Milano-Sanremo 2020 [LAST 20 KM]

August 8, 2020

Milano-Sanremo 2020 – Milano – Sanremo : 305 km

Milan-San Remo has a new summer date, and a new inland 299km route, but the climbs of the Cipressa and the Poggio should produce yet another thrilling finale as the biggest sprinters and finisseurs fight to win one of cycling’s most prestigious Monument Classics. Milan-San Remo often falls on the day of the spring equinox and, in late March, heads from the winter weather of Milan to the warmer spring conditions of the Ligurian Riviera. On the revised calendar as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, La Primavera was rescheduled as a summer race on Saturday, August 8 with temperatures of 30°C expected for much of the race, even at the 18:30 CET finish time. Organiser apparently pushed to hold their Classics in August to ensure some of the races would go ahead, hedging against a second wave of COVID-19. But that only sparked further problems for the race, including a late and near-total redesign of the race route.

Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) took victory at Milan-San Remo, beating defending champion Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep) to the line in a two-up sprint on the Via Roma.

The pair had made it away over the Poggio, 6.5km from the line, with Alaphilippe launching from the front of the peloton as they neared the top of the decisive final climb of the extended 305km race.

Only Strade Bianche winner Van Aert was able to follow, though he was forced to hang several seconds back over the top, such was the force of the Frenchman’s move. He made it back on the descent, however, with the pair flying down and holding off the peloton despite the descending talents of Matej Mohorič (Bahrain McLaren) and Vincenzo Nibali (Trek-Segafredo) giving chase.

“Hold on, hold on, hold on! That was the only thing on my mind,” Van Aert said of Alaphilippe’s attack after the race.

“Actually, it didn’t happen. He went quite early and I had to close a little gap. I dropped again but there was nobody behind me, so I had no choice but to keep pushing and I was rewarded because I came back on the downhill.

The two rode together to the line with the peloton bearing down but just not able to make the catch, while Alaphilippe cannily managed to manoeuvre himself behind Van Aert for the sprint finish. Despite being in prime position to come around, Alaphilippe didn’t have quite enough left to take a second victory in as many years, inching alongside Van Aert but missing out by less than a wheel’s length after seven hours and 16 minutes of racing.

“Julian played it really well, he put me on the front, and I needed to keep a bit of speed because the bunch was coming back,” Van Aert said.

“It was hard to do the right pace and still keep something for the sprint but in the end it was enough, because it was only half a wheel.

“I’m super happy. I can’t believe I’ve taken these two victories in a row. I don’t have words actually. I know everyone says that when they win a Monument but to start the second part of the season like this… it’s crazy.”

The peloton crossed the line two seconds later, with Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) nabbing the final podium spot just ahead of Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe).

How it unfolded

The 2020 edition of Milan-San Remo, the 111th running of the race, was different in more ways than one. After being forced to move to August after the COVID-19 pandemic saw the season disrupted, the route also changed, with the Turchino and Capi climbs all gone after several mayors of coastal towns objected to the race passing through. As a result, the race ballooned to a 305km inland route with a handful of new climbs added in – nothing too taxing, but everything would add up on the long road from Milan to San Remo. With over 300 kilometres of racing ahead of the peloton, there wasn’t a prolonged battle to make the break of the day, with six riders managing to get away in the first 20 minutes of racing.

Like last year’s race, Bardiani-CSF got two men in the break with Alessandro Tonelli and Fabio Mazzucco. The Italian duo were joined by Manuele Boaro (Astana), Héctor Carretero (Movistar), Mattia Bais (Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec), Damiano Cima (Gazprom-RusVelo) and Marco Frapporti (Vini Zabù-KTM). The break’s advantage only grew in the early kilometres as the riders traversed an unfamiliar inland route, pushed along by a tailwind. By the 50km mark, the breakaway were 6:30 up the road, while things were calm back in the peloton. After 167km of racing, the riders hit the day’s first climb, Niella Belbo, though there was no action aside from a softening up of their legs. It would be the same on the Turchino-like Colle di Nava too, another new climb which peaked at the 235km mark. Several teams did the work up front, with Jumbo-Visma, Groupama-FDJ, Lotto Soudal and Deceuninck-QuickStep all putting in a shift at the head of the peloton. With 70km to race, at the top of the long, shallow climb of the Colle di Nava, the break’s advantage had fallen to under two minutes.

On the climb, Carretero became the first man to drop back to the peloton, while Mazzucco did the same on the descent. Deceuninck-QuickStep took up the pace-making soon after, bringing the break back for good at the 35km mark on the flat run-in to the Cipressa.

The pace only upped as the peloton neared the penultimate climb of the day, with NTT Pro Cycling also contributing to the work as Alaphilippe suffered a mechanical 25km out. Loic Vliegen (Circus-Wanty Gobert) and Jacopo Mosca (Trek-Segafredo) attacked at the base of the Cipressa, the first real action for a while, as Bora-Hansgrohe took it up behind to bring the duo back just before the top. Meanwhile, at the rear of the peloton, Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal) and Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) were in trouble.

