Shocking: Pogacar won Milan–Sanremo with a cracked bike

The revelation after Milan–Sanremo

Tadej Pogacar’s victory at Milan–Sanremo 2026 was even more extraordinary than initially thought. Just hours after the win, his mechanic revealed something astonishing: the Slovenian champion rode the final part of the race with a damaged bike frame.

Speaking was Boštjan Kavčnik, who told Slovenian media: “After the finish, we found that he had raced the finale with a cracked frame — the rear fork was damaged, but fortunately still intact.”

A crash 32 kilometers from the finish

Pogacar had crashed 32 kilometers from the finish, showing visible signs of the incident on his body. At the time, it seemed the UAE Team Emirates XRG rider had managed the impact well, but the news of structural damage to the bike adds a new dimension to the story.

Despite everything, the world champion continued without ever noticing the issue, helped by the adrenaline of competition.

The Poggio descent and the attack on Pidcock

This context sheds new light on Pogacar’s attack on the Poggio descent, when he aggressively tried to drop Tom Pidcock. According to the mechanic, if the Slovenian rider had known about the frame damage, he would have approached that phase very differently.

“If he had known, he would never have tackled the descent so aggressively, not even when he attacked on the Poggio descent and tried to put Tom Pidcock under pressure,” Kavčnik added.

A risk no one had calculated

The situation inevitably raises safety concerns. Racing at high speed on a structurally compromised bike represents a real risk, even if its exact extent cannot be assessed without further technical data.

For the spectacle of cycling, Pogacar’s unawareness delivered one of the most thrilling finales of the season. But the story is a reminder of how thin the line is between sporting achievement and real danger.

FAQ

How did Pogacar win Milan–Sanremo 2026?
Tadej Pogacar won the classic after a race marked by a crash 32 km from the finish, later attacking on the Poggio descent and prevailing over the group.

What did Pogacar’s mechanic reveal after the race?
Boštjan Kavčnik stated that Pogacar’s bike frame had cracks at the end of the race, with the rear fork damaged but still intact.

Did Pogacar know about the damage during the race?
No. According to the mechanic, the adrenaline of the moment prevented him from noticing. Had he known, he would almost certainly have changed his approach in the final phase.

Was there a real safety risk for Pogacar?
The mechanic admitted there was a risk, although its exact extent cannot be precisely evaluated without a detailed technical analysis of the structural damage.

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