Cycling, Pogacar on the Vuelta-Paris-Roubaix dilemma: "I can't confirm anything"

Rome, 17 February 2025 - The long-awaited seasonal debut took place on the occasion of the first stage of theUAE Tour 2025, won by jonathan milan in a sprint, but Tadej pogacar he immediately wanted to try to take the stage by trying to anticipate the final sprint: no way, but the Slovenian still finished tenth in a fraction that was not in his style. A good sign in view of the continuation of a year around which, in terms of programs, there is still a certain mystery.  

Pogacar's statements on Paris-Roubaix and Vuelta

  A mystery that, despite the clarity of its UAE Team Emirates XRG, has fueled the same world champion on two occasions. The first, referring to the Grand Tours, still declaring himself in the thought process on the choice of what will complete the menu together with the inevitable Tour de France: the stock market would see the Return still ahead on Giro d'Italia, with the knot that should be untied after the season of ClassicsIt is precisely to this last area that it pertains the other suggestion called Paris-Roubaix and fueled by images of some training sessions in the Arenberg Forest: in theory, at least according to the general manager Joxean Matxin Fernandez, the Slovenian was just accompanying his teammate Tim Wellens, in addition to testing the new materials of the bike first hand, but when there is unpredictability in the middle of the racer it is impossible to give certainties. The rest continues to do so pogacar in person who, intercepted by the microphones of Cycling News, does not deny the existence of two important knots to untie for his program 2025. "To reconnoitre the route of the Paris-Roubaix I really enjoyed it: it was fun, but now I have to focus on theUAE Tours". Similar response when the conversation moves on to Grand Tours and on the much talked about Return. "Even in this case, I cannot confirm anything". Two vague answers that leave many openings open, between hopes and a possible pre-tactic to not reveal all their cards to the many rivals who in this 2025 they are waiting for him at the pass.

Milan's statements

  The even happier face of the beginning of UAE Tours è Milan, which thus gives Italy its first victory of the season in World Tour. The other favorite of the day, Jasper Phillipsen, was instead demoted to 52th position due to an irregularity in the final sprint, in which he had clearly hindered Finn Fisher Black, then second at the finish. "I'm exhausted: the heat was heavy and in the final it was felt more than I thought. The day was also tiring because of the headwind and the attempts to fan, but I'm happy to have won and taken the jersey, which tomorrow I will try to defend, but not before having rested and, even more importantly, to have thanked my teammates, who in the final were nothing short of perfect".

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