Milan-San Remo is the first of cycling's five Monuments, and one of the most prestigious races of the season. It's also the longest, typically just shy of 300km for the men and 156km for the women.
Throughout it's history, Milan-San Remo has been won by a variety of riders, from a punchy climber like Paolo Bettini, to bunch sprinters like Mark Cavendish, Jasper Philipsen and Erik Zabel. It's also been won by great descenders. Sean Kelly's win in 1992 was perhaps the most famous, while Vincenzo Nibali (2018) and Matej Mohorič (2022) took advantage of the tight, twisty descent off the Poggio to put time into their rivals. Mohoric famously used a dropper seatpost to gain an advantage when he won..
A women's version was reintroduced last year after a 20-year hiatus, and renamed the from the Primavera Rosa to Milan-San Remo Donne. Lorena Wiebes became the first winner in its modern form. As with last year, both men's and women's races will be held on the same day in 2026.
Like the other Monuments Milan-San Remo has plenty of nicknames: 'La Classicissima', 'La Primavera' due to its springtime slot, and it's also known as one of the 'sprinters' Classics' (the other being Paris-Tours) because of its flat, fast finish on San Remo's Via Roma.
It was inaugurated in 1907, when it was won by Frenchman Lucien Petit-Breton. Since then it has been won by many of cycling's biggest stars, Eddy Merckx being the most prolific with seven wins between 1966 and 1976.
Milan-San Remo 2026: Key details
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Date
21 March 2026
Distance
298km
Start location
Pavia
Finish location
San Remo, Italy
UCI ranking
WorldTour
Edition
117th
Last winner
Mathieu van der Poel (Ned)
TV coverage (UK)
TNT Sports
TV coverage (US)
TBC
Tadej Pogačar attacks on the Poggio (Image credit: Getty Images)
Milan-San Remo 2026: The route
The Milan-San Remo route 2026 (Image credit: Getty Images)
Milan-San Remo 2026 was be the second of three editions to start in Pavia, thanks to a three-year deal between race organiser RCS and Pavia province. As they have done every year since the race began in Milan in 2022 again the early kilometres have changed slightly. Heading south from Pavia the route jinks east and then west, joining last year's route at Voghera 60 kilometres in. Finally, it links up with the historic route at Tortona after 80km.
There's a gradual climb up to the Passo del Turchino at around the halfway mark before a quick descent, while the twin climbs of the Cipressa (max 9%) and the Poggio (max 8%) which are now the hallmarks of this race appear in their usual position inside the final 30km.
After the Poggio it's time for the classic switchback descent into the urban centre of San Remo, with the finish line on the Via Roma, where the riders get a well-earned rest after 289km of hard racing.
Milan-San Remo: Past winners
2026: Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates-XRG 2025: Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck 2024: Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck 2023: Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck 2022: Matej Mohorič (Slo) Bahrain Victorious 2021: Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo 2020: Wout van Aert (Bel) Jumbo-Visma 2019: Julian Alaphillipe (Fra) Deceuninck–Quick-Step 2018: Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 2017: Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky 2016: Arnaud Démare (Fra) FDJ 2015: John Degenkolb (Ger) Giant-Alpecin 2014: Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha 2013: Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka 2012: Simon Gerrans (Aus) GreenEdge 2011: Matt Goss (Aus) HTC-Highroad 2010: Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank 2009: Mark Cavendish (GBr) Columbia-Highroad 2008: Fabian Cancellara (Sui) CSC