The first Monument of the season is upon us, with Milan-San Remo signalling the next major appointment of the spring as Classics season ramps up.
The Milan-San Remo route? It’s more or less the same as ever, with a near seven-hour ride from just outside Milan culminating in a build-up of pressure and the iconic final climb of the Poggio before descending to a flat finish in the Ligurian coastal town of San Remo.
And how about that start list? The race will bring together the cream of the peloton, from Grand Tour champions to Classics stars and the top sprinters of the day, even if the race is far from the sprinters’ Classic it’s often billed as.
168 riders from 24 teams will take the start of the 294km race on Saturday morning, with a decent section of that group hoping to taste glory on the Via Roma in the afternoon.
We’ve looked through all the runners and riders and picked out 10 of the best – five outright favourites and five riders in with a shout but perhaps not the first names to spring to mind. Here’s our look at the men who could win Milan-San Remo.
Milan-San Remo – the favourites
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates)
Milan-San Remo might be known as the sprinters’ Classic, but a Grand Tour contender is as big a favourite as anyone to take the win on Via Roma this Saturday. Yes, it’s Tadej Pogačar, the man who has swept all before him in a blistering start to his 2023 campaign.
The two-time Tour de France winner has already branched out into the Classics, of course, with Liège-Bastogne-Liège and two editions of Il Lombardia on his palmarès. La Primavera is another kettle of fish, however.
Pogačar has taken part in the race twice before, finishing 12th and fifth in the chase group behind the winner both times. Last year he was among the main animators of the race on the Poggio, attacking three times on the decisive late climb but not managing to get clear over the top.
His compatriot Matej Mohorič did what he couldn’t on the way down, however, highlighting a plausible route to victory for Pogačar this time around. He already has nine wins to his name this season and is easily the form pick. It’s hard to make the case to bet against Pogačar.
Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma)
A more traditional pick for glory in San…
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