The image of Tadej Pogačar, rainbow jersey torn and calf bleeding, crossing the finish line at Milan-San Remo on Saturday was already iconic. But the story behind that victory, revealed in the days following the race, is even more remarkable. Pogačar didn’t just overcome a brutal crash and a punishing course to win the first monument of the season; he did it on a bike that was, by all accounts, falling apart. His triumph over adversity, and a severely compromised machine, cements his place in cycling lore and further elevates his already legendary status.
The 27-year-classic Slovenian’s historic win on the Via Roma wasn’t simply a display of strength and tactical brilliance, but a testament to his resilience and the quick thinking of his team. Pogačar’s mechanic, Boštjan Kavčnik, revealed Monday that the world champion had completed the final, decisive kilometers of the race with a cracked frame. The revelation adds another layer of disbelief to a San Remo already overflowing with drama.
A Cracked Frame and a Frozen Drivetrain
“We only realized at the finish that Tadej had ridden the finale on a cracked frame,” Kavčnik told Slovenian newspaper Delo. “The rear triangle was damaged. Fortunately, it held together.” According to Kavčnik, had Pogačar known the extent of the damage, he likely wouldn’t have attacked with the same ferocity on the descent and during the crucial moments leading up to the sprint. “If Tadej had known the condition of the bike, he would never have descended and attacked so aggressively as he tried to push Tom Pidcock to the limit,” Kavčnik explained.
The damage wasn’t limited to the frame. A high-speed pile-up, just kilometers from the Cipressa, brought down several key contenders, including Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, and inflicted further damage to Pogačar’s Colnago. The crash threw his disc brakes out of alignment and caused the rear derailleur of his 1x drivetrain to freeze. “Tadej crashed on his left side, where there’s no gear shifter, but it triggered ‘crash mode,’” Kavčnik said. “He reset it himself and didn’t notice anything else wrong, so we didn’t change the bike.”
Pogačar himself admitted the crash nearly ended his race. “When I crashed, I thought it was all over,” he said after the race, visibly hobbling as he stepped off his bike. The impact tore his rainbow skinsuit and left a bleeding wound on his calf, yet he persevered.
A Hallucinatory Comeback on the Cipressa
The drama unfolded at a critical moment. Oliver Naesen, a longtime classics hopeful, witnessed Pogačar’s remarkable recovery firsthand. “After that crash, I honestly thought, ‘We won’t spot him again today, and maybe not even in the coming weeks,’” Naesen told Het Laatste Nieuws. “But a moment later I saw him – with a black flank – already passing me on the Cipressa. I didn’t realize what I was seeing, but I knew what time it was – the indicate was about to start.”
How costly might this moment be as Tadej Pogačar falls just a few kilometres from the Cipressa — the group also includes Biniam Girmay and Wout van Aert! 😮 pic.twitter.com/yelICXaRiK
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) March 21, 2026
Pogačar’s ascent of the Cipressa, a notoriously challenging climb, was not only a recovery ride but a record-breaking one. Naesen described it as “hallucinatory,” noting that riders typically need to be positioned within the top 20 to contend on the climb. “Normally you stand no chance if you don’t start Cipressa in the top-20, but they just flew right past,” he said. Pogačar’s speed on the climb was, according to reports, the fastest ever recorded.
The Pursuit of Cycling’s Monuments
Pogačar’s victory at Milan-San Remo marks a significant milestone in his career. The 27-year-old became the first reigning world champion to win the race since Eddy Merckx. He is now one win away from joining Merckx, Roger De Vlaeminck, and Rik Van Looy in the exclusive “five monument club,” having already secured victories in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Few would bet against him completing the set at Paris-Roubaix next month.
Kavčnik confirmed that the battered bike will not be auctioned off, as some speculated. “This bike will now go into his special collection,” he said. It will serve as a tangible reminder of a truly extraordinary victory, a testament to Pogačar’s unwavering determination and the resilience of both rider and machine.
The cycling world now turns its attention to Paris-Roubaix, where Pogačar will undoubtedly be the favorite. The cobblestone classic presents a different set of challenges, but after conquering San Remo under such extraordinary circumstances, few doubt his ability to add another monument to his growing list of achievements. Official race details and schedules for Paris-Roubaix can be found on the Paris-Roubaix website.
What did you think of Pogačar’s incredible win? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
