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The 299 kilometers that separate Milan from the finish line in Sanremo make the Classicissima the longest race on the current calendar, by far. In addition, the Milano-Sanremo is, of the five monuments, the one that has changed the least its route over the decades, and this gives it a patina of cycling from another era.

Traditionally it has been considered the monument most susceptible to sprint arrivals, although in recent years the attacks on the climb to Poggio di Sanremo, which is crowned 5.5 km from the finish line, have been decisive.

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It seems that the puncheurs have learned how to win the race, so we have to look for the main contenders among explosive riders, and there are three names that come to mind immediately: Wout Van Aert (1000), Julian Alaphilippe (1200) and Mathieu Van Der Poel (600) have been very strong in the Tirreno-Adriatico, and start as clear favorites. Other men who adapt well to hard but short efforts can be Maximilian Schachmann (1000), Greg Van Avermaet (800), Vincenzo Nibali (800), Peter Sagan (1200) or Michal Kwiatkowski (600).

If a larger group makes it to the line, we must add to the contenders list Arnaud Demarre (1000), John Degenkolb (600), Alexander Kristoff (600), Mateo Trentin (800), Davide Ballerini (600), Michael Mathews (1000), Mads Pedersen (600), or Giacomo Nizzolo (600). It will be more difficult for pure sprinters like Elia Viviani (1000), Caleb Ewan (1200) or Sam Bennet (1200), as the hellish rhythm that will be experienced at Poggio may leave them with no options for victory.

Finally, Philippe Gilbert (600) deserves a special mention, as he is going to try to get the only monument that he is missing to put the icing on the cake on a legendary palmares.