Red Bull targets Cipressa move with Roglic, Pellizzari and Pithie
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe heads into Milan-Sanremo with a clear tactical focus on the race’s defining moment. As the Cipressa increasingly becomes the launchpad for decisive attacks, the team is building its plan around being present in that exact move.
Laurence Pithie, who arrives in strong early season form, is expected to play a key role in that approach, alongside leaders Primož Roglič and Giulio Pellizzari.
For the Kiwi, it will be his third appearance at La Primavera. Roglič lines up for his third participation, with a best result of 17th in 2022, while for the 22-year-old Pellizzari, it will be his debut.
It gives the team options, and they have a clear expectation of where the race will be decided. “It’s got to be the Cipressa,” Pithie says in an interview on the website of the team. “It was last year as well, when Pogačar went, and I think they’ll probably have the same goal this year.”
The evolution of the race has made that section more selective than ever. “With Pogačar trying to go full gas on the Cipressa, it used to be more of a sprinter’s race but now you really have to climb well,” he says. “I don’t think you can ever fully understand the race, to be honest, but for sure the positioning is very important.”
That uncertainty is exactly why the team is keeping its options open, but anchored around the same moment.
“Our plan will be to follow that move if we can with Primož and Giulio,” Pithie explains. “For me, it’s to see where I’m at and try to be there.”
For Pithie, the challenge is not just physical, but tactical. “My first participations in the race taught me where I need to be, and when to use my bullets,” he says.
By the time the race reaches the Cipressa, much of it is already decided through positioning. “Positioning into the Cipressa is going to be the most important,” he says. “If I can be there, then I’ll try to follow.”
His role remains flexible within that structure. If the race splits, he aims to stay in the front group. If it comes back together, he becomes a finishing option. "And if it comes back for a sprint, then sprint for the best result possible,” he says.
It leaves room to adapt depending on how the race unfolds. “I think Sanremo is a hard race to understand, and it’s always changing,” Pithie adds. “You have to be ready for different scenarios.”
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