Tom Pidcock could see the finish line of Milan-San Remo and almost smell the podium flowers of victory. He had followed a late move by Matteo Sobrero (Bora-Hansgrohe) and then struck out on his own with just 500 metres to go.
But the Briton wouldn't be joining the storied list of names of the 115th edition of La Primavera: world champion Mathieu van der Poel nullified the Briton's final-kilometre attack with 300 metres to go and then delivered his Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate Jasper Philipsen to the win.
Pidcock was philosophical after his 11th-place finish, a career-best following 15th in 2021 and a DNF two years ago.
"I think it's a really difficult final to get right," Pidcock told Cyclingnews after crossing the line on the Via Roma. "Down the Poggio, it's difficult to be in the perfect position. And then it's also difficult to kind of be too far forward or too far back."
The 24-year-old was without teammates in the lead group after Filippo Ganna suffered a mechanical on the descent from the Poggio.
Elsewhere among the elite 12-man lead group which had formed over the top of the Poggoio, Philipsen had Van der Poel and fourth-placed Mads Pedersen had his Lidl-Trek teammate and former race winner Jasper Stuyven in the split.
It meant that Pidcock had to take his chances with whatever felt like the best move.
"In this scenario, it didn't really work out what I did. But maybe in another year, then I could win," he said.
"I didn't really plan on anything you know, in this final you just have to go with the instincts and that's kind of the best thing I can do."
He still has plenty of time to add Milan-San Remo to his palmarès, however.
"This is the only second one I finished. It's a beautiful race and certainly one I want to try and win."
