Milan-San Remo 2026: The Fastest Classic of the Season Is About to Kick Off

Here we go again. The first true Monument of the cycling season is knocking on the door. Milan-San Remo, or as the purists call it: La Classicissima. Saturday’s program features 293 kilometres and the most beautiful flowers of the Italian Riviera. And man, it’s shaping up to be a gruelling war of attrition. This isn’t just any race; it’s the opening ball of the big Classics, and everyone wants to be there.

Why we’re glued to the screen every single year

The beauty of San Remo lies in its timing and its terror. You know it’s going to be hours of controlled chaos. The teams with their sprinters have their eyes on the Via Roma, the Classics specialists feel their legs tingling on the Cipressa, and then there’s always that one madman who throws the race into disarray on the Poggio. It’s a race of millimetres and mental strength. History tells us you don’t get anything for free here. Just think of the legendary 1970 edition, where Eddy Merckx cemented his status as the Cannibal. Or 1974, where Roger De Vlaeminck snagged his second of three total victories. Those were the days of pure man-on-man battles, with steel frames and leather helmets.

The mythical editions that came before us

As a cycling fan, I’m still captivated by the history. It’s in a Monument like this that you can trace the lines from the past to the present. Take Milan-San Remo 1976. That edition is etched in my memory as one of the most unpredictable. A complete surprise that showed on these roads, a bit of bad luck or having your day can make your name legendary. And Milan-San Remo 1983? That was the battle on the Poggio at its finest. Giuseppe Saronni giving it everything on the descent. It shows you: today’s Classics are written with the ink of yesterday’s legends. The names change, but the drama remains.

The favourites: who’ll take the flowers on the Via Roma?

Let’s look at today’s riders. This year we have a start list that looks like it’s straight out of a dream. Let me name the ones I’ll be watching with both eyes:

• Tadej Pogacar: The Slovenian is, of course, the man with number one on his back. He can do it all, but the question is whether he can combine his explosiveness on the Poggio with the patience of a pure Classics specialist. There’s whispers he’s planning to ride the Cipressa harder than he ever has before.
• Mathieu van der Poel: Our Dutch pride. A year of working towards this moment. If he gets over the Poggio without too much damage, he’s almost unbeatable on the Via Roma in a sprint from a select group. The only question is: will they even let him get away?
• Tom Pidcock & Filippo Ganna: Two completely different types. Pidcock with his punch, Ganna with his brute force on the flat. If the wind gets up, Ganna can tear the peloton apart. Pidcock is my dark horse for when it really comes down to the final metres.

The decisive kilometres: Cipressa and Poggio

We all know it: the race doesn’t truly start until the Cipressa. That’s when the tempo ratchets up until your legs are screaming. But the real finale unfolds on the Poggio di San Remo. The climb is short but nasty. If someone can force a gap here, they’ve got the descent to the Via Roma to cash in that advantage. Everyone plays the cat-and-mouse game. The sprinters’ teams will try to keep things together, but it’s up to the Classics specialists to stop them. The tactic is simple: make it so hard that your rivals are empty before the red carpet rolls out.

My take on the finale

In recent years, I’ve seen too many times the big favourites cancel each other out by watching each other. Somewhere, I’m hoping for a scenario where we relive those old times, like the ’70s and ’80s. Where an attack at the top of the Poggio isn’t neutralised immediately, but where a rider has the guts to push on. Whether it’s Pogacar, Van der Poel, or a surprise rider wanting to etch his name into the history books alongside Merckx, De Vlaeminck, and Saronni. One thing’s for sure: when the riders take that final corner on Saturday after hours of racing, we’ll be right here, noses pressed to the screen. It’s Milan-San Remo. You don’t need anything else.