MILANO-SANREMO’24 Preview: Who Will Pounce on the Poggio?

Milano-Sanremo Race Preview: ‘La Primavera’, Milano-Sanremo is that this Saturday – Spring has arrived in Europe. Tadej Pogačar and final 12 months’s winner, Mathieu van der Poel are the principle ‘protagonisti’ in la Classicissima, however there are a number of different possibles. Right here is the course, the favourites and a little bit of Sanremo historical past.

Seven time winner in Sanremo – Who else however Eddy Merckx

Some Sanremo historical past
Since 1907, spring begins with Milano-Sanremo. The primary version of ‘La Primavera’ began at 5am within the morning, with solely half of the pre-registered riders. The peloton of 33 riders lined up on that icy chilly morning on April 14, 1907 for 288 kilometres to Sanremo. Solely 14 riders completed. Lucien Petit-Breton, the son of a watchmaker, was the winner, he additionally gained the Tour de France twice. The organisers, La Gazzetto dello Sport, had one champion after one other. Earlier than the First World Battle, winners included Luigi Ganna, who additionally gained the primary Giro d’Italia, Gustave Garrigou, Henri Pélissier and Odiel Defraeye, every would win the Tour de France.

The climate can management Milan-Sanremo

Milano-Sanremo could be unpredictable and typically the favorite doesn’t win, however there have been many surprises. The climate additionally takes management of ‘la Primavera’. The 1910 version was one in all legend. As a result of a snowstorm, solely 4 riders reached Sanremo, the opposite 59 starters had taken refuge in homes alongside the route. Eugène Christophe was one of many finishers. The normally unfortunate Frenchman was the primary to cross the road. 100 years later, in 2013, the race was once more struck by extraordinarily unhealthy climate. Gerard Ciolek was the shock winner that day, the route had been lower to 246 kilometres by eradicating the Passo del Turchino and Le Manie, because of the snow and chilly situations. However Ciolek was the winner of one of the crucial epic Milan-Sanremo’s of all time.

Six Sanremo wins for Costante Girardengo

Costante Girardengo set a report for Milan-Sanremo. Between 1917 and 1928, the primary Campionissimo gained six out of twelve editions and completed in second or third place 5 instances. However, Girardengo just isn’t the report holder by way of the variety of victories. Eddy Merckx, in fact, surpassed the Italian with seven victories. The primary of those was in 1966, the final in 1976. There may be one rider who has an extended interval between his first and final triumph than Merckx, that’s Gino Bartali. He was one of the best in 1939 and 1950. De Vrome additionally gained twice in between, bringing his complete variety of victories to 4. This places him on the identical degree as Erik Zabel. The German sprinter may have gained Sanremo for a fifth time in 2004, however he made the traditional mistake of raised his arms just a bit bit too early. Óscar Freire pushed his wheel over the road first. Freire gained Milan-San Remo 3 times for the Rabobank crew. Since then the lads who crossed the road first has been a ‘identify’, no surprises, except you rely the 2016 winner, Arnaud Démare.

Gerard Ciolek – Shock winner by the snow in 2013

Who will win in 2024?

Final ten winners of Milan-San Remo
2023: Mathieu van der Poel
2022: Matej Mohorič
2021: Jasper Stuyven
2020: Wout van Aert
2019: Julian Alaphilippe
2018: Vincenzo Nibali
2017: Michał Kwiatkowski
2016: Arnaud Démare
2015: John Degenkolb
2014: Alexander Kristoff

2023 Milano-Sanremo

Il Percorso
Final 12 months, for the primary time, Milano-Sanremo didn’t begin in Milan, however in Abbiategrasso. This 12 months there’s a new start line, Pavia, which is situated a bit additional south, 36 kilometres from Madrid. In 2023 the riders handed by Pavia after 30 kilometres. The race just isn’t 30 kilometres shorter, there’s solely a distinction of 6 kilometres; 288, in comparison with final 12 months’s 294 kilometres.

Milano-Sanremo 2024 | The countdown is on

The remainder of the route is way the identical. The stretch between Pavia and the Passo del Turchino is barely longer than up to now, however in any other case it’s ‘enterprise as traditional’. The riders will cross the Passo del Turchino in direction of Genoa Voltri and from there they trip westwards alongside the coast. Through Varazze, Savona and Albenga they attain the Tre Capi: the Capo Mele, the Capo Cervo and the Capo Berta.

