Milan-San Remo 2024
The longest race of the year and one of the most exciting finishes in cycling awaits in the first Monument of the cycling calendar
Updated: 15 March 2024
Milan-San Remo 2024 Overview
Milan-San Remo, which is also known as La Primavera and La Classicissima, will take place on Saturday, 16 March 2024.
While much has been made of the Monument distinction lately, Milan-San Remo unquestionably sits alongside the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and Liege-Bastogne-Liege as the beating heart of the Spring Classics and is monumental in its impact.
La Classicissima, which translates to the greatest of the Classics, is the first of the big prizes and boasts one of the most explosive finales in cycling with the climb and descent of the Cipressa and Poggio setting up a gripping flat run to the line along the Via Roma.
- Read more: A beginner's guide to Milan-San Remo
The race is said to be the easiest of the Classics to finish but the hardest of them to win, with its parcours providing several different winning scenarios. Recently we’ve seen so many of those different situations and, with each edition, the excitement only grows as the race moves further and further away from its previous status as a race for the sprinters.
Look no further than last year’s race, when Mathieu van der Poel used Tadej Pogačar’s attack to springboard his winning move, as proof that Milan-San Remo defies the usual assumptions around racing, especially in this age of cycling.
Milan-San Remo 2024 key information
When is the 2024 Milan-San Remo? Milan-San Remo will take place on Saturday, 16 March.
Where does the 2024 Milan-San Remo take place? Milan-San Remo takes place in Italy and runs along a point-to-point course from the Milan area to the coastal town of San Remo.
Who won Milan-San Remo in 2023? Mathieu van der Poel won the 2023 with a late attack on the Poggio, distancing an elite group including Filippo Ganna, Wout van Aert and Tadej Pogačar.
When did Milan-San Remo start? Milan-San Remo began in 1907 and has been run every year since with only three exceptions: 1916, 1944 and 1945.
Who won the first Milan-San Remo? Lucien Petit-Breton won the first edition of Milan-San Remo. the Frenchman was also a two-time winner of the Tour de France in 1907 and 1908.
Who has the most wins at the Milan-San Remo? Eddy Merckx has the most wins at Milan-San Remo at seven. No current rider has won the race on more than one occasion.
Milan-San Remo 2024 route
The 2024 Milan-San Remo will travel along the well-trodden path of past editions as the race continues to stay true to its name, running from the Po Valley and the outskirts of Milan to the Mediterranean Sea and San Remo. This year, the only change is with the start moving further outside of Milan and the race decreasing in length from 294km to 288km. From Casteggio, 45km into the day, the route will be the same as in 2023.
Along the 288km journey, the race will transition from the clutches of the winter before it will climb the shallow Passo del Turchino before descending into the rich spring climate of the Ligurian Coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It is here where the race begins in earnest, with the series of small climbs of the Capo Mele, Capo Cervo and Capo Berta slowly inching up the intensity before the final showdown of the race.
The final begins with the Cipressa with 22km to go, before the final climb of the day on the Poggio di San Remo topping out with only 6km to go. It is then left to the sinuous descent from the Poggio leading into the final flat 2km run to the line, where any last attacks can come as any remaining fast finishers prepare for the finale.
Which teams are racing the Milan-San Remo 2024?
Milan-San Remo is a WorldTour race and will have the full complement of WorldTour teams on the start line. Additionally, seven ProTour teams will be on the start to complete the full peloton of 25 teams of seven riders.
WorldTour
- Alpecin-Deceuninck
- Arkéa-B&B Hotels
- Astana Qazaqstan
- Bahrain Victorious
- Bora-Hansgrohe
- Cofidis
- Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
- EF Education-EasyPost
- Groupama-FDJ
- Ineos Grenadiers
- Intermarché-Wanty
- Lidl-Trek
- Movistar Team
- Soudal Quick-Step
- dsm-firmenich PostNL
- Jayco AlUla
- Visma-Lease a Bike
- UAE Team Emirates
ProTour
- Israel-Premier Tech
- Lotto Dstny
- Tudor Pro Cycling
- Politi-Kometa
- Corratec-Vini Fantini
- VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè
- Uno X-Mobility
What happened at the Milan-San Remo 2023?
