2023 Milan-San Remo Preview
If you are a fan of road cycling, you have probably heard of the Milan-San Remo bicycle race. It is one of the most prestigious and historic one-day races in the sport, and also one of the longest. In this guide, we will tell you everything you need to know about this amazing event, from its history and route to its winners and records.
What is the Milan-San Remo bicycle race?
The Milan-San Remo bicycle race, also known as La Classicissima (the most classic) or La Primavera (the spring), is an annual road cycling race that takes place between Milan and Sanremo, two cities in northwest Italy. It is usually held in March, as part of the UCI World Tour calendar.
The race was first organized in 1907 by Eugenio Costamagna, a journalist and sports promoter who wanted to create a cycling event that would rival the Paris-Brest-Paris race in France. The first edition had 33 riders who covered 286 km (~177.7 miles) from Milan to Sanremo. The winner was Lucien Petit-Breton, a French cyclist who completed the course in 11 hours and 4 minutes.
Since then, the race has been held every year except for 1916 (due to World War I), 1944-1945 (due to World War II), and 2020 (due to COVID-19 pandemic). The distance has also increased over time, reaching up to 298 km (~185.2 miles) in some editions. It is currently the longest professional one-day race in modern cycling.
The race is considered one of the five Monuments of cycling, which are the most historic and prestigious one-day races in the sport. The other four Monuments are: Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, and Giro di Lombardia.
What is the route of the Milan-San Remo bicycle race?
The route of the Milan-San Remo bicycle race varies slightly from year to year, depending on road conditions and other factors. However, it generally follows a similar pattern: starting from Milan (or nearby towns), it heads south through flat plains until it reaches Pavia; then it crosses over rivers such as Po and Ticino; then it enters Liguria region along coastal roads that offer scenic views of the Mediterranean Sea; then it climbs over several hills such as Turchino Pass (the highest point of the course at around 530 m or ~1738 ft above sea level), Capo Mele, Capo Cervo, Capo Berta, Cipressa, and Poggio di Sanremo; then it descends into Sanremo for a final sprint on Via Roma.
The total elevation gain of the course is around 1700 m (~5577 ft). The hills are not very steep or long compared to other races, but they can be decisive for breaking up the peloton (the main group of riders) and creating gaps between contenders. The last hill, Poggio di Sanremo, is especially crucial as it comes just 5 km (~3 miles) before the finish line. Many riders try to attack on this climb or on its descent to gain an advantage over their rivals.
The route for this year’s edition will have some changes due to road works near Milan. The start will be moved from Milano city center to Abbiategrasso town, which will shorten the distance by about 10 km (~6 miles). The rest of the course will remain unchanged.
Who are some famous winners and records holders of the Milan-San Remo bicycle race?
The race was first held in 1907 and has been won by some of the greatest cyclists of all time. The record for most wins belongs to Belgian legend Eddy Merckx, who won seven times between 1966 and 1976. The Belgian also holds the record for most wins with seven victories between 1966 and 1976. The most recent multi-time winner is Spanish sprinter Oscar Freire, who won three times in 2004, 2007 and 2010.
The race is often decided by a sprint finish on the Via Roma in Sanremo, but sometimes a solo breakaway or a small group can surprise the favorites. The most recent examples are Belgian Jasper Stuyven, who attacked late and held off the sprinters in 2021, and Slovenian Matej Mohoric, who rode away from a select bunch on the final descent with three miles to go in 2022.
Other famous winners of Milan-San Remo include Italian Fausto Coppi (four wins), French Laurent Fignon (two wins), Irish Sean Kelly (two wins), Swiss Fabian Cancellara (two wins), Slovak Peter Sagan (one win) and British Mark Cavendish (one win).