2024 Milano-Sanremo map

From the highest of that final climb, 38.9 kilometres from the end, it is going to be ‘full velocity forward’ to the final two climbs of the day: the Cipressa, which has been a part of the route since 1982, and the Poggio di Sanremo, first utilized in 1961. The Cipressa is simply over 5.6 kilometres with a gradient of 4.1%. There are alternatives right here for an assault, the summit is greater than 20 kilometres from the end. That is additionally the place the pure sprinters are left behind.

2024 Milano-Sanremo profile

The technical descent from the Cipressa leads again to the SS 1 Aurelia nationwide street. The climb of the Poggio di Sanremo begins 9 kilometres from the end. The Poggio is 3.7 kilometres lengthy and has a median gradient of three.7%. Simply earlier than the highest the ramp will increase to eight%. The street is slender, with 4 hairpin bends within the first 2 kilometres. The descent (as everybody is aware of) has many slender and treacherous bends. The final a part of the descent enters town of Sanremo. The final 2 kilometres are on lengthy, straight roads. At 850 metres from the end there’s a left flip at a roundabout. The final bend to the ending straight on Through Roma is 750 meters from the end.

The Sanremo finale

2024 Milano-Sanremo Climbs
149.7km to go – Passo del Turchino
51.6km to go – Capo Mele
46.7km to go – Capo Cervo
38.9km to go – Capo Berta
21.7km to go – Cipressa
5.6km to go – Poggio di Sanremo.

The loopy Cipressa

The Favourites:
Sprinters used to win Milano-Sanremo: Mario Cipollini (2002), Óscar Freire (2004, 2007 and 2010), Alessandro Petacchi (2005), Mark Cavendish (2009), Alexander Kristoff (2014), John Degenkolb (2015) and in 2016 Arnaud Démare gained the dash from a big last group. Now the winner in Sanremo has been solo or from a small group. This 12 months wont be any totally different and as we now have seen in lots of races not too long ago, the highest males are attacking early. The favourites will do something to do away with the fast-finishers properly earlier than Sanremo.

Van der Poel once more in 2024?

Mathieu van der Poel gained final 12 months’s Milan-Sanremo in a really dominant method. He jumped away from the opposite high males, together with Tadej Pogačar, earlier than the highest of the Poggio, to begin the twisty descent with a small lead. He then soloed to his first victory in ‘La Primavera’. A 12 months later and Mathieu van der Poel is again and carrying the rainbow jersey. The query is; Can he win his first street race again after his cyclo-cross season and break? Van der Poel has been coaching in Spain, however he hasn’t raced like many of the others within the peloton. After 280 kilometres he would possibly want that race tempo in his legs, as he has stated up to now, he wants racing to carry him to his finest degree, Though in 2022 his first race of the season was Milan-Sanremo and he completed third. That winter he additionally had again ache, which affected his coaching. If Van der Poel isn’t at 1005 within the last, Alpecin-Deceuninck additionally has Belgian sprinter Jasper Philipsen, who has stated he desires of profitable on the Through Roma. Whether or not Philipsen can battle with the highest males on the Poggio (and the run-up) is debatable. His Danish teammate Søren Kragh Andersen completed fifth final 12 months, however has been combating a knee harm.

Pogačar needs so as to add Sanremo to his palmarès

UAE Group Emirates may have Tadej Pogačar initially in Pavia. The Slovenian has needed to win Milan-Sanremo for years, he has usually the person who break up the race on the Cipressa and the Poggio, however staying away has been too tough for the Slovenian champion. The 25 year-old rider has not but discovered how one can win in Sanremo, nevertheless it solely took him a few tries to beat Flanders. For Pogacar you will need to make the race as onerous as potential, to put on down the quick males and drop them. His UAE Group Emirates made the primary choice on the Cipressa in earlier editions of Milan-Sanremo and can try this once more, then it’s as much as Pogačar to complete the job on the Poggio or on the Cipressa. We noticed his solo of 81 kilometres in Strade Bianche, so an assault from the Cipressa is nothing, perhaps an assault on the Capo Mele and a solo of over 50 kilometres just isn’t out of the query? But when Pogačar follows the same old plan, he has Alessandro Covi, Marc Hirschi and Diego Ulissi to maintain the tempo excessive, then Tim Wellens will probably be available to launch Pogačar in direction of the win.

