Tadej Pogačar's victory at Milan-San Remo came after months of hard work and dedication, with the Slovenian studying every detail needed to win in the Via Roma.
He lost to Mathieu van der Poel in 2025 and so focused on Milan-San Remo even more this winter, quietly working with former Italian professional, San Remo local and demon descender Niccolò Bonifazio to learn the secrets of the race.
If Pogačar attacked at exactly the right spot on the Cipressa and descended the Poggio with confidence that even hurt Tom Pidcock, it is thanks to Bonifazio.
"He basically knows this race better than anyone else in the world. To have him as a mentor was special," Pogačar said post-race.
Bonifazio lives in Diano Marina, 15km from the start of the Cipressa climb and 45km from San Remo. He told L'Equipe last week that he has probably climbed and descended the Cipressa 4000 times during his childhood and while training during his professional career.
He retired in 2024 after an 11-year career that included 31 victories and a fifth-place finish in the 2015 edition of Milan-San Remo. He was a talented sprinter and descender, using his bike skills and local knowledge of the Cipressa to famously launch an attack on the descent in the 2019 Milan-San Remo.
Bonifazio is modest about his contribution to Pogačar's success when speaking to Cyclingnews on Monday, but can now add 'Milan-San Remo mentor' to his CV.
"I'm just happy for Tadej," Bonifazio told Cyclingnews.
"It was emotional watching him race and then win Milan-San Remo because I know how hard he worked for it and how hard he worked to improve so he could win. It's something I'll never forget.
"He's a real 'campione' as we say in Italy. He's such a great rider and person, who is always humble and thankful. He always wants to learn and always wants to improve. A lot of young riders could learn a lot from Tadej. They think they've made it when they turn professional and take risks to try to get a result without thinking about the consequences."
'There's a positive side to every moment of pain or fear'
Bonifazio watched every minute of Milan-San Remo, highlighting how Pogačar didn't panic when he crashed, how adrenaline gave him a boost and how his descending skills helped make his half-a-wheel winning margin.
"When he crashed, I wanted to see if he had hurt himself. I saw that he got up quickly and noticed he didn't panic," Bonifazio explained.
"That's rare in a rider, too, but it was clear he was still focused. Then he used the extra adrenaline on the Cipressa to move up and then attack. The crash perhaps even gave him that extra adrenaline to break the record for the Cipressa, so there's a positive side to every moment of pain or fear."
Thanks to Bonifazio, Pogačar learnt how to control his Colnago Y1Rs aero bike on the twisting descents of Milan-San Remo.
Bonifazio often did motor pacing on the climbs but also rode with Pogačar, teaching him the secrets of the descents, knowledge he learnt from watching old video tapes of past editions of Milan-San Remo and from 20 years of riding the climbs and descents of the race.
"The modern-day aero bikes are faster than ever, but you've got to know how to use that extra speed," Bonifazio said.
"Last year, Tadej suffered when chasing Mathieu van der Poel on the descent of the Poggio. This year, he was able to turn the tables and even make Tom Pidcock suffer. He went full gas in the corners and the straight sectors, forcing Pidcock to go deep and keep his heart rate high, even on the descent.
"I helped Tadej to be confident on descents. Now he's able to descend fast but stay in his own comfort zone, without being scared of crashing.
"Both Van der Poel on the Cipressa and then Pidock on the Poggio descent were hurting trying to stay with Tadej. That gave Tadej an advantage, and then he won the sprint by half a wheel. Every detail counts at Milan-San Remo."
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