Milano-Sanremo 2026 - Race profile
21.03
Tadej Pogacar overcame a late crash to win a dramatic edition of Milan–San Remo, attacking on the Cipressa before dropping Mathieu van der Poel on the Poggio. Only Tom Pidcock could follow, but the Slovenian edged him out in a two rider sprint on the Via Roma. Van der Poel was caught before the finish, while Wout van Aert secured third place.
How to watch?
Curious about how to watch the 2026 Milan-Sanremo? Discover it in our complete how-to-watch guide, featuring a full overview of all broadcasters and streaming options.
Route
The 2026 edition of Milan–San Remo, the first Monument of the cycling season, covers approximately 298 kilometres from Pavia to Sanremo in north western Italy. The race begins with a short loop north toward Milan before returning through Pavia and heading onto new roads via Sannazzaro de’ Burgondi and Casei Gerola. After reconnecting with the traditional course near Voghera, the peloton continues through towns such as Rivanazzano, Salice Terme and Tortona.
From there the route follows the historic road towards the Ligurian coast. Riders cross the Passo del Turchino before descending to the Riviera and reaching the coastal section of the race. In the final part, the peloton tackles the famous Capo Mele, Capo Cervo and Capo Berta climbs. The decisive phase begins with the Cipressa, followed shortly by the iconic Poggio di Sanremo. After a fast descent, the race traditionally finishes with a high speed sprint on Via Roma in Sanremo.
Read our preview for more information.
Favourites
For Milan–San Remo 2026, two riders stand clearly above the rest as the main favourites. Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel are widely considered the strongest contenders for victory. Pogačar has repeatedly shown his intent to win the Italian Monument and will likely try to make the race hard on the Cipressa and the Poggio with repeated attacks. Van der Poel, two times winner of the race, remains perfectly suited to the explosive finale thanks to his punch on short climbs and his fast sprint from a small group.
Just behind the two super favourites, Filippo Ganna is a very interesting contender. The Italian proved in 2025 that he can compete for the win by finishing second in San Remo. If he survives the Cipressa with the best riders, his power and strong sprint after a long race could make him a serious threat on Via Roma.
Other riders to watch are Wout van Aert, Romain Gregoire and Matthew Brennan.
Read more in our preview about what to expect and explore the start list via this link.
