Milan San Remo

The Milan-San Remo (Milano-Sanremo) annual cycle race is the longest professional one-day race in modern cycling at a distance of 298 km (185.2 miles).

Also known as the Spring Classic (La Classicissima), the Milan to San Remo race was due to run Saturday 21st March 2020, but was cancelled as Italy closed sporting events due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Milan San Remo cycling race is always the first classic race of the season, usually on the third Saturday of March in modern times.

The course starts in Milan in Northern Italy, up the Passo del Turchino, and descends to the seaside resort of San Remo on the Italian Riveria Ligurian Coast. The slow 6-hour race finishes in a famous dramatic down-hill conclusion, and with its flat course is considered a favourite of Sprinters (if not beaten by the Cipressa and Poggio).

The competition has been won 7 times by Eddy Merckx (Belgium), widely considered the most successful rider in the history of competitive cycling.

The Milan-San Remo 2020 was run in August 2020 and was won by Wout van Aert, the first Belgian to win the race since 1999.

The 2021 Milan – San Remo was run Saturday 20th March, again to be the curtain-raiser for the Italian road race season. It was won by Jasper Stuyven of Belgium with a time of 6:38:06.

Brief Results
Pos. Rider Name (Country) Result
1 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) 6:38:06
2 Caleb Ewan (Aus)
3 Wout Van Aert (Bel)
4 Peter Sagan (Svk)
5 Mathieu van der Poel (Ned)
6 Michael Matthews (Aus)
7 Alex Aranburu Deba (Spa)
8 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita)
9 Søren Kragh Andersen (Den)
10 Anthony Turgis (Fra)

San Remo

The history of the Milan to San Remo

The first race was held in 1906 in two parts on 2nd April (Milan–Acqui Terme) and 3rd April (Acqui Terme–Sanremo). The first one-day event was held on 14th April 1907 and started at 5am in cold weather. Only 14 of the 33 riders finished, despite attracting some of the best riders in Europe.

In 1910 due to extreme weather conditions, only 4 of the 63 riders passed the finish line. The winning time of 12 hours and 24 minutes remains the longest, but the race entered cycling folklore.

From 1917 to 1928 the great Italian rider Costante Girardengo won six races, with another 5 podium finishes. The 11 total is a record.

From 1935 to 1953 the Milan-San Remo was run every year on 19th March, on the feast of patron Saint Joseph. The press named it la Gara di San Giuseppe (Saint Joseph’s Race) and the Milan-San Remo was also coined La Classicissima.

In 1997, there was a crash at the finish line involving Laurent Jalabert, Johan Museeuw and Maximilian Sciandri.

The Milan-San Remo route

The race starts on the Piazza del Duomo in Milan and heads to the southwest. Heading by the cities of Pavia, Voghera, Tortona, Novi Ligure and Ovada to the Liguria coast. After 140km the race hits the first and steepest climb of the day with the Passo del Turchino.

After the descent, the race reaches the Ligurian Sea in Voltri at the halfway point and continues with its spectacular coastal scenery.

In San Lorenzo al Mare the course hits the second climb with the Cipressa, 22 km from the finish.

The final and most famous climb is the Poggio di Sanremo, a suburb of San Remo.

The final 5.4km finish from the peak is a fast descent towards the Via Roma in the centre of Sanremo.

Amateurs can race the route on the 6th June 2021 by registering here.

milan san remo routeWhat is the fastest winning time in the Milan San Remo bike

In 1990 Italian Gianni Bugno set a race record of 6h 25 m 06 seconds averaging 45.8 kmh (28.45 mph), the fastest winning time recorded for the Milan San Remo.

As of 2021, 12 nationalities have won the race with riders from Australia,  Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain and Switzerland.

Which Professional Cycle Riders have won the Milan San Remo most times?

