[UCI World Tour] Milano-Sanremo 2019

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Milano-Sanremo

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Predict who is going to win the race; that's all. :)

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Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck - Quick-Step and France):
He’s flying; five wins already including the Strade Bianche – and he was third here in 2017. On Sunday I wrote; ‘it would have to be solo or from a small group’ but after he out dragged the pure sprinters on Monday afternoon in Tirreno he showed he can win any which way.

Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe and Ireland):
He’s now one of the very best with four wins this year including two in the cauldron of Paris-Nice. He’s ridden the race before so knows what to expect in that mad last hour. But it would have to be a group sprint. . .

Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ and France):
If proof was required that Démare’s 2016 Primavera win was no fluke and then his podium place last year provided it. He has three second places this year, with the most recent to Bennett in Paris-Nice – but 200K is one thing and 300K another. If it’s a group sprint he’ll be there.

Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal and Australia):
Podiums aplenty this year and a surprise win on the ramp to Hatta Dam in the UAE Tour – he was second here last year, it’s very possible if it comes to a group sprint especially if his big lead out man Roger Kluge can survive the Poggio.

Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates and Colombia):
He has three wins in 2019 and has twice been a factor in the finalé in Sanremo – but for a crash he may already have won it. If it’s a group he’s always dangerous.

Dylan Groenewegen (Jumbo-Visma and The Netherlands):
Last week the Dutch sprinter announced that he would not make his debut in Milan-San Remo until next year. But the Jumbo-Visma team management changed their program to send the Amsterdammer to the Primavera. Groenewegen won two stages in Paris-Nice and will start in Milan-San Remo with the main objective of gaining experience. "That's the reason I start, I will probably fall short to participate in the win." 300 kilometres might just be too far.

Alex Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates and Norway):
Perhaps not as ultimately quick as he once was – but a sprint after 300K isn’t a sprint after 200K. He’s raced a lot this year; has a win under his belt and his six top 10 spots here, including a win tell us all we need to know about his knowledge of that crucial last hour.

Michael Matthews (Sunweb and Australia):
He was 12th in the Omloop then crashed out on Stage One of Paris-Nice. Below par or training like a mad man and well ‘up’ for it? We won’t know ‘til Saturday but he’s been third, seventh and 12th in the past and we do know that he’s classy as hell on his day.

Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida and Italy):
Author of a magnificent victory here last year, he’s been quiet thus far in 2019 but that means little if his early season is all about the Via Roma. Perhaps the best descender in the business and always with an eye for the ambush, he could do the double.

Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe and Slovakia):
With six top 10 finishes, including two second places here the man who can do it all in such nonchalant fashion must covet the win, even if he says he just likes to race and entertain. No one could grudge him the bouquet and if it’s a small group it just might be his year.

Elia Viviani (Deceuninck - Quick-Step and Italy):
Probably the fastest man in the world right now with four wins under his belt already in 2019 and 71 in total (at time of going to press). Winning the Primavera with the national champion of Italy’s jersey on your back, a sprinter’s dream – he’ll be ‘super motivated’ and has the best team there is behind him.

He’s our favourite to do the job – but as my Italian PEZ colleague and fellow Primavera fan, Ale noted; ‘Julian and Elia will have to watch for those Astana boys Lutsenko and Fuglsang on the Poggio.’ And could the World champion, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), be the man to pull off a surprise?