Milan-San Remo Women LIVE – Wiebes the favourite as a large breakaway leads ahead of the climbs

The gap to the front group has come down to 2:45

2026-03-21T11:37:26.401Z

Hashimi and Berteau have finally been caught by the bunch.

Still four minutes of an advantage for the leaders. We are 25km away from the first climb of the day, the Capo Mele.

2026-03-21T11:34:25.908Z

Lotte Kopecky was speaking to media ahead of the start today in Genoa.

“It felt really good,” she said of her win earlier this week at Nokere Koerse. “It’s what we work for and why we ride our bikes, just to win races. It’s not that easy, but it was very welcome last Wednesday.”

“I think the mental aspect should not be underestimated. You are still really motivated to win, but with so much less pressure and that makes it so much easier.”

On the absence of both Vos and Longo Borghini:

“First of all I hope that Marianne and her family is okay. The fact that Longo Borghini is out sick, I think changes a lot in this race. I think everybody was expecting UAE to make it a really hard race and go full gas on the Cipressa. Now this maybe changes a little bit, so I’m very curious.”

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-21T11:27:47.688Z

The gap is now out to four minutes, with Berteau and Hashimi just a minute ahead of the peloton

2026-03-21T11:25:48.859Z

Femke Gerritse has been doing a lot of the work today for her SD Worx-ProTime team-mates Lotte Kopecky and Lorena Wiebes.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-21T11:18:49.943Z

The leaders are cruising to a lead of 3:42 now.

Hashimi and Berteau’s chase looks like a lost cause. They are 2:19 behind now.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-21T11:13:33.127Z

Hashimi has had a problem and is no longer with Berteau.

The peloton are 3:40 behind the leading nine.

2026-03-21T11:12:05.092Z

Some interesting names to consider in those front two groups.

Ragusa and Franza are both experienced breakaway riders. And don’t forget Hashimi’s efforts during the Olympic Road Race in Paris, she has a big engine, while Berteau is a track rider who could add significant fire power.

2026-03-21T11:09:36.992Z

Behind them, a chasing duo are trying to get across.

Afghan national champion Fariba Hashimi (Vini Fantini-BePink) and Victoire Berteau (Cofidis) are around 90 seconds behind the leaders.

2026-03-21T11:08:22.821Z

There are nine riders at the front of the race:

Eleonora La Bella (Aromitialia Vaiano)
Constance Valentin (Mayenne Monbana My Pie)
Sofia Arici (Vini Fantini – BePink)
Katia Ragusa (Human Powered Health)
Lara Crestanello (Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria)
Heidi Franz (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93)
Sara Luccon (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo)
Bodine Vollering (VolkerWessels)
Eleonora Deotto (Team Mendelspeck E-Work)

Their gap has been revised to just over two minutes

2026-03-21T11:04:55.457Z

If the group at the front gets too large, this could get messy for the big teams when it comes to the finale.

We’ll get the full list to you of who is at the front when it comes through.

The gap has ballooned out to the front of the race now. The peloton are around 3:30 behind with another group in between.

2026-03-21T11:01:03.847Z

A larger group has joined up with the leaders. There are now ten at the front of the race. Katia Ragusa of Human Powered Health is there.

2026-03-21T10:59:40.415Z

The riders are about a third of the way through the race. The leaders still have a small advantage.

2026-03-21T10:58:06.017Z

What of Lidl-Trek today?

The German team comes in with Elisa Balsamo as their big hope, should she manage to get over the Cipressa and Poggio with the leaders. Balsamo is without a win so far in 2026.

The diminutive Niamh Fisher-Black should act as the team’s best attacking option.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-21T10:54:08.059Z

Valentin is the most senior among the leaders at 28 years of age. She rides for French ProTeam Mayenne Monbana My Pie and was 5th in the French National Championships last year.

The trio are still out front with a small lead

Finally, an attack gains a few seconds advantage over the peloton. The riders in the move are:

Eleonora La Bella (Aromitialia Vaiano)
Constance Valentin (Mayenne Monbana My Pie)
Sofia Arici (Vini Fantini – BePink)

The leaders have around 20 seconds over the bunch.

2026-03-21T10:44:02.858Z

Cofidis’ former French champion Victoire Berteau has been among those trying to get away in the first hour of racing

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-21T10:41:52.525Z

We’re one hour into the race and there is still no breakaway

2026-03-21T10:41:10.686Z

Let’s have a look at some of the outsiders for the race today, riders who don’t spring to mind at first, but could spring a surprise later on.

Monica Trinca Colonel has taken a big step forward in 2026, finishing second overall at the UAE Tour. She is a rider who will be able to follow most attacks on the Poggio, she will be difficult to drop.

Young British rider Josie Nelson start the year off brilliantly in Australia. She has a fast sprint after a hard day and could be one to watch if the likes of Wiebes are distanced. Picnic-PostNL have Pfeiffer Georgi as their first option, but Nelson could be used as a sprinting option.

Another rider who went well Down Under was Sarah van Dam. With Vos missing, the Canadian becomes Visma-Lease a Bike’s primary option.

Dominika Wlodarczyk will surely either make a move herself, ot try to go with the best when they attack on the later climbs.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-21T10:31:16.524Z

The riders just passed through the town of Cogoleto and are now on a 2km drag, the biggest climb of this opening 100km.

2026-03-21T10:28:00.462Z

The riders will hug the coastline for the entirety of the race today

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Several riders have tried to get away, but the big teams are being strict today and nothing is sticking yet.

2026-03-21T10:20:24.836Z

SD Worx-ProTime and EF Education-Oatly are among the teams already attentive towards the front of the race.

The American squad has last year’s third-placed rider Noemi Rüegg to lead the line today. The Swiss won the Tour Down Under early in the season and was 8th at Trofeo Alfredo Bind last week. She has the perfect combination of climbing skills and speed to do well today.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-21T10:11:10.864Z

A few lumps and bumps in the road over the next 15km. A chance for the break to go?

2026-03-21T10:08:01.284Z

Movistar Team ahead of the start this morning. Could Cat Ferguson take a breakthrough result in San Remo later today?

Still all together as the riders leave the outskirts of Genoa

2026-03-21T10:02:47.015Z

Race organisers RCS re-launched this race last year after a 20-year hiatus. Now, they have their sights set on creating a new women’s version of Il Lombardia, but there are several barriers.

No movement yet in the bunch

2026-03-21T09:49:16.687Z

Here is the peloton a few moments ago before the start in Genoa, fronted by a raft of national champions competing today.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-21T09:47:19.690Z

The returning form of Belgian superstar Lotte Kopecky is a worrying sight for many in the peloton. The SD Worx-ProTime rider won Nokere Koerse earlier this week and looked close to her best. What can she do today?

The race is underway

2026-03-21T09:40:19.378Z

UAE-Team ADQ have been one of the teams of the season so far, but how will they get on without their leader Elisa Longo Borghini?

Her exclusion could create an opportunity for Polish rider Dominika Wlodarczyk, who is a prime candidate for an attack on the Poggio. The 25-year-old was 4th at the Tour Down Under in January and looked good in support of Longo Borghini at Strade Bianche. She could be a dark horse to watch today.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The riders are rolling out of Genoa on their way to the start proper in about five minutes.

2026-03-21T09:33:19.740Z

Milan-San Remo is one of the simplest and also the most mysterious races of the year. SD Worx-ProTime will look to control things for Wiebes and Kopecky, but that’s no simple task.