International and national supporters of the racing professional scene compete every year in March at the legendary Milano-Sanremo race - the longest classic one-day race in cycling and the first big classic of the 2018 road bike calendar. Also in its 109th edition on Saturday 17 March In 2018, the race follows its old-fashioned route from Milan to the south to the Mediterranean and further along the coast to Sanremo, where the destination is situated.
Last year, Milan-San Remo was won by Michal Kwiatkowski. After 291 kilometres of racing, he outsprinted Peter Sagan and Julian Alaphilippe on the Via Roma. The trio attacked on the Poggio and following a brilliant descent the race came down to a thrilling three-up sprint.
Milan - San Remo is often viewed as a chance for the sprinters to win a major classic. This is reflected in the results with renowned sprinters like Zabel, Cippolini and Cavendish all taking victories here. It is not always the case however with riders like Pozzato, Cancellara and Gerrans all sneaking away to victory in recent years.
The Milan San Remo pro race is the monumental classic one day race in the whole calendar of the professional. The race is organised by the the Italian RCS, owners of sports newspaper Gazetta dello Sport, the same people who organise the Giro d’Italia. This Spring Classic covers nearly 300km from Milan, south to the coast, and then almost to the French Border, along the Italian Riviera and the city of Sanremo. Always held at the beginning of the year, it is a true “classic” event, with most of the world’s major cycling heroes having won it, at some point. The 2015 race returned to the traditional route of the Milan − San Remo, which had not been used since an extra climb had been added in the 2008 race. The removal of the La Manie climb was seen as making the race more suitable for sprinters. The race started in the city of Milan, travelling to the Mediterranean and then south along the coast. The final part of the race was the most difficult, with five climbs in the last 55 kilometres (34 mi), before the race ended in the city of San Remo for a distance of 293 kilometres (182.1 miles).
The route for the 2018 edition was not confirmed yet and neither was revealed to be a different one compared to the one of 2017 which opened with a long stretch on the Po Plain before the riders had to cross Passo del Turchino to reach the Mediterranean. A long and easy climb. The average gradient over 25 kilometres was just 1.4%. After the Turchino the route was flat again for a long time. Then Capo Mele, Capo Cervo and Capo Berta were perfect to warm up for the final combo: Cipressa and Poggio. What created the most difficulty in Milan-San Remo of last year was the sheer distance of 291 kilometres. After so long in the saddle, the finale was always exciting as the dynamics between those looking to escape and those looking to keep it together create a fast and frenetic ending. First the Cipressa, 5.5 kilometres at 4.1% and a steepest section of 9% a little over halfway up. A great place for a break away as there were just over 20 kilometres remaining at the summit, on to the famous Poggio. The Poggio was just 3.7 kilometres long, but after almost 300 kilometres of racing it takes a huge effort for the bigger riders to get over at the front. It peaks at about 8% with 1 kilometre left to climb. The descent is spectacular with riders flying through the corners at high speeds. Good descenders could go on the attack and drop their rivals with their specialist skills. The last kilometres are flat and perfect for any sprinter who is still in the mix.