Daniel Oss (Bora-Hansgrohe) led the way down the descent, opening up such a gap that he was out front alone on the run to the Poggio. Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) put in a brief attack before quickly being caught, before Bob Jungels (Deceuninck-QuickStep) took up the chase, 15 seconds behind Oss. The Italian almost made it to the Poggio alone but was brought back metres before the climb started as Groupama-FDJ and Team Ineos made the pace. Trek-Segafredo and Circus-Wanty Gobert went on the attack once again, sending Gianluca Brambilla and Aimé De Gendt off the front. De Gendt sat on before launching on his own with 7km to go, though his effort was in vain as the superstars began to fire behind. Reigning champion Alaphilippe made his move, with only van Aert able to follow.

The Frenchman crossed the top of the Poggio alone, with Van Aert trailing before making the catch on the descent. Ten seconds back, Mohorič was among the riders leading the charge at the head of a strung-out chasing pack. In the end, nobody was able to catch the lead duo, with no major attacks coming from behind. Alaphilippe and Van Aert were able to contest the final between them. Despite leading from the front, Van Aert held on to take the win, his second in three races since the restart, and his first Monument victory.

Results :
1 Wout Van Aert (Bel) Jumbo – Visma 7:16:09
2 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Deceuninck – QuickStep
3 Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb 0:00:02
4 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora – Hansgrohe
5 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) NTT Pro Cycling Team
6 Dion Smith (NZl) Mitchelton – Scott
7 Alex Aranburu Deba (Spa) Astana Pro Team
8 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) CCC Team
9 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Lotto Soudal
10 Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain – Mclaren
11 Andrea Vendrame (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
12 Tadej Pogačar (Slo) Uae Team Emirates
13 Mathieu Van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin – Fenix
14 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
15 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Ineos
16 Davide Formolo (Ita) Uae Team Emirates
17 Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Movistar Team
18 Alberto Bettiol (Ita) EF Pro Cycling
19 Zdeněk Štybar (Cze) Deceuninck – QuickStep
20 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Team Sunweb
21 Aime De Gendt (Bel) Circus – Wanty Gobert
22 Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Astana Pro Team
23 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Trek – Segafredo
24 Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama – FDJ
25 Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain – Mclaren
26 Robert Stannard (Aus) Mitchelton – Scott 0:00:08
27 Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Alpecin – Fenix 0:00:13
28 Lorenzo Rota (Ita) Vini Zabu KTM
29 Anthony Turgis (Fra) Total Direct Energie 0:00:14
30 Giulio Ciccone (Ita) Trek – Segafredo
31 Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) CCC Team 0:00:16
32 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Ineos 0:00:27
33 Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Ineos 0:00:30
34 Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Circus – Wanty Gobert 0:00:36
35 Davide Villella (Ita) Movistar Team 0:00:57
36 Marco Canola (Ita) Gazprom – Rusvelo
37 Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Total Direct Energie 0:01:03
38 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Team Arkea – Samsic
39 Elia Viviani (Ita) Cofidis 0:01:24
40 Guillaume Boivin (Can) Israel Start – up Nation
41 Jan Bakelants (Bel) Circus – Wanty Gobert
42 Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Circus – Wanty Gobert
43 Simone Velasco (Ita) Gazprom – Rusvelo
44 Simon Clarke (Aus) EF Pro Cycling 0:01:26
45 Amund Grøndahl Jansen (Nor) Jumbo – Visma 0:01:28
46 Niccolò Bonifazio (Ita) Total Direct Energie 0:01:46
47 Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Trek – Segafredo
48 Loïc Vliegen (Bel) Circus – Wanty Gobert 0:01:57
49 Fausto Masnada (Ita) CCC Team 0:02:14
50 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Vini Zabu KTM
51 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Bora – Hansgrohe 0:02:42
52 Stefan Küng (Swi) Groupama – FDJ
53 Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora – Hansgrohe 0:02:43
54 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) NTT Pro Cycling Team 0:03:44
55 Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
56 Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Sunweb
57 Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb
58 Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Total Direct Energie
59 Timo Roosen (Ned) Jumbo – Visma
60 Sam Bennett (Irl) Deceuninck – QuickStep 0:04:26
61 Jacopo Mosca (Ita) Trek – Segafredo 0:04:46
62 Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team Ineos
63 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain – Mclaren
64 Lawrence Warbasse (USA) AG2R La Mondiale
65 Michael Woods (Can) EF Pro Cycling 0:04:56
66 Jonas Koch (Ger) CCC Team
67 Alexander Edmondson (Aus) Mitchelton – Scott
