Milan-San Remo

Last Saturday was one of my most favorite races. Milan-San Remo. It is a really cool race to watch but really stressful to ride.

One quote I heard early in my career was: It will be the fastest 300 km you will ever do in your life. What people don’t know is that you start in downtown Milan in a neutral peloton for 15km, which actually makes the race 315km.

There is a lot of commotion at the start and when you leave the line you go over a dangerous rail crossing, where I have seen guys finish their race with broken wrist or collarbone.

The start is usually very fast until the “morning breakaway” takes off. After that you can run into a bluffing game. Who is going to pull first? Eventually it is the race favorite’s team that has to take responsibility and start the hard work. The first and major feed zone is at the top of the Turchino pass, a gradual climb with a twisty descent to Genova. From there on you cruise along the Italian Riviera where, through every little town, thousands of fans wait for the riders to pass at about 50km/h. Sixty km from the bottom of the Cipressa climb the real battle begins. Imagine 22 team managers telling their riders in the morning briefing: “I want all of you in the front at the bottom of the Cipressa.” The best way to describe it is as a “war zone.”

The Cipressa is a fairly hard climb where it is crucial to be at the front over the top. The switchbacks in the downhill are really tricky, with one particular turn that has surprised more than one rookie going over the road barrier. At the bottom of the descent you have about 15km until the famous Poggio climb. All the sprinter teams are trying to make sure they have their fast guys. The other teams are making sure they get away from them. Groups are usually not much bigger than 20-30 riders chasing each other down the coast.

The Poggio itself is not a hard climb at all but really hurts after 300km and all the stress/fighting for position throughout the day. It is really cool to be at the front of the race at this point because you are so close to the finish. Memorable decisive attacks have been made there but many others have failed. After the Poggio there is only 3km to the finish and more fighting for position for the final stretch down the “Via Roma.” The first time I finished in the front group I was excited but also really exhausted from such a hectic day. I remember passing the finish line and wondering how the hell my dad won this race seven times. I was just happy to finish one of them and dreamed of doing it again the next year.