How to Win Milano – Sanremo with Quinten Hermans

The first time we met Quinten Hermans at Pinarello – Q36.5’s December training camp in Calpe we got chatting about the race calendar, early season objectives, favourite races during which he happily pointed out that so far in his career he had only raced Milano San Remo twice (2023 and 2025), both times his leader had won the race and he was looking forward to continuing his 100% success rate in 2026. We needed no further encouragement to book some time with him at the beginning of March to learn a little bit more about the art of winning San Remo. And we must say that the ensuing discussion did not disappoint with Quinten offering us a rare insightful and nuanced look at pro racing tactics. Thank you Quinten!

So Quinten you raced Milano San Remo two times – 2023 and 2025 – and both times your team leader Mathieu Van der Poel won the race. In fact in 2025 you even lead out the sprint for 4th place for Kaden Groves… Can you tell us a little bit about your role in these victories.

My job both years was to stay behind Mathieu going into Cipressa then do the lead out into the Poggio for him, but last year we ran out of guys before Cipressa so me and Jasper did the lead out for Mathieu into Cipressa. Then I was in the first group behind Pogacar, Mathieu and Ganna on Poggio and when it came together in the descent I was able to lead out the sprint for Kaden who came sixth.

Could you explain a little bit what was your team’s strategy in those victories?

You can try to think through all the scenarios and make complicated plans but to be honest in the end you kind of forget it all. What it really comes down to is to use your guys as well as possible and having race intellect during the race itself. Our focus was to get to the point where we were told to get to, save energy where possible and only use it in the right possible way rather than just for some camera time.

What is the most important thing your learnt from each of the two times you raced San Remo?

The most important thing is how to race the lead up to Cipressa. You have to be in position quite early but also it’s a fine line. You don’t want to be out the front too early burning a rider every 5km and then have no men when the strong movements go 5 to 2km before Cipressa. You have to ride at the front but not in the wind; lots of other team already want to do that anyway.

Are there any special “tricks” for racing those last kilometres leading up to Cipressa?

You have to be able to adapt to any situation. There are a lot of riders who say they want be on the right of the road, or on the left but definitely not in the middle where you have no control but the reality is sometimes you get squeezed in so you can’t have a straight train, sometimes you get steered right, sometimes left. You need to adapt, always. The important thing is to just be in the front with your leader to help him. I would say if there are strong movements within 5km to go you have to follow them otherwise it’s a gamble to save energy for the last 2km. But then again you have to see it in the race. No team can execute its strategy perfectly in the last kilometres before Cipressa.

Last year we went on a recon of San Remo with Tom and with two former winners, Nibali and Fondriest. Riding that corner into the beginning of the Cipressa climb with them and then watching it closely in the race… it made us think that it has to be scariest corner of the season… do you agree?

I don’t think the corner itself is so crazy because the last 2-3km are so fast that the group is really squeezed by that time. But I would say that the 60-70km of road leading up to Cipressa are the most hectic 60km of the year. The speed is extremely crazy and the roads are not suited to a bunch of 180 riders riding through them. Sometimes you can ride 20 riders wide, other moments 6 riders…

Are you going to give Tom Pidcock any advice before the race?

I think Tom is strong enough and good enough at positioning not to need my advice. Being at the front at San Remo is really physically hard but not technically hard.

Last question: do you think the race is going to be decided on the Cipressa again this year?

Yeah, I think Tadej already showed that he is in the shape to do it so tactically it’s not going to be a hard race for us, we’ve just got to get Tom on Tadej’s wheel. In my opinion the best case scenario is that Tom would be in 4th-5th position going into Cipressa and Tadej is in 40th so he can save a little bit of energy for the first km of the climb, that would be ideal.

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