Milano - Sanremo Bicycle Race

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The race:

All Italian racers dream of winning the most prestigious Italian single-day race, Milano-Sanremo. It is the longest 1-day race on the pro calendar. Sometimes called La Primavera (Italian for spring) or La Classicissima (the most classic), it is held in mid-March.

Like the Giro di Lombardia, which was launched 2 years before, Milano-Sanremo was originated and organized by La Gazzetta dello Sport. An arm of the firm that owns La Gazzetta, RCS Sport, still puts on La Classicisima.

Eddy Merckx, at 7 victories, is the winningest Milano-Sanremo rider.

The 1990 edition of Milano-Sanremo had been the fastest ever, won by Gianni Bugno at the record speed of 45.802 km/hr. That speed was exceeded in the 2024 race by Jasper Philipsen, who averaged 46.113 km/hr.

Until the mid-1930s the race was run on a Sunday in the second half of March or the first half of April. Then, until the late 1980s it was run on March 19, St. Joseph's Day. From then until 2012 it has been run on a Saturday close to March 19. In 2013 the organizers moved Milanremo to Sunday, where it will probably stay.

Uh, no. In 2016 it was moved back to Saturday.