This beast of a race,  on this Saturday March 21st, always delivers unpredictability, but a few clear favourites stand out this year – well, ok, let’s be honest, TWO stand out! 

And may I just say I do love this race – it’s a massive brutal smack in the gob of a race, just so violent and demanding.

Gorgeous!

Mathieu van der Poel returns as top pick – surprise surprise – perfectly suited to the Poggio’s explosive demands, and he has won it in 2023 and 2025 – last year you will remember he won a brilliant sprint against Filippo Ganna and Pogacar. He has already spoken about this year’s race and it was clear that Pogacar is the rider he will be watching.

Eddy Merckx spoke on Pogo’s chance at Milan-San Remo and said he may be tempted to go before the almost always decisive Cipressa climb – just 25km from the finish line. Pogačar may be thinking of going from 50, 60 or 70km out — he’s said before, “I have to try from far, otherwise it’s too easy for the sprinters.”

Wout Van Aert might have a magical ay and be in the sprint at the end but he still looks a few percent off his very best. Tom Pidcock may be a threat after his win mid-week at Milano-Torino, but he sounded after that race a little disheartened already about Milan-San Remo, mindful of the power that VDP and Pogacar have and where they will likely attack from: “We know what’s going to happen on the Cipressa, don’t we? But we will do our best.”

As always, positioning and timing will decide everything. As the old saying goes: “Milan–San Remo isn’t always won by the strongest, but by the smartest.”