Milan-San Remo is the first among the five Monuments in cycling to take place annually. The other four Monuments are Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and Giro di Lombardia.
The race was first held in 1907 and won by some of the biggest names in cycling, including Eddy Merckx, Fausto Coppi, and Sean Kelly. Road World Champions such as Julian Alaphilippe, Michal Kwiatkowski, and Mark Cavendish have recently won the Milan-San Remo.
Milan-San Remo is notoriously hard to predict because it can go in several different ways. In recent years, we have seen everything from solo breakaways to bunch sprints deciding the outcome. This makes for a hugely exciting race that always has the potential to produce a surprise result.
Milan-San Remo route
The Milan-San Remo is the longest race on the professional cycling calendar, covering a distance of 298km (185.2 mi). The route takes riders from Milan in the north of Italy down to the coastal town of San Remo along the Mediterranean Sea.
The race starts on the Piazza del Duomo in central Milan and heads southwest through the Lombardy and Piedmont plains, passing through Pavia, Voghera, Tortona, Novi Ligure, and Ovada. The first 100km of the race is usually uneventful.
Once reaching Liguria along the coastline, the peloton will ascend the first climb of the day, Passo del Turchino, at the 140km (87 mi) mark. This is followed by descending onto the Aurelia highway, where the peloton will ride along the flat and scenic Ligurian Coast.
The next decisive point of the race is the Cipressa climb, 5.6km and averaging 4.1%. The top of Cipressa is only 22km (13.7 mi) from the finish and is often ridden at a very fast pace.
The Poggio is the last climb of the race (4km at 3.7%) and is often where the winning attack happens. The top of the Poggio is only 4km (2.5 mi) from the finish line.
Past Milan-San Remo winners
Eddy Merckx holds the record with the most Milan-San Remo wins with seven (1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976), followed by Costante Girardengo with six (1918, 1921, 1923, 1925, 1926, 1928).
Gino Bartali (1939, 1940, 1947, 1950) and Erik Zabel (1997, 1998, 2000, 2001) each have four wins.
| Year | Winner | Winning time |
|---|---|---|
| 1907 | Lucien Petit-Breton | 11hr 4′ 15″ |
| 1908 | Cyrille Van Hauwaert | 11hr 33′ |
| 1909 | Luigi Ganna | 9hr 32′ |
| 1910 | Eugéne Christophe | 12hr 24′ |
| 1911 | Gustave Garrigou | 9hr 37′ |
| 1912 | Henri Pélissier | 9hr 44′ 30″ |
| 1913 | Odile Defraye | 9hr 1′ 58″ |
| 1914 | Ugo Agostoni | 10hr 32′ 32″ |
| 1915 | Ezio Corlaita | 10hr 36′ 3″ |
| 1917 | Gaetano Belloni | 12hr 44′ 9″ |
| 1918 | Costante Girardengo | 11hr 48′ |
| 1919 | Angelo Gremo | 11hr 26′ |
| 1920 | Gaetano Belloni | 9hr 27′ |
| 1921 | Costante Girardengo | 9hr 30′ |
| 1922 | Giovanni Brunero | 10hr 14′ 31″ |
| 1923 | Costante Girardengo | 10hr 14′ |
| 1924 | Pietro Linari | 10hr 50′ |
| 1925 | Costante Girardengo | 10hr 19′ |
| 1926 | Costante Girardengo | 9hr 48′ |
| 1927 | Pietro Chesi | 9hr 43′ |
| 1928 | Costante Girardengo | 11hr 36′ 30″ |
| 1929 | Alfredo Binda | 9hr 30′ 30″ |
| 1930 | Michele Mara | 9hr 43′ |
| 1931 | Alfredo Binda | 9hr 35′ |
| 1932 | Alfredo Bovet | 8hr 5′ 45″ |
| 1933 | Learco Guerra | 7hr 50′ 41″ |
| 1934 | Joseph Demuysère | 7hr 49′ 30″ |
| 1935 | Giuseppe Olmo | 7hr 48′ 39″ |
| 1936 | Angelo Varetto | 7hr 43′ |
| 1937 | Cesare Del Cancia | 7hr 31′ 30″ |
| 1938 | Giuseppe Olmo | 7hr 18′ 30″ |
