Milano-San Remo Cycling

The Milan-San Remo cycling event is a premier Italian one-day race, which foreshadows many of the great races of the annual cycling calendar. This prestigious Italian one-day race kicked off in 1907, and was featured every year, except for 1916 during the Great War (World War I), 1944 and 1945 (World War II), and in 2020 when the novel coronavirus shut down the global economy for several months. The cycling race was slated to take place on Saturday, March 21, 2020.

As one of the ‘Monument’ races of the year, the Milano-San Remo features 291 km (180.82 miles) of grueling racing, as one of the premier spring classics. The race begins and ends in the same day, and features some of the world finest riders. The Milan-San Remo route follows this trajectory:

* 110 Milano via della Chiesa Rossa
* 104 Binasco
* 89 Certosa di Pavia
* 63 Pavia
* 65 Bressana-Bottarone
* 89 Casteggio
* 97 Voghera
* 103 Pontecurone
* 121 Tortona
* 171 Pozzolo Formigaro
* 196 Novi Ligure
* 138 Capriata d Orba
* 186 Ovada
* 288 Rossiglione
* 342 Campo Ligure - R
* 397 Masone
* 532 Passo Del Turchino
* 7 Voltri
* 5 Arenzano
* 5 Varazze
* 13 Savona
* 6 Spotomo
* 9 Finale Ligure
* 7 Petra Ligure
* 8 Ceriale – R
* 9 Albenga
* 11 Alassio
* 67 CAPO MELE
* 61 CAP CERVO
* 12 Imperia Oneglia
* 3 San Lorenzo al Mare
* 239 CIPRESSA
* 5 Arma di Taggia
* 160 POGGIO DI SANREMO

With more than 111 years’ worth of races, the Milano Sanremo Cycling tournament often showcases the finest riders in the world. Many stunning performances have been recorded over time, most recently Julian Alaphilippe who broke free of his pack of 10 to lead from the front. Over the years, the men's cycling race has endured, while the women's version of the Milano Sanremo Cycling race was short-lived. It kicked off in 1999, and ended in 2005. Known as the Primavera Rosa, the first winner was the Italian Sara Felloni (1999) and the last winner was the German Trixi Worrack (2005).

Cycling Champions: The Milano Sanremo Race Over the Years

Many cycling greats have competed in the Milano Sanremo race over the years. These include the following winners:

* 2019 – Julian Alaphilippe
* 2018 – Vincenzo Nibali
* 2017 – Michal Kwiatkowski
* 2016 – Arnaud Demare
* 2015 – John Degenkolb
* 2014 – Alexander Kristoff
* 2013 – Gerald Ciolek for MTN-Qhubeka amid a treacherous snowstorm
* 2012 – Simon Gerrans
* 2011 – Mathew Goss first ever Aussie to win the Milano Sanremo
* 2010 – Oscar Freire
* 2009 – Cavendish outsprints Heinrich Haussler
* 2008 - Fabian Cancellara won by 4 seconds over Filippo Pozzato
* 2007 – Oscar Freire won his 2nd Milano Sanremo race, besting Allan Davis
* 2006 – Filippo Pozzato won
* 2005 – Alessandro Petracchi won, followed close in tow by Hondo, Hushovd, O’Grady and Freire
* 2004 – Primavera Rosa won by Zoulfia Zabirova
* 2004 – Eriz Zabel lost by a whisker to Oscar Freire
* 2003 – Paolo Bettini bested Mirko Celstino to win the Milan-San Remo
* 2002 - Mario Cipollini beat the USAs Fred Rodriguez for the title
* 2001 – Erik Zabel won his second Milano Sanremo
* 2000 – Erik Zabel won

In 2020, RCS Sport cancelled this cycling race, following legislation in Italy that curtailed public activities owing to the global situation. The race was rescheduled to a later date. The uphill race has a maximum incline of 9%, but averages 5% – 2.1% between 5 – San Lorenzo Al Mare and 239-Cipressa-Chiesa. This leg has a length of 5.6 km, at a height of 234 m above sea level, and average gradient of 4.1%.

The climb between 24-SS 1 Aurelia and 160 - Poggio Di Sanremo has a maximum gradient of 8% on the back end, at a distance of 3.7 km, and a height above sea level of 136 m. The average gradient on this leg of the race is 3.7%.

The race perfectly blends the best of the puncheurs with the sprinters. At times, the race organizers have attempted to increase the climb, but have been told to back away, owing to the possibility of rockfalls and landslides from the mountains.

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* Photograph courtesy of Antonio Calanni and AP