The Italian Riviera once again plays host to cycling’s most unpredictable spring spectacle as the 117th edition of Milan-San Remo unfolds, stretching nearly 300 kilometers from Pavia to the sun-drenched finish on Via Roma. This year, the legendary one-day Monument has drawn the sport’s brightest stars and a supporting cast of unpredictable contenders, setting the stage for a showdown that’s as much about legacy as it is about legs.
Few races in the cycling calendar command the same reverence as Milan-San Remo. At 298 kilometers, it’s the longest day in the saddle for the professional peloton, renowned for its deceptive calm before an explosion of action in the final hour. The Cipressa and Poggio climbs, perched along the Ligurian coastline, have become the crucible where dreams are made and broken, often reducing a peloton of 175 to a handful of hopefuls.
This year’s race, contested on March 21, 2026, is widely regarded as the hardest in recent memory. The route’s early flat stretches give way to the relentless undulations of the Tre Capi and, ultimately, the Cipressa and Poggio—the decisive double-punch that separates the true contenders from the hopefuls. Rain clouds loom in the forecast, threatening to add a treacherous sheen to the already technical final descent into San Remo. As the peloton rolled out of Pavia, anticipation crackled through the air: would this be the year that Tadej Pogačar finally solves the riddle of San Remo, or would Mathieu van der Poel’s mastery of the Classics reign supreme once more?
For Tadej Pogačar, Milan-San Remo is unfinished business. The Slovenian superstar, already a winner of multiple Monuments and Grand Tours, has never managed to claim victory on the Italian coast despite a string of near-misses—finishing fifth, fourth, and twice third in the last four editions. This year, Pogačar arrived with his UAE Team Emirates squad in peak form, determined to leverage his climbing prowess and relentless aggression. The team’s plan was no secret: turn the Cipressa into a war of attrition, whittle the lead group to a manageable size, and attack with everything on the Poggio. But as cycling fans know all too well, Milan-San Remo rarely obeys the script.
“There is no better-prepared rider in the peloton. There is no more motivated one either,” noted one analyst from Escape Collective, capturing the sense of destiny that seems to surround Pogačar’s campaign. Yet, as history has shown, raw power alone is rarely enough on the twisting, technical descents that follow the Poggio. The perfect Milan-San Remo winner must be a climber who can also finish with speed and precision.
Enter Mathieu van der Poel, the Dutch sensation whose affinity for Milan-San Remo is bordering on legendary. Van der Poel, riding for Alpecin-Premier Tech, has already etched his name into the race’s folklore with wins in 2023 and 2025, and a tactical masterclass to help teammate Jasper Philipsen in 2024. His ability to read the race and launch precisely-timed attacks makes him the most dangerous man on the start list. “It’s only a matter of time before he wins Milan-San Remo,” van der Poel once said of Pogačar, but the Dutchman’s own ambitions are clear: to defend his crown and cement his place as the Classics king.
Van der Poel’s approach is a blend of patience and explosive aggression. He knows the route intimately, understands the cost of every surge, and has the technical skills to descend the Poggio at breakneck speed—an advantage that has repeatedly proven decisive. Fresh off impressive form at Tirreno-Adriatico, he stands as the man to beat, his confidence buoyed by recent history and a formidable team support system.
The supporting cast this year is as deep as it is unpredictable. Filippo Ganna, the Italian powerhouse from Ineos Grenadiers, has twice finished second in San Remo, his massive engine making him a constant threat on the rolling terrain. In 2025, he followed van der Poel and Pogačar over both climbs and outsprinted the world champion at the line, only to come up just short. Ganna’s ability to generate huge watts on the Cipressa and close gaps on descents ensures he’ll be present when it matters, especially if the rain materializes and the race splinters.
Wout van Aert, the 2020 winner from Visma-Lease a Bike, returns after a two-year absence, his Tirreno-Adriatico performance hinting at a return to top form. Van Aert’s profile is nearly tailor-made for San Remo: powerful enough to survive the climbs, nimble on the descents, and dangerous in a reduced sprint. If he’s anywhere near his best, he could throw a wrench into the favorites’ plans.
Tom Pidcock, the British phenom from Pinarello-Q36.5, arrives fresh off a win at Milano-Torino. His punchy climbing and fearless descending make him a wildcard, particularly if chaos reigns in the finale. A crash derailed his 2025 campaign, but if he stays upright, he’s got the skills to exploit any hesitation among the leaders. “His profile has always made intellectual sense for this race—punchy on the climb, fearless on the descent, and exactly the kind of rider who can exploit chaos in a fractured finale,” observed WeLoVeCycling.
The list of outsiders is long and intriguing. Jasper Philipsen, the 2024 winner, remains a threat if the race comes down to a sprint. Matthew Brennan, just 20, has been on a tear in early season races, while sprinter Tobias Lund Andresen and all-rounder Romain Grégoire could capitalize if the Cipressa and Poggio attacks are neutralized. Matej Mohorič, the 2022 winner, is always a danger on the descents, and Isaac del Toro of UAE Team Emirates-XRG is ready to pounce if the race breaks apart.
As the peloton approached the Cipressa, tension mounted. The rain began to fall, slickening the roads and raising the stakes for every attack and every corner. Pogačar’s team pushed the pace, whittling the group down to the strongest, while van der Poel and Ganna marked every move. The final ascent of the Poggio loomed—a moment when years of preparation and ambition would collide with the reality of tired legs and slippery tarmac.
With 60 kilometers to go, the race was still wide open. Would Pogačar finally conquer the only Monument that has eluded him? Could van der Poel extend his reign and claim a historic third victory? Or might a dark horse seize the day, taking advantage of the chaos and the elements? The answers would come only as the riders crested the Poggio and hurtled toward Via Roma.
As the rain-soaked drama played out on the Italian coast, one thing was clear: Milan-San Remo remains the most unpredictable, tantalizing race of the spring. With legends and upstarts alike vying for glory, the 2026 edition is shaping up to be a classic for the ages. The race is still unfolding, and cycling fans everywhere are holding their breath for the final, breathtaking act.