Milan-San Remo: Preview

So, who is going to win Milan-San Remo this year, then? That's a tough question to answer in this highly unpredictable race which is most famous for covering the longest distance of all the one-day races in the racing calendar. Although it has been won by sprinters in the past and is known for being the sprinters' classic, there have been occasions when riders better known for their all-round abilities, such as Fabian Cancellara and Simon Gerrans, have managed to get away and stay away from the peloton to win in, as in 2008 and 2012 respectively. It takes an astute rider to foil the sprinters who are usually able to stay with the peloton to get over the climbs, including the Cipressa and Poggio.

However, being such a long race means that this is a real test of endurance very early on in the season and there will certainly be plenty of tired legs by the time the riders reach these climbs. It is therefore up to anyone who is not a sprinter to push on when a situation presents itself if they are to have any hope of scuppering the chances of the sprinters' teams. Clearly, of all the sprinters in the field, the ones to watch are Mark Cavendish, former world road race champion and winner of Milan-San Remo in 2009, as well as Matthew Goss who won the race in 2011. Edvald Boasson Hagen and Thor Hushovd could also make their presence known, though they are not out-and-out sprinters.

Indeed, although not a pure sprinter, cycling's new superstar, Peter Sagan, is also worth keeping an eye on, as he has shown that he can win in a sprint and also get over the climbs with relative ease. If you were going to put money on anyone, he's probably your man, although his teammate, Moreno Moser, has also shown some good form this season and they do seem to make a dynamic duo! If it comes down to a bunch sprint and all the major pure sprinters are there, it is hard to imagine anyone getting past Cavendish, but anything could happen. Of course, anyone who isn't a pure sprinter is going to want to put a spanner in the works and so you can expect the likes of Nibali to try putting in some attacks on the climbs. Ultimately, it remains to be seen who will cross the line first!