68 Clément Russo (Fra) Team Arkea – Samsic 0:05:05
69 Alexander Konychev (Ita) Mitchelton – Scott
70 Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain – Mclaren
71 Daniel Oss (Ita) Bora – Hansgrohe
72 Kasper Asgreen (Den) Deceuninck – QuickStep
73 Bob Jungels (Lux) Deceuninck – QuickStep
74 Filippo Ganna (Ita) Team Ineos
75 Felix Grossschartner (Aut) Bora – Hansgrohe
76 Michael Gogl (Aut) NTT Pro Cycling Team
77 Umberto Marengo (Ita) Vini Zabu KTM 0:05:47
78 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis
79 Lawrence Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale 0:06:21
80 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
81 Rick Zabel (Ger) Israel Start – up Nation
82 Reto Hollenstein (Swi) Israel Start – up Nation
83 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Uae Team Emirates
84 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec 0:08:43
85 Nicola Conci (Ita) Trek – Segafredo
86 Eduardo Sepulveda (Arg) Movistar Team
87 Adrien Petit (Fra) Total Direct Energie
88 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Groupama – FDJ 0:09:24
89 Miles Scotson (Aus) Groupama – FDJ
90 Davide Cimolai (Ita) Israel Start – up Nation
91 Fernando Gaviria Rendon (Col) Uae Team Emirates
92 Davide Martinelli (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:09:47
93 Ivan Garcia Cortina (Spa) Bahrain – Mclaren 0:10:59
94 Daniel Savini (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane
95 Scott Thwaites (GBr) Alpecin – Fenix
96 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Cofidis
97 Roberto González (Pan) Vini Zabu KTM
98 Koen De Kort (Ned) Trek – Segafredo
99 Michael Valgren Hundahl (Den) NTT Pro Cycling Team
100 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) NTT Pro Cycling Team
101 Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) EF Pro Cycling
102 Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis
103 Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Groupama – FDJ
104 Omar Fraile Matarranz (Spa) Astana Pro Team
105 Senne Leysen (Bel) Alpecin – Fenix 0:13:39
106 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Lotto Soudal
107 Paul Martens (Ger) Jumbo – Visma
108 Tim Declercq (Bel) Deceuninck – QuickStep
109 Mattia Bais (Ita) Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
110 Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal
111 Bert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) Jumbo – Visma
112 Filippo Fiorelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane
113 Caleb Ewan (Aus) Lotto Soudal
114 Imerio Cima (Ita) Gazprom – Rusvelo
115 Igor Boev (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo
116 Nicola Bagioli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
117 Alessandro Tonelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane
118 Stepan Kuriyanov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo
119 Maximiliano Ariel Richeze (Arg) Uae Team Emirates
120 Oliviero Troia (Ita) Uae Team Emirates
121 Laurent Pichon (Fra) Team Arkea – Samsic
122 Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis
123 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Movistar Team
124 Michael Schär (Swi) CCC Team
125 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Mitchelton – Scott
126 Mitchell Docker (Aus) EF Pro Cycling
127 Jhonatan Restrepo Valencia (Col) Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
128 Dries De Bondt (Bel) Alpecin – Fenix 0:15:01
129 Thomas Boudat (Fra) Team Arkea – Samsic 0:15:02
130 Michael Albasini (Swi) Mitchelton – Scott 0:15:05
131 Florian Vachon (Fra) Team Arkea – Samsic
132 Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Circus – Wanty Gobert
133 Daniel Mclay (GBr) Team Arkea – Samsic
134 Marco Frapporti (Ita) Vini Zabu KTM
135 Vincenzo Albanese (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane
136 G Lawson Craddock (USA) EF Pro Cycling
137 Cees Bol (Ned) Team Sunweb
138 Leonardo Bonifazio (Ita) Total Direct Energie
139 Simone Consonni (Ita) Cofidis 0:15:34
140 Dylan Van Baarle (Ned) Team Ineos 0:16:02
141 Antwan Tolhoek (Ned) Jumbo – Visma
142 Josip Rumac (Cro) Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
143 Oscar Riesebeek (Ned) Alpecin – Fenix
144 Damiano Cima (Ita) Gazprom – Rusvelo 0:17:44
145 Fabio Mazzucco (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane
146 Maximilian Richard Walscheid (Ger) NTT Pro Cycling Team
147 Tosh Van der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal
148 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Israel Start – up Nation
149 Julien Duval (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
OTL James Mitri (NZl) Vini Zabu KTM
DNF Nicola Venchiarutti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
DNF Manuele Boaro (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Marco Haller (Aut) Bahrain – Mclaren
DNF Iuri Filosi (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane
DNF Oscar Gatto (Ita) Bora – Hansgrohe
DNF Matteo Trentin (Ita) CCC Team
DNF Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Groupama – FDJ
DNF Alex Dowsett (GBr) Israel Start – up Nation
DNF Frederik Frison (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Hector Carretero (Spa) Movistar Team
DNF Gabriel Cullaigh (GBr) Movistar Team
DNF Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Team Sunweb