 Eddy Merckx (BEL) 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976
 Costante Girardengo (ITA) 1918, 1921, 1923, 1925, 1926, 1928
 Gino Bartali (ITA) 1939, 1940, 1947, 1950
 Erik Zabel (GER) 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001
 Fausto Coppi (ITA) 1946, 1948, 1949
 Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL) 1973, 1978, 1979
 Óscar Freire (ESP) 2004, 2007, 2010
 Gaetano Belloni (ITA) 1917, 1920
 Alfredo Binda (ITA) 1929, 1931
 Giuseppe Olmo (ITA) 1935, 1938
 Loretto Petrucci (ITA) 1952, 1953
 Miguel Poblet (ESP) 1957, 1959
 Laurent Fignon (FRA) 1988, 1989
 SeĂ¡n Kelly (IRL) 1986, 1992

 

How many different nationalities have won the Milan-San Remo cycle race?

As of 2020, 12 nationalities have won the race with riders from Australia,  Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain and Switzerland

What is the fastest winning time in the Milan to San Remo bike race?

In 1990 Italian Gianni Bugno set a race record of 6h 25 m 06 seconds averaging 45.8 kmh (28.45 mph).

Full list of Milan-San Remo winners

Year Country Rider Team
1907 23px Flag of France.svg France Lucien Petit-Breton Peugeot–Wolber
1908 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Cyrille van Hauwaert Alcyon–Dunlop
1909 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Luigi Ganna Atala–Dunlop
1910 23px Flag of France.svg France Eugène Christophe Alcyon–Dunlop
1911 23px Flag of France.svg France Gustave Garrigou Alcyon–Dunlop
1912 23px Flag of France.svg France Henri Pélissier Alcyon–Dunlop
1913 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Odile Defraye Alcyon–Soly
1914 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Ugo Agostoni Bianchi–Dei
1915 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Ezio Corlaita Dei
1916 No race due to World War I
1917 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Gaetano Belloni Bianchi
1918 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Costante Girardengo Bianchi
1919 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Angelo Gremo Stucchi–Dunlop
1920 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Gaetano Belloni Bianchi
1921 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Costante Girardengo Stucchi–Pirelli
1922 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Giovanni Brunero Legnano–Pirelli
1923 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Costante Girardengo Maino
1924 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Pietro Linari Legnano–Pirelli
1925 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Costante Girardengo Wolsit–Pirelli
1926 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Costante Girardengo Wolsit–Pirelli
1927 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Pietro Chesi Ives-Pirelli
1928 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Costante Girardengo Maino–Dunlop
1929 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Alfredo Binda Legnano–Torpedo
1930 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Michele Mara Bianchi
1931 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Alfredo Binda Legnano–Hutchinson
1932 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Alfredo Bovet Bianchi
1933 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Learco Guerra Maino–Clément
1934 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Jef Demuysere Genial Lucifer–Hutchinson
1935 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Giuseppe Olmo Bianchi
1936 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Angelo Varetto Gloria
1937 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Cesare Del Cancia Ganna
1938 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Giuseppe Olmo Bianchi
1939 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Gino Bartali Legnano
1940 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Gino Bartali Legnano
1941 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Pierino Favalli Legnano
1942 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Adolfo Leoni Bianchi
1943 23px Flag of Italy %281861%E2%80%931946%29.svg Italy Cino Cinelli Bianchi
1944 No race due to World War II
1945 No race due to World War II
1946 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Fausto Coppi Bianchi
1947 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Gino Bartali Legnano–Pirelli
1948 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Fausto Coppi Bianchi
1949 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Fausto Coppi Bianchi–Ursus
1950 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Gino Bartali Bartali–Gardiol
1951 23px Flag of France.svg France Louison Bobet Stella
1952 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Loretto Petrucci Bianchi–Pirelli
1953 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Loretto Petrucci Bianchi–Pirelli
1954 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Rik Van Steenbergen Mercier–BP–Hutchinson
1955 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Germain Derijcke Alcyon–Dunlop
1956 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Fred De Bruyne Mercier–BP–Hutchinson
1957 23px Flag of Spain %281945%E2%80%931977%29.svg Spain Miguel Poblet Ignis–Doniselli
