First monument of the year! La Privamvera, its 294 km, its Capi… well, you knows it all. Last year, a late attack by Pedersen brought victory to Grieg. The bookies expect the same, as they place Andersen as one of the top favorites. The others are the strongest sprinters here. Except Demare as the perfect hybrid, no love for the puncheurs.
6 riders manage to make sail before the favorites’ teams get in control: Teunissen, Rutsch, Battistella, Ansons, Moricz and Krigbaum. Their gap is 44 seconds.
And it seems that’ll be all, as their gap quickly grows, and there isn’t more attacks. The controlling teams are King Power, EA, Aker, Lidl, Moser, Tryg, cycleYorkshire and Minions.
With one third of the race finished; the peloton already begins to reel in the breakaway. The gap is down to 6 minutes (around 4 km), after going up to 7’20.
It’s down to 4’44 as the leaders enter the Passo del Turchino (16,5 km, 1,6%).
Nothing much happens until the leaders enter the last third of the race. They could actually see the peloton, if they bothered looking in the right direction. The gap is 2’40 now, with still some kilometers before the Capi.
Ansons can’t follow much longer. He’s dropped from the break some 30 km later.
And finally, the last part of the race is in sight, in the name of the Capo Mele. The gap only is 1’08 now. The catch should be made before the actions begins. 55 km left in the race.
Indeed, Alexander makes the catch in the Capo Berta. Some names near the front are Ahlstrand, Cosnefroy, Demare, Gaviria and De Bie.
There’s a first split in the descent, with Kragh Andersen among those trapped. But with more than 10 km before the Cipressa, the 17 riders should make it back.
It’ll not be the same story for Ansons.
32 km to go, and there’s the first attack! It comes from Cosnefroy!
He’s brought back by the work of Moser, Minions and Lidl. We’ve seen Kemboi and Ahlstrand at the head of the peloton, so their team might be preferring De Bie and Kinoshita respectively.
But less talking, we arrive in the Cipressa. 5 km of climbing, 26 km in the stage.
At the 15 km mark, Cosnefroy goes at tit again! There’s a mix of sprinters and puncheurs near the front. Bonnamour is tasked with bringing his compatriot back.
You know what’s next: the Poggio! 9 km left in the stage, Ahlstrand and Bonnamour lead the way.
Obviously the puncheurs will try to make a selection! De Bie and Yates launch the first attacks. Cosnefroy wants to follow. Sagan and Mohoric are here too. McCarthy and Kinoshita are further back, but managed to find the right line.
Moser has Neuman and Cerny working hard, so no gap is created at the summit.
The puncheurs are on the left (Mohoric, McCarthy, De Bie, Kinoshita, Gidich); the sprinters in the center (Gaviria, Philipsen, Grosu, Coquard, Enger, Van der Lijke…)
Mohoric and McCarthy insist n the descent! It’s worth to note that there’s a 20 km/h wind, coming from the side for now.
3 km left. The front two have a 9 seconds gap. Coquard tries to bridge it himself!
2 km. Cerny is both leading out Gaviria and bringing the two puncheurs back. Gaviria has Grosu, Coquard and Demare in his wheel.
1,4 km. The sprinters behind are blocked by McCarthy, so Gaviria launches his sprint!
He’s got a lead at the flamme rouge; Behind are Grosu, Coquard and Enger. Then Demare, Van der Lijke, Groenewegen, Ewan...
700 m for Gaviria. Coquard is coming out of Grosu’s wheel. Demare and Groenewegen launch their sprint.
500 m. Grosu is finished. Gaviria is also fading fast. Demare and Philipsen are the fastest.
200 m. Everyone’s having a hard time with the wind coming from the front! But Ewan is coming like a bomb!
Caleb Ewan wins 2023 Milan San Remo! Coquard is 2nd.
After a sprint long than more of a kilometer, Gaviria holds off Enger to finish on the podium.
Demare takes a good 5th for PCT team Tryg. Philipsen pays a bad position with 6th.
Van der Lijke is 7th.
Groenewegen, Lutsenko and Grosu close the top 10.
A sprint it was this year! The sprinter’s team remembered their mistake and didn’t let any attack come to fruition.
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