Mathieu van der Poel won the 2023 Milan-San Remo after a late solo move from the top of the Poggio. Van der Poel used the stinging attack of Tadej Pogačar, which pulled out the Dutchman, Wout van Aert and Filippo Ganna ahead of the rest of the peloton, to slingshot himself solo onto the descent of the Poggio. After the descent, Van der Poel had a clean pair of wheels to continue to build a gap and hold strong for his first victory on the Via Roma.
Milan-San Remo history
Milan-San Remo’s history runs in conjunction with cycling’s history. Cycling’s greatest Classics specialists, sprinters and general classification riders have been winners in San Remo throughout the generations. From Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali, to Mark Cavendish, Vincenzo Nibali and Mathieu van der Poel, one of the most compelling aspects of the race is how broad the range of winners has been and continues to be.
A testament to the lasting importance of the race is the rider on top of the honour roll, Eddy Merckx. Merckx won the race seven times in the 1960s and 1970s with wins coming on both ends of his career. His first win at the race in 1966, at only 20 years old, was his big coming-out party on the world cycling stage, while his final win in 1976 was his last major Classics victory.
In modern cycling, it has been durable sprinters who have been the riders that have strung together multiple wins in the race like Erik Zabel who has four wins and Óscar Freire who has three. Recently, what is almost more significant than the winners' list is the riders who have not won. Philippe Gilbert was only missing a Milan-San Remo crown from a full set of Monument titles, even though he came close with a third-place finish in 2008. Peter Sagan was another rider who never won the race despite being a rider who was well suited for the demands of the race.
Milan-San Remo's previous winners
2023 Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck
2022 Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain Victorious
2021 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
2020 Wout van Aert (Bel) Jumbo-Visma
2019 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Deceuninck-Quickstep
2018 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
2017 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky
2016 Arnaud Démare (Fra) FDJ
2015 John Degenkolb (Ger) Giant-Alpecin
2014 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha
2013 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN Qhubeka
2012 Simon Gerrans (Aus) GreenEdge
2011 Matthew Goss (Aus) HTC-Highroad
2010 Óscar Freire (Esp) Rabobank
2009 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia-High Road
2008 Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Team CSC
2007 Óscar Freire (Esp) Rabobank
2006 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic
2005 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
2004 Óscar Freire (Esp) Rabobank
2003 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step-Davitamon
2002 Mario Cipollini (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo
2001 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Telekom
2000 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Telekom
1999 Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
1998 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Telekom
1997 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Telekom
1996 Gabriele Colombo (Ita) Gewiss Playbus
1995 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE
1994 Giorgio Furlan (Ita) Gewiss-Ballan
1993 Maurizio Fondriest (Ita) Lampre-Polti
1992 Sean Kelly (Irl) Lotus-Festina
1991 Claudio Chiappucci (Ita) Carrera Jeans-Tassoni
1990 Gianni Bugno (Ita) Chateau d'Ax-Salotti
1989 Laurent Fignon (Fra) Super U-Raleigh-Fiat
1988 Laurent Fignon (Fra) Système U – Gitane
1987 Erich Maechler (Sui) Carrera Jeans-Vagabond
1986 Sean Kelly (Irl) Skil-Sem Kas
1985 Hennie Kuiper (Ned) Verandalux-Dries-Rossin
1984 Francesco Moser (Ita) Gis
1983 Giuseppe Saronni (Ita) Del Tongo
1982 Marc Gomez (Fra) Wolber-Spidel
1981 Alfons De Wolf (Bel) Vermeer Thijs-Mimo Salons
1980 Pierino Gavazzi (Ita) Magniflex-Olmo
1979 Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel) Gis Gelati
1978 Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel) Sanson-Campagnolo
1977 Jan Raas (Ned) Frisol-Gazelle
1976 Eddy Merckx (Bel) Molteni-Campagnolo
1975 Eddy Merckx (Bel) Molteni
1974 Felice Gimondi (Ita) Bianchi-Campagnolo
1973 Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel) Brooklyn
1972 Eddy Merckx (Bel) Molteni
1971 Eddy Merckx (Bel) Molteni-Arcore
1970 Michele Dancelli (Ita) Molteni
1969 Eddy Merckx (Bel) Faema
1968 Rudi Altig (Ger) Salvarani
1967 Eddy Merckx (Bel) Peugeot-BP Michelin
1966 Eddy Merckx (Bel) Peugeot-BP Michelin
1965 Arie den Hartog (Ned) Ford France-Gitane
1964 Tom Simpson (GBr) Peugeot-BP
1963 Joseph Groussard (Fra) Pelforth-Sauvage-Lejeune
1962 Emile Daems (Bel) Philco
1961 Raymond Poulidor (Fra) Mercier-BP
1960 René Privat (Fra) Mercier-BP
1959 Miguel Poblet (Esp) Ignis
1958 Rik van Looy (Bel) Faema
1957 Miguel Poblet (Esp) Ignis-Doniselli
1956 Fred De Bruyne (Bel) Mercier-BP
1955 Germain Derijcke (Bel) Alcyon-Dunlop
1954 Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel) Mercier-Hutchinson
1953 Loretto Petrucci (Ita) Bianchi-Pirelli
1952 Loretto Petrucci (Ita) Bianchi-Pirelli
1951 Louison Bobet (Fra) Stella-Dunlop
1950 Gino Bartali (Ita) Bartali-Gardiol
1949 Fausto Coppi (Ita) Bianchi-Ursus
1948 Fausto Coppi (Ita) Bianchi
1947 Gino Bartali (Ita) Legnano
1946 Fausto Coppi (Ita) Bianchi
1945 No race held
1944 No race held
1943 Cino Cinelli (Ita) Bianchi
1942 Adolfo Leoni (Ita) Bianchi
1941 Pierino Favalli (Ita) Legnano
1940 Gino Bartali (Ita) Legnano
1939 Gino Bartali (Ita) Legnano
1938 Giuseppe Olmo (Ita) Bianchi
1937 Cesare Del Cancia (Ita) Ganna
1936 Angelo Varetto (Ita) Gloria
1935 Giuseppe Olmo (Ita) Bianchi
1934 Jef Demuysere (Bel) Genial Lucifer-Hutchinson
1933 Learco Guerra (Ita) Maino
1932 Alfredo Bovet (Ita) Bianchi
1931 Alfredo Binda (Ita) Legnano-Hutchinson
1930 Michele Mara (Ita) Bianchi-Pirelli
1929 Alfredo Binda (Ita) Legnano-Torpedo
1928 Costante Girardengo (Ita) Maino
1927 Pietro Chesi (Ita)
1926 Costante Girardengo (Ita) Wolsit-Pirelli
1925 Costante Girardengo (Ita) Wolsit-Pirelli
1924 Pietro Linari (Ita) Legnano-Pirelli
1923 Costante Girardengo (Ita) Maino
1922 Giovanni Brunero (Ita) Legnano-Pirelli
1921 Costante Girardengo (Ita) Stucchi
1920 Gaetano Belloni (Ita) Bianchi-Pirelli
1919 Angelo Gremo (Ita) Stucchi
1918 Costante Girardengo (Ita) Bianchi
1917 Gaetano Belloni (Ita) Bianchi
1916 No race held
1915 Ezio Corlaita (Ita) Dei
1914 Ugo Agostoni (Ita) Bianchi
1913 Odile Defraye (Bel) Alcyon-Soly
1912 Henri Pélissier (Fra) Alcyon-Dunlop
1911 Gustave Garrigou (Fra) Alcyon-Dunlop
1910 Eugène Christophe (Fra) Alcyon-Dunlop
1909 Luigi Ganna (Ita) Atala
1908 Cyrille van Hauwaert (Bel) Alcyon-Dunlop
1907 Lucien Petit-Breton (Fra) Peugeot
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