| 1939 | Gino Bartali | 7hr 31′ 46″ |
| 1940 | Gino Bartali | 7hr 44′ |
| 1941 | Pierino Favalli | 7hr 46′ 25″ |
| 1942 | Adolfo Leoni | 8hr 10′ |
| 1943 | Cino Cinelli | 8hr 6′ |
| 1946 | Fausto Coppi | 8hr 9′ |
| 1947 | Gino Bartali | 8hr 33′ |
| 1948 | Fausto Coppi | 7hr 33′ 20″ |
| 1949 | Fausto Coppi | 7hr 22′ 25″ |
| 1950 | Gino Bartali | 7hr 18′ 52″ |
| 1951 | Louison Bobet | 7hr 30′ 23″ |
| 1952 | Loretto Petrucci | 7hr 22′ 7″ |
| 1953 | Loretto Petrucci | 6hr 59′ 20″ |
| 1954 | Rik van Steenbergen | 7hr 10′ 3″ |
| 1955 | Germain Derycke | 7hr 3′ 46″ |
| 1956 | Fred de Bruyne | 6hr 57′ 10″ |
| 1957 | Miguel Poblet | 6hr 55′ 51″ |
| 1958 | Rik van Looy | 6hr 41′ 9″ |
| 1959 | Miguel Poblet | 6hr 45′ 33″ |
| 1960 | René Privat | 6hr 45′ 15″ |
| 1961 | Raymond Poulidor | 7hr 41′ 7″ |
| 1962 | Emile Daems | 6hr 48′ 6″ |
| 1963 | Joseph Groussard | 6hr 59′ 38″ |
| 1964 | Tom Simpson | 6hr 27′ 59″ |
| 1965 | Arie Den Hartog | 6hr 53′ 32″ |
| 1966 | Eddy Merckx | 6hr 40′ 40″ |
| 1967 | Eddy Merckx | 6hr 25′ 40″ |
| 1968 | Rudi Altig | 6hr 51′ 58″ |
| 1969 | Eddy Merckx | 6hr 37′ 56″ |
| 1970 | Michele Dancelli | 6hr 32′ 56″ |
| 1971 | Eddy Merckx | 7hr 21′ 20″ |
| 1972 | Eddy Merckx | 6hr 33′ 32″ |
| 1973 | Roger de Vlae’ck | 6hr 53′ 34″ |
| 1974 | Felice Gimondi | 6hr 46′ 16″ |
| 1975 | Eddy Merckx | 7hr 40′ 26″ |
| 1976 | Eddy Merckx | 6hr 55′ 28″ |
| 1977 | Jan Raas | 6hr 41′ 59″ |
| 1978 | Roger de Vlae’ck | 6hr 47′ 35″ |
| 1979 | Roger de Vlae’ck | 7hr 5′ 44″ |
| 1980 | Pierino Gavazzi | 6hr 42′ 7″ |
| 1981 | Fons de Wolf | 6hr 41′ 6″ |
| 1982 | Marc Gomez | 7hr 4′ 12″ |
| 1983 | Giuseppe Saronni | 7hr 7′ 59″ |
| 1984 | Francesco Moser | 7hr 22′ 25″ |
| 1985 | Henni Kuiper | 7hr 36′ 34″ |
| 1986 | Sean Kelly | 6hr 57′ 19″ |
| 1987 | Erich Machler | 7hr 52″ |
| 1988 | Laurent Fignon | 7hr 6′ 20″ |
| 1989 | Laurent Fignon | 7hr 8′ 19″ |
| 1990 | Gianni Bugno | 6hr 25′ 6″ |
| 1991 | Claudio Chiappucci | 6hr 56′ 36″ |
| 1992 | Sean Kelly | 7hr 31′ 42″ |
| 1993 | Maurizio Fondriest | 7hr 25′ 37″ |
| 1994 | Giorgio Furlan | 7hr 5′ 20″ |
| 1995 | Laurent Jalabert | 6hr 45′ 20″ |
| 1996 | Gabriele Colombo | 7hr 27″ |
| 1997 | Erik Zabel | 6hr 57′ 47″ |
| 1998 | Erik Zabel | 7hr 10′ 14″ |
| 1999 | Andrei Tchmil | 6hr 52′ 37″ |
| 2000 | Erik Zabel | 7hr 11′ 29″ |
| 2001 | Erik Zabel | 7hr 23′ 13″ |
| 2002 | Mario Cipollini | 6hr 39′ 30″ |
| 2003 | Paolo Bettini | 6hr 44′ 43″ |
| 2004 | Oscar Freire | 7hr 11′ 23″ |
| 2005 | Allesandro Petacchi | 7hr 11′ 39″ |
| 2006 | Filippo Pozzato | 6hr 29′ 40″ |
| 2007 | Oscar Freire | 6hr 43′ 59″ |
| 2008 | Fabian Cancellara | 7hr 14′ 35″ |
| 2009 | Mark Cavendish | 6hr 42′ 31″ |
| 2010 | Oscar Freire | 6hr 57′ 28″ |
| 2011 | Matthew Harley Goss | 6hr 51′ 10″ |
| 2012 | Simon Gerrans | 6hr 59′ 24″ |
| 2013 | Gerald Ciolek | 5hr 37′ 20″ |
| 2014 | Alexander Kristoff | 6hr 55′ 56″ |
| 2015 | John Degenkolb | 6hr 46′ 16″ |
| 2016 | Arnaud Demare | 6hr 54′ 4″ |
| 2017 | Michal Kwiatkowski | 7hr 8′ 39″ |
| 2018 | Vincenzo Nibali | 7hr 18′ 43″ |
| 2019 | Julian Alaphilippe | 6hr 40′ 14″ |
| 2020 | Wout van Aert | 7hr 16′ 9″ |
| 2021 | Jasper Stuyven | 6hr 38′ 6″ |
| 2022 | Matej Mohoric | 6hr 27′ 49″ |
| 2023 | Mathieu van der Poel | 6hr 25′ 23″ |
Biggest winning margin of Milan-San Remo
Giovanni Gerbi won by 40′ 11′ over Giovanni Rossignoli in the first edition in 1905. Since 2000, the biggest winning margin was only 32″ with Thibaut Pinot winning over Vincenzo Nibali.
