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There’s a few splits in the peloton here with a group of about 20 riders having about 50 metres gap on the rest of the peloton.
The rest of the peloton spoiling Dillier’s pacing again as he is riding off the front of the peloton once more with Novak. Those two are wanting to keep the pace high but Soudal-QuickStep, Ineos Grenadiers and EF Education-EasyPost aren’t as keen.
The gap is coming down some more with it now at three minutes and 18 seconds.
There are some big name riders who were meant to be racing today but have been caught out by illness and family issues in both the men’s and women’s races. In the men’s side, two standout names are Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) and Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike). However, there is someone who has come in for Milan for his first race appearance in over 40 days, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), how will he be performing today?
Marcellusi is having a chat with the medical car for a moment. He has gone back to the break now. But, something to keep an eye on.
This is what the peloton looks like at the moment. Dillier doing what he normally does.
40 minutes raced and they have covered over 30km already.
Polti-Visit Malta are wearing the retro 1990s style Polti kit today…
The average speed so far is 51.4kph! Absolutely incredible speeds early on.
The pace in the peloton is actually pretty high as the gap went out to about four minutes and 20 seconds with Dillier bringing it down to just around four minutes again and it is coming down.
Almost the entire lineup of Alpecin-Premier Tech hit the front of the peloton including Van der Poel, who is in fourth wheel, very interesting to see the defending champion so close to the front.
Dillier and co are caught with the former Swiss national champion goes to the front with Novak with Ineos Grenadiers, Lidl-Trek and Soudal-QuickStep all up towards the front.
Annoyingly for Dillier, the peloton were not ready to follow his pacing early on and he has gone clear with two other riders, Johan Jacobs (Groupama-FDJ United) and Axel Laurance (Ineos Grenadiers). All braking and looking around wondering where everyone else is.
The peloton take control with the gap at over two minutes, of course, it is Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Premier Tech) who comes to the front of the bunch. He settles in for his yearly monster ride on the front of the peloton.
And that is the peloton well and truly set as multiple riders take their natural breaks.
The break of the day:
The breakaway seems to have formed with the peloton letting it go. A few more riders tried to ride away but got a strong telling off by Domen Novak (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and returned to the peloton.
The break go the wrong way on the roundabout! The first bit of road interest and it goes wrong. The lead cars and police bikes led the way with the riders following. A new breakaway is forming after that bizarre moment.
About 10 riders away with about three Bardiani CSF-7 Saber, several from Novo Nordisk and Polti-VisitMalta as well as Matthew Dinham (Picnic-PostNL).
The teams have all signed on for the race and are set for the neutral start. But, how about this bonkers special kit from Polti-Visit Malta.
Its interesting that Ineos Grenadiers think that Josh Tarling could be involved for the win today, but they do have Filippo Ganna…
The rival team DSs have theories on what the new tactics will be for UAE Team Emirates-XRG…
Pogačar teased a possible attack on the Passo del Turchino, but is he actually joking?
Van der Poel agrees with Eddy Merckx with saying Pogačar should just go on the Poggio, but is this just mind games?
Where does UAE Team Emirates-XRG use their power this year for Pogačar?
It is the usual route for the riders with the Passo del Turchino coming at roughly the halfway point. The riders then have a long ride to the Tre Capi, the Capo Mele, Capo Cervo and the Capo Berta. After that, it isn’t far from La Cipressa, where Pogačar launched his attack last year, and finally, the often decidinig Poggio di Sanremo with a terrifying plunge down into San Remo and a finish on the Via Roma.
But let’s get focused on today… Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) once again comes to try and take this missing piece in his palmares. However, he still has the defending champion, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) to content with over this 298km route.
Of course, Milan-San Remo has the historic Monument tag, shared with just four other races. Two in Belgium, two in Italy and one in France. They are, of course, Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Il Lombardia.
Today is a day that is steeped in history and legend. The longest one-day race in professional cycling at almost 300km, it is the slowest of slow burns. The riders have to manage their nutrition, drinking, positioning, tactics and much more besides in this incredible chess game of a bike race.
Buongiorno and welcome to Cyclingnews‘ live updates of the men’s 117th Milan-San Remo.
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