Last year’s return of the women’s version of Milan-San Remo, after a 20-year absence, was a rowdy rush of a dozen usual suspects for the 5.4-kilometre finale from the top of the Poggio to the line on Via Roma.
A surprise attack was made by Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ), but sprinters ruled the day with Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) punching past Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) in the final 10 metres for the win.
A first glance at this year’s Monument reveals a replica of the 2025 course, the same 156.9 kilometres hugging the Mediterranean coast from Genoa to San Remo. The pair of climbs of the Cipressa and the Poggio propel the action in the final 30km. Factoring in the start list full of puncheurs, sprinters and powerful one-day riders, there may be a different blueprint about to unfold in this year’s race.
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Will podium spots be filled by sprinters Wiebes and Vos again? They both return as well as a cavalcade of challengers, while top finishers Demi Vollering (FDJ United-SUEZ) and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike) will be absent. The final start lists were still to be released by teams at the time of this writing, so we look at the riders we expect to contend for the first women’s Monument of the season.
Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ)
The Italian champion looked to be on her way to victory last year on Via Roma when she launched a solo attack at the bottom of the Poggio. A clear view of the finish line vanished with just 250 metres remaining, as Longo Borghini was swept away by a swarm of riders, led by Vos and then eventual winner Wiebes, to finish 11th. She will lead the UAE Team ADQ squad on a quest for a fourth career Monument win.
Longo Borghini fell one spot short of the podium at Strade Bianche to begin her Italian Classics campaign, but the following day made a statement by winning Trofeo Oro in Euro. She started the year with a victory on the Queen stage at the UAE Tour, which secured her second career GC title at that race. Experience and racing on home soil give her an edge if she can escape the sprinters.
Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek)
Former world champion Elisa Balsamo is looking for…
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