The 2026 cycling season has been bubbling away for several weeks now but it will reach a boil on Saturday with the first Monument race of the season.
On the menu is the 117th edition of Milan-Sanremo for the men of the WorldTour and the eighth running of Milan-Sanremo Donne for the women. Both races promise drama and variety due to the fact that this is one of the few events on the calendar that suits all types of rider. Sprinters, climbers, puncheurs and rouleurs can all legitimately target victory on the Via Roma.
The men’s race is one of the longest of the season at just shy of 300km (186 miles), and is perhaps the sport’s ultimate slow burner of a spectacle, with all of the action packed into a hilly and iconic final 60km. The women’s race is 156km (96 miles) and, though it begins in Genoa, it has the exact same denouement.
The reigning champions are Mathieu van der Poel and Lorena Wiebes — both riders will fancy their chances of defending their titles, though they both have several rivals to fend off on the famous ascents and descents of the Cipressa and Poggio climbs.
Perhaps the most fascinating subplot of the weekend is whether Tadej Pogacar can add this race to his palmares. The Slovenian world champion has finished third in the last two editions, and will probably be eyeing up another attack on the penultimate climb — the Cipressa — to distance Van der Poel and others.
The Athletic’s writers discuss the big day.
The peloton wind their way towards Sanremo in the 2024 edition (MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)
On a scale of 1-10, how much are you looking forward to the two races this weekend?
Jacob Whitehead: A solid eight. It feels as if Pogacar and Van der Poel are being drawn towards each other by magnets — I just hope another rider is able to get into the final group to really mix it up.
Jessica Hopkins: Probably a high nine. I’ve been slightly twiddling my thumbs since the stacked week of Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico. It’s also the first monument of the season, and the prospect of another Tadej Pogacar-Mathieu van der Poel battle is always exciting.
Duncan Alexander: A perfect 10 to be honest. I think the closing stages of this race is my favorite part of the entire season. There was a time at the turn of the century when this race became a bit predictable, won too often by sprinters — but these days it’s a heavyweight clash between every type of rider, something we barely see at any other point of the season.
Often the only thing that matches the ascent of the Poggio for excitement is the subsequent descent (Tim de Waele / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
Why should someone who has never watched Milan-Sanremo tune in?
Jacob: The descent of the Poggio. There may come a point where it is considered too dangerous to include in a Monument in good conscience, but as moments such as Matej Mohoric’s win in 2022 prove, there is little more thrilling than a rider pushing the envelope on what is likely the most famous descent in cycling. It may be the only way for any contender to shake Pogacar (or Van der Poel for that matter).
Matej Mohoric’s win in 2022 was the result of a daring and innovative descent of the Poggio (Marco BERTORELLO / AFP via Getty Images)
Jessica: Despite the front-running duo, there are plenty of names in the mix to make a difference. The Poggio invites attacks from puncheurs but the rest of the route is predominantly flat, meaning sprinters will also be tempted to try their luck — almost guaranteeing exciting racing.
Duncan: The denouement of the race is a bit like a meal. Three little hills — Capo Mele, Capo Cervo and Capo Berta — are the starters, then there’s the heavy Cipressa main course, before the delicious dessert that is the ascent and descent of the Poggio. Should you tune in for all 300km? I’ve done it before but it’s for the completists. Stick on the final 60km and you’ll have a lovely time.
Can Tadej Pogacar finally do it?
Jacob: In some ways, the race is more dependent on Van der Poel’s condition than Pogacar’s. If the Dutchman secures a final sprint with Pogacar, he will win his third Milan-San Remo. That means Pogacar is guaranteed to attack on the Cipressa and/or the Poggio — if not before — in a bid to shake his rival. Van der Poel has the ability to hold onto Pogacar’s coattails on those shorter climbs — and his victory at Omloop het Nieuwsblad three weeks ago shows that he is in good climbing form.
Jessica: The course is not as suited to the Slovenian as the much more undulating Strade Bianche, but his 78km solo attack in that race has sent a frightening message to the rest of the peloton. Having team-mate Isaac del Toro by his side will also be comforting. Del Toro looked in fine form as he won three of Tirreno-Adriatico’s four classifications last week. While again he is more of a climber, his sprint to win the first stage of the UAE Tour shows he can be a powerful asset.
Duncan: Injury will deny Pogacar of two of his most useful teammates for this race — Tim Wellens and Jhonatan Narváez. Wellens is a master of positioning, crucial in a race where so much of the peloton survives to the latter stages, and there are few better riders to launch a teammate than Narváez. And Pogacar will need to launch. Last year, he tried it on the Cipressa and Poggio and saw Van der Poel hold on with worrying ease. But Pogacar is always learning and 2025 will have taught him a lot. I am expecting… something unexpected from him.
Milan-Sanremo is one of the few major races Pogacar is yet to win (MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)
Who are your other favorites for the men’s race?
Jacob: Tom Pidcock is perhaps the rider most likely to launch an attack on the Poggio, but a more realistic outside bet is Wout Van Aert, winner here six years ago. He is one of the only riders with the engine to match Pogacar on the up and to potentially beat Van der Poel in a sprint — but his form is uncertain after another disrupted winter.
Elsewhere? I cannot see them winning, but would not be surprised if FDJ’s Romain Gregoire or Lidl-Trek’s Mathias Vacek featured late on — both are in good early-season form.
Jessica: Filipo Ganna put in a brilliant performance last year to stick with Van der Poel and Pogacar, finishing second behind the Dutchman. He raced well at Tirreno last week and will surely be looking to build on Ineos’ strong start to the season.
Although he doesn’t view himself as the favorite, Visma’s Wout van Aert came out with fighting talk to Sporza last week. He said he is coming to Milan-Sanremo for victory and the fewer first-place finishes of late “doesn’t mean the winner in me has disappeared”. Here’s to hoping his legs are as combative as his words.
Home favorite Filippo Ganna came second in 2025 and is aiming to go one better (MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)
Duncan: The great thing about this race is that yes, there are favorites, but you can also get some leftfield winners. Think Matthew Goss in 2011, Gerald Ciolek in 2013 or Matej Mohorič and his dropper post in 2022. It will require a monumental effort for 20-year-old Matthew Brennan to hang on until the top of the Poggio but if he gets onto the Via Roma with the front group, it could be game over for the rest.
Can anyone stop Lorena Wiebes making it two in a row in the women’s race?
Jessica: It’s never wise to bet against Wiebes. In a generally increasingly open and competitive women’s field, she remains head and shoulders above the peloton as the dominant sprinting force. Last week’s Strade Bianche, however, served as a reminder that anything can happen and Marianne Vos, Elisa Balsamo and Kasia Niewiadoma will consider themselves in contention to threaten Wiebes’ title defence.
Keep an eye on Puck Pieterse and Cat Ferguson too. While not favourites, both exciting young riders could try and shake things up.
Jacob: Lorena Wiebes is utterly ruthless — and will have Lotte Kopecky alongside her to navigate the Poggio and Cipressa. Puck Pieterse and Kim Le Court both have the bravery to try and upend the race by attacking with some distance to go — but it’s difficult to see them shaking Kopecky early enough to make a decisive difference.
Can Lorena Wiebes win again or will the climbers isolate her on the Cipressa? (DIRK WAEM/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)
Duncan: The Cipressa was a bit more selective in the women’s race last year, so I expect the climbers to try and drop Wiebes as early as they can. Kasia Niewiadoma has been a bit unlucky in the biggest races so far this season — second at Het Niewsblad, second at Strade Bianche — I think she can do it. Look out for Marianne Vos too. This would be something else to add to her ridiculously deep palmares.