This weekend sees the continuation of the one-day classics season in road cycling with the Milan-San Remo 2023 Monument event on Saturday. (18 March).  Milan-San Remo, the most sprinter-friendly of the Monuments and one of the five major one-day events in the sport, takes place in March as teams prepare for the challenging cobbled classics season that will come after.

The peloton will ride a different route this year, departing from a new site southwest of Milan, though the final 264 kilometres of the nearly 300-kilometre course will still follow the standard route along the Via Aurelia highway along the Ligurian coast to San Remo.

The first Monument of the year will take place on Saturday, March 18, continuing the 2023 World Tour classics season. Learn the race’s route, the riders to observe, and the timetable.

Discover this year’s route, riders to observe, and how to watch the action by reading on.

How to watch Milan-San Remo 2023 Live:

Viewers around the world can watch the action live on the following channels and here for free:

• Live Broadcast: UCI Milan-San Remo 2023 Live

Milan-San Remo 2023 Preview:

The much-anticipated first Monument of the year, Milan-San Remo, always marks a significant point in the cycling season.

The first Monument of the year is quickly approaching, and as the Classics season picks up steam, Milan-San Remo marks the upcoming significant spring engagement.

The path from Milan to San Remo? The nearly seven-hour cycle from just outside Milan culminates in a build-up of pressure and the famous Poggio climb before descending to a flat finish in the Ligurian coastal town of San Remo. This is pretty much how it has always gone.

How does that initial list look to you? Even though the race is far from the sprinters’ Classic it is frequently billed as it will feature the best sprinters of the day in addition to Grand Tour champions and Classics players.

The event this year will take place on Saturday, March 18, and some of the peloton’s top riders have already signed up, including Tadej Pogaar (UAE Team Emirates), Mathieu Van Der Poel, and Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma).

With 294 kilometres, this year’s “Primavera” is the longest one-day event on the calendar. Unlike previous years, when it has always begun in Milan, it does so this year in the nearby town of Abbiategrasso. From there, it travels west to San Remo in the Liguria area before travelling south to the Mediterranean coast.

The Passo del Turchino, a moderate climb, will be encountered by the riders midway through the course, but the Cipressa and the Poggio, two-storied climbs, which start the crucial portion of the race, commence with about 20 kilometres remaining.

By making a risky attack on the final descent and hanging on to win on the Via Roma, San Remo’s illustrious finishing straight, Matej Mohori of Bahrain Victorious took first place the previous year. This year, he plans to retain his championship, but he could face tough opposition from players like Van Der Poel, Van Aert, and many others.

Milan-San Remo 2023 route

The race will cover 294 kilometres or just under 183 miles, and it will commence in a new town this year.

The Monument for this year will start in the town of Abbiategrasso, southwest of Milan, and the first 30 km (18 mi) of the race will be on flat roads before the course hits Pavia, from where it will take the customary route to San Remo.

Traditional ascents for the event include the long, gently sloping Passo del Turchino, the trio of Capi Mele, Capi Cervo, and Capi Berta, as well as the one-two punch of the Cipressa and Poggio di Sanremo at the finish line.

After travelling 285 kilometres (177 miles) in the race, the riders will tackle the Poggio with about 9 kilometres (5.5 miles) remaining before descending into San Remo proper and the level finish.

Riders to watch at Milan-San Remo 2023

Among the many previous race champions who are anticipated at the starting line in Abbiategrasso is the reigning champion, Mohoric.

The last three champions before Mohoric, Jasper Stuyven, Wout van Aert, and Julian Alaphilippe, are all expected to try their luck once more, along with other climbers and punchers like Tadej Pogacar, Mathieu van der Poel, and last weekend’s Strade Bianche champion Tom Pidcock.

Read More: UFC 286: Edwards vs Usman 3 Live Stream, Date, Time, Fight Preview and more

This race, one of the longest on the World Tour schedule, is ideal for sprinters or even breakaway riders due to the relative ease of the climbs. (should the chasing pack suffer in the wind).

In fact, many sprinters have enjoyed success here in the past; Caleb Ewan, who came in second in 2021, was the most recent to place.

Schedule of Milan-San Remo 2023

Times indicated here are an estimate, assuming an average race speed of 44 km/h. All times Central European Time.

18 March 2023

• 1010: Racing begins in Abbiategrasso (km 0)
• 1045: Race reaches Pavia (km 30)
• 1331: Race reaches Passo del Turchino climb (km 144)
• 1538: Race reaches Capo Mele climb (km 242)
• 1544: Race reaches Capo Cervo climb (km 247)
• 1556: Race reaches Capo Berta climb (km 255)
• 1623: Race reaches Cipressa climb (km 272)
• 1644: Race reaches final Poggio di Sanremo climb (km 288)
• 1650: Estimated race finish in San Remo (km 294)