Milan-Sanremo: Noemi Ruegg And Pipo

Noemi Ruegg wasn't sure where she finished following the chaotic sprint of Milan-Sanremo. Her soigneur confirmed she made the podium and it was smiles for the Swiss champion.

"We made this plan with the team that we'd split the race into two different phases. The first 90k was just to relax, eat, drink, save as much energy as possible and then from 90k on, switch on. Treat it like a new race and now it starts. And that helped me a lot so I could really be a bit relaxed in the first part and then full focus in the second part. I took it like, first into Cipressa, then to the top, then the descent. Step by step. I think that helped me a lot. 

This feels incredible. I still can't really understand it. Of course you always go for the win and you always try to win but for me, this third place feels like a victory. It feels like a big win. A podium in a monument is incredible."

-Noemi Ruegg. The 23-year-old started the season with a bang: winning the queen stage and GC at the Tour Down Under, Cadel Evan's Great Ocean Race (third), top ten results at Strade Bianche and Trofeo Alfredo Binda.

In 2023, Filippo Ganna had already finished second in MSR, behind Van der Poel. Two years later, Ganna struggled, refused to let go and came back twice. Pipo had already made waves by finishing twice second overall at Tirreno-Adriatico and looked good coming in La Primavera in top form. It was a hard-pressed attempt when it came down between the Flying Dutchman and the Slovenian.

"I'm really happy because I put in a performance here against Mathieu and Tadej, the best riders in the world. But I'm also disappointed because second place is still the first loser, right?"

-Flippo 'Pipo' Ganna