On Saturday, March 22, it is finally time for the first monumental classic of 2025: Milan – San Remo. In La Primavera, Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel will face each other for the first time this season, but other riders could also find success. Read all about it in this article.
Milan–San Remo
Milan–San Remo is the first major classic of the cycling season. Its nickname is La Classicissima or La Primavera, which means “the spring.” However, some also refer to it as la prima vera, meaning “the first true” cycling classic of the year. It is also one of the longest professional one-day races of the year, with a maximum length of 298 kilometers. The rider with the most victories in this race is Eddy Merckx, who crossed the finish line first seven times.
Last year, the 115th edition took place, and for the first time in history, it started in Pavia, the capital of Lombardy, about 25 kilometers south of Milan. The defending champion was Mathieu van der Poel, who had succeeded Matej Mohorič in 2023. Van der Poel ensured that his teammate Jasper Philipsen could follow all the way to the finish. Philipsen narrowly won the final sprint ahead of Michael Matthews and the big favorite, Tadej Pogačar.
2025 Route
This year, the race will again start in Pavia. Other than that, the 116th edition of the race holds few surprises, as the organizers stick to their trusted course. The men’s race will cover approximately 289 kilometers, starting in Pavia and heading southwest toward San Remo. The first climb, the Passo del Turchino, comes roughly halfway through the race. After that, the riders will tackle the Tre Capi: Capo Mele, Capo Cervo, and Capo Berta. The last two climbs of the day are the Cipressa and the Poggio.
This year also marks the return of a women’s edition of Milan–San Remo after a long absence. This first edition is significantly shorter, with 156 kilometers compared to the men’s 289. The women’s race will start in Genoa and head southwest toward San Remo. Along the way, they will face key climbs like the Cipressa and the Poggio di Sanremo, with the finish on the famous Via Roma in San Remo.
Men’s Favorites
Defending champion Jasper Philipsen suffered a heavy crash in Nokere Koerse on Wednesday, but his participation in Milan–San Remo is not in danger. His team, Alpecin-Deceuninck, has given him the green light to start, with the support of Mathieu van der Poel.
Van der Poel himself is a strong contender for the title this year. As mentioned, he led Philipsen to the finish last year, but this time, he seems determined to go for the win himself—especially given Philipsen’s crash in Nokere Koerse. With their team, Alpecin-Deceuninck, they have a unique opportunity to secure three consecutive victories.
World champion Tadej Pogačar is also among the top favorites for victory in Milan–San Remo. The Slovenian suffered a hard fall in Strade Bianche two weeks ago but is expected to have recovered sufficiently. In recent years, Pogačar has finished third, fourth, and fifth in La Primavera, but he is still searching for his first win in the monument. He will receive support from his UAE Emirates teammates, including Tim Wellens, Isaac Del Toro, and Jhonatan Narváez.
Women’s Favorites
The top favorite might be Demi Vollering. The Dutch rider crossed the finish line first in Strade Bianche after a duel with her former teammate Anna van der Breggen. It is clear that Vollering will be a serious contender in this race as well.
Lotte Kopecky will line up as the world champion, which alone makes her a formidable opponent. Kopecky had an incredible season last year, winning both the world title and Paris-Roubaix. She will be eager to continue that momentum and add more titles to her name.
Additionally, there are several “smaller” names that should not be underestimated. Though it has been nearly 19 years since Marianne Vos won her first professional race, she continues to deliver strong performances. Lorena Wiebes is also a powerful rider, though there are questions about whether she can keep up on the climbs. Other contenders include Puck Pieterse, Elisa Longo Borghini, and Katarzyna Niewiadoma.
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