1958 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Rik Van Looy Faema–Guerra
1959 23px Flag of Spain %281945%E2%80%931977%29.svg Spain Miguel Poblet Ignis–Frejus
1960 23px Flag of France.svg France René Privat Mercier–BP–Hutchinson
1961 23px Flag of France.svg France Raymond Poulidor Mercier–BP–Hutchinson
1962 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Emile Daems Philco
1963 23px Flag of France.svg France Joseph Groussard Pelforth–Sauvage–Lejeune
1964 23px Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Great Britain Tom Simpson Peugeot–BP–Englebert
1965 23px Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands Arie den Hartog Ford France–Gitane
1966 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Eddy Merckx Peugeot–Dunlop
1967 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Eddy Merckx Peugeot–BP–Michelin
1968 23px Flag of Germany.svg Germany Rudi Altig Salvarani
1969 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Eddy Merckx Faema
1970 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Michele Dancelli Molteni
1971 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Eddy Merckx Molteni
1972 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Eddy Merckx Molteni
1973 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Roger De Vlaeminck Brooklyn
1974 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Felice Gimondi Bianchi–Campagnolo
1975 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Eddy Merckx Molteni–RYC
1976 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Eddy Merckx Molteni–Campagnolo
1977 23px Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands Jan Raas Frisol–Thirion–Gazelle
1978 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Roger De Vlaeminck Sanson–Campagnolo
1979 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Roger De Vlaeminck Gis Gelati
1980 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Pierino Gavazzi Magniflex–Olmo
1981 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Alfons De Wolf Vermeer Thijs
1982 23px Flag of France.svg France Marc Gomez Wolber–Spidel
1983 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Giuseppe Saronni Del Tongo–Colnago
1984 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Francesco Moser Gis Gelati–Tuc Lu
1985 23px Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands Hennie Kuiper Verandalux–Dries
1986 23px Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland Sean Kelly Kas
1987 16px Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland Erich Maechler Carrera Jeans–Vagabond
1988 23px Flag of France.svg France Laurent Fignon Système U–Gitane
1989 23px Flag of France.svg France Laurent Fignon Super U–Raleigh–Fiat
1990 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Gianni Bugno Chateau d’Ax–Salotti
1991 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Claudio Chiappucci Carrera Jeans–Tassoni
1992 23px Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland Sean Kelly Lotus–Festina
1993 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Maurizio Fondriest Lampre–Polti
1994 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Giorgio Furlan Gewiss–Ballan
1995 23px Flag of France.svg France Laurent Jalabert ONCE
1996 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Gabriele Colombo Gewiss Playbus
1997 23px Flag of Germany.svg Germany Erik Zabel Team Telekom
1998 23px Flag of Germany.svg Germany Erik Zabel Team Telekom
1999 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Andrei Tchmil Lotto–Mobistar
2000 23px Flag of Germany.svg Germany Erik Zabel Team Telekom
2001 23px Flag of Germany.svg Germany Erik Zabel Team Telekom
2002 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Mario Cipollini Acqua e Sapone–Cantina Tollo
2003 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Paolo Bettini Quick-Step–Davitamon
2004 23px Flag of Spain.svg Spain Óscar Freire Rabobank
2005 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Alessandro Petacchi Fassa Bortolo
2006 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Filippo Pozzato Quick-Step–Innergetic
2007 23px Flag of Spain.svg Spain Óscar Freire Rabobank
2008 16px Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland Fabian Cancellara Team CSC
2009 23px Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Great Britain Mark Cavendish Team Columbia–High Road
2010 23px Flag of Spain.svg Spain Óscar Freire Rabobank
2011 23px Flag of Australia %28converted%29.svg Australia Matthew Goss HTC–Highroad
2012 23px Flag of Australia %28converted%29.svg Australia Simon Gerrans GreenEDGE
2013 23px Flag of Germany.svg Germany Gerald Ciolek MTN–Qhubeka
2014 21px Flag of Norway.svg Norway Alexander Kristoff Team Katusha
2015 23px Flag of Germany.svg Germany John Degenkolb Team Giant–Alpecin
2016 23px Flag of France.svg France Arnaud Démare FDJ
2017 23px Flag of Poland.svg Poland Michał Kwiatkowski Team Sky
2018 23px Flag of Italy.svg Italy Vincenzo Nibali Bahrain–Merida
2019 23px Flag of France.svg France Julian Alaphilippe Deceuninck–Quick-Step
2020 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Wout Van Aert Team Jumbo–Visma
2021 23px Flag of Belgium %28civil%29.svg Belgium Jasper Stuyven Trek–Segafredo