Since 2000, the biggest winning margin was only 4″ as the finish usually results in a bunch sprint.
The table below shows the 10 biggest winning margins in Giro di Lombardia.
| Year | Winner | Winning time | Winning margin | Second place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Fausto Coppi | 8hr 9′ | 14′ | Lucien Teisseire |
| 1917 | Gaetano Belloni | 12hr 44′ 9″ | 11′ 48″ | Costante Girardengo |
| 1927 | Pietro Chesi | 9hr 43′ | 9′ | Alfredo Binda |
| 1929 | Alfredo Binda | 9hr 30′ 30″ | 8′ 30″ | Leonida Frascarelli |
| 1926 | Costante Girardengo | 9hr 48′ | 6′ 40″ | Nello Ciaccheri |
| 1911 | Gustave Garrigou | 9hr 37′ | 6′ | Louis Trousselier |
| 1948 | Fausto Coppi | 7hr 33′ 20″ | 5′ 17″ | Vittorio Rosello |
| 1949 | Fausto Coppi | 7hr 22′ 25″ | 4′ 17″ | Vito Ortelli |
| 1947 | Gino Bartali | 8hr 33′ | 3′ 57″ | Ezio Cecchi |
| 1908 | Cyrille Van Hauwaert | 11hr 33′ | 3′ 30″ | Luigi Ganna |
Fastest Milan-San Remo average speed
The fastest Milan-San Remo was in 1990 when Gianni Bugno won with an average speed of 45.806km/h (28.46mph).
| Year | Winner | Winning time | Distance (km) | Avg. speed (km/h) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Gianni Bugno | 6hr 25′ 6″ | 294 | 45.806 |
| 2023 | Mathieu van der Poel | 6hr 25′ 23″ | 294 | 45.77 |
| 2022 | Matej Mohoric | 6hr 27′ 49″ | 293 | 45.331 |
| 2006 | Filippo Pozzato | 6hr 29′ 40″ | 294 | 45.27 |
| 2021 | Jasper Stuyven | 6hr 38′ 6″ | 299 | 45.064 |
| 1967 | Eddy Merckx | 6hr 25′ 40″ | 288 | 44.805 |
| 2009 | Mark Cavendish | 6hr 42′ 31″ | 298 | 44.42 |
| 1970 | Michele Dancelli | 6hr 32′ 56″ | 288 | 43.98 |
| 1972 | Eddy Merckx | 6hr 33′ 32″ | 288 | 43.9 |
| 2013 | Gerald Ciolek | 5hr 37′ 20″ | 246 | 43.754 |
| 2007 | Oscar Freire | 6hr 43′ 59″ | 294 | 43.665 |
Slowest Milan-San Remo average speed
The slowest Milan-San Remo was in 1917 when Gaetano Belloni won with an average speed of 22.5km/h (14mph).
| Year | Winner | Winning time | Distance (km) | Avg. speed (km/h) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1917 | Gaetano Belloni | 12hr 44′ 9″ | 286.5 | 22.5 |
| 1910 | Eugéne Christophe | 12hr 24′ | 289.3 | 23.31 |
| 1918 | Costante Girardengo | 11hr 48′ | 286.5 | 24.28 |
| 1908 | Cyrille Van Hauwaert | 11hr 33′ | 283.4 | 24.54 |
| 1928 | Costante Girardengo | 11hr 36′ 30″ | 286.5 | 24.68 |
| 1919 | Angelo Gremo | 11hr 26′ | 286.5 | 25.06 |
| 1907 | Lucien Petit-Breton | 11hr 4′ 15″ | 288 | 26.01 |
| 1924 | Pietro Linari | 10hr 50′ | 286.5 | 26.4 |
| 1914 | Ugo Agostoni | 10hr 32′ 32″ | 286.5 | 27.18 |
| 1915 | Ezio Corlaita | 10hr 36′ 3″ | 289 | 27.26 |
Alex Lee is the founder and editor-at-large of Mr. Mamil. Coming from a professional engineering background, he breaks down technical cycling nuances into an easy-to-understand and digestible format here.
He has been riding road bikes actively for the past 12 years and started racing competitively in the senior category during the summer recently.