and reigning winner Mathieu van der Poel the other super favourite, who was however at his seasonal debut on the road.

The final up and down the Poggio climb is - since 1960 - the last quarter of an hour of humanity that is worth a whole career.

Pogačar attacked twice, at -6.5km and -5.9km, but something in his UAE Emirates' race plan did not work, especially with super domestiques Marc Hirschi and Diego Ulissi.

Alpecin-Deceuninck team exploited their own B-plan, which Ineos' Tom Pidcock twice - and Bahrein's Matej Mohorič in between - were about to blow.

It was then up to VDP in an extra-luxury domestique version of his own to lead out the sprint - the 34th in a small group at Sanremo - for his teammate Philipsen, unbeatable in these Beppe Saronni-style finishes, the last (after Binda, Merckx and Gimondi) to win here wearning the rainbow jersey.

Italians did also well, indeed: Alberto Bettiol was fifth behind former Danish world champion Mads Pedersen after Bettiol's triumph this week at the Milan-Turin classic.

Matteo Sobrero, 12th, and Davide Bais, one of the ten riders in a breakaway for 220 km with even his solo-attack at -18km. Unlucky Filippo Ganna, second in 2023, who punctured on the descent in the clutch.

Forty-fourth victory and first monument for Philipsen, 26 years old on 2 March, second at Roubaix behind his teammate VDP in 2023, when he won four stages and the green jersey at the Tour de France.

And third success for Belgium - after Wout Van Aert in 2020 and Jasper Stuyven in 2021 - in the last five, the 23rd in history of Spring-classic, which this one has already rewritten. One for the ages.