Can Christophe Laporte stick with it the Visma 2024 domination?

Visma | Lease a Bike won’t have Wout van Aert to guide them in Milan-San Remo this 12 months. The 2020 winner won’t be there on Saturday. This 12 months, the Belgian is concentrating on De Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix, adopted by his first Giro d’Italia. So, no Strade Bianche and Milan-Sanremo, however an altitude coaching camp. Visma | Lease a Bike may have Christophe Laporte and Olav Kooij, who can take over management with out the Belgian. Laporte has the ability to stick with the highest males on the Cipressa and Poggio and as we noticed in Strade Bianche, his kind is sweet for the time being. The European champion was tenth on the ‘White Roads’ with the opposite climbers. Kooij, then again, has a dash that may win on the Through Roma, however can he dangle on over the Cipressa and the Poggio? Kooij can be in good kind and can do the whole lot he can to outlive the finale so he can use his dash.

Mads Pedersen needs to be one of many favourites

Riders like Mads Pedersen will even need to use the identical tactic of holding on and hoping for a dash. The previous World champion can be sturdy sufficient to separate the race himself. Final 12 months needed to deal with Pogačar after which Van der Poel final 12 months to complete sixth, he needs to be one of many favourites.

Michael Matthews – Perhaps Jayco AlUla’s finest probability

Jayco AlUla may have two sprinters initially line: Michael Matthews and Caleb Ewan, each riders who’ve been on the Sanremo podium up to now. Matthews was third in 2015 and 2020, Ewan second in 2018 and 2021. However can they be aggressive in 2024. When Matthews is on a very good day, he’s a artful rider, however he didn’t end Paris-Good, so… Caleb Ewan has had two wins this 12 months, however a stage within the Tour of Oman and the Australian crit champs are usually not the identical as a Monument, he has additionally had abdomen issues not too long ago.

Jonathan Milan regarded good in Tirreno

Jonathan Milan could possibly be the shock on this 12 months’s Milano-Sanremo. The Italian was unbeatable in Tirreno-Adriatico final week and he confirmed that he was greater than a flat-land sprinter and will deal with the climbs. However can he be a favorite in a Monument, one that’s practically 300 kilometres lengthy? If by any probability he’s on the end, then everybody else had higher beware.

Pidcock to flee on the descent of the Poggio?

Tom Pidcock and Benoît Cosnefroy don’t fall into the climber or sprinter teams, however each will need the peloton thinned right down to a minimal for the finale. As we all know, Pidcock is likely one of the finest descend within the peloton and may make a distinction on the drop from the Poggio into Sanremo. The Frenchman can use his explosiveness to good impact. Each males are in good kind.

Everybody will probably be watching Mohorič

2022 winner, Matej Mohorič will probably be watched carefully, particularly in terms of the descent of the Poggio, however it is going to be onerous to drag off the identical shock twice. All favourites know they will’t give Mohorič any hole. In the event that they let him get away, it will be a courageous (or foolhardy) man who would/may comply with him.

Exterior guess: Matteo Trentin

What in regards to the outsiders: Neilson Powless & Alberto Bettiol (EF Training-EasyPost), Axel Zingle (Cofidis), Maxim Van Gils (Lotto Dstny), Oliver Naesen (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Iván García Cortina & Alex Aranburu (Movistar) and Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers), who was 2nd final 12 months behind Mathieu van der Poel. Additionally lets not overlook Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), Jasper Stuyven, winner in 2021 (Lidl-Trek), Kasper Asgreen & Julian Alaphilippe, winner in 2019 (Soudal Fast-Step), Søren Wærenskjold & Alexander Kristoff, winner in 2014 (Uno-X Mobility) and Matteo Trentin (Tudor).

Solely Pogačar can beat the World champion, or…

There may be modifications to the ultimate start-list. You’ll be able to obtain the Entry Checklist HERE.

Prime Favourites:
No.1: Mathieu van der Poel
Most likely: Tadej Pogačar, Mads Pedersen
Doable: Christophe Laporte, Matej Mohorič, Tom Pidcock
Exterior: Benoît Cosnefroy, Jasper Philipsen, Olav Kooij, Jonathan Milan

*** Maintain it PEZ for the Milano-Sanremo ‘Race Report’ on Saturday and all of the information in EUROTRASH Monday. ***