milan san remo 2026 is set for Saturday in Italy, with Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel headlining a start list filled with former winners and dangerous sprinters. Van der Poel arrives as the defending champion and a leading favourite while Pogačar has won almost everything else this season, framing a high-stakes duel. Teams and sports directors are already weighing whether the decisive move will come on the Cipressa or the Poggio as wind and tactics will shape the final kilometres.
Milan San Remo 2026: Key riders to watch
The published start list names a wide array of contenders beyond the headline pairing. Mathieu van der Poel leads Alpecin-Premier Tech alongside Jasper Philipsen and Emiel Verstrynge; Jasper Philipsen and van der Poel provide sprint speed and punch. Tadej Pogačar lines up with UAE Team Emirates-XRG and is the rider many expect to animate the race with long-range power.
Previous winners and proven finishers on the list include Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike), Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious), Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling), Michał Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers), John Degenkolb (Picnic PostNL) and Jasper Stuyven (Soudal Quick-Step). Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) and Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36. 5 Pro Cycling) are named as riders capable of making decisive moves in the finale. The presence of sprinters and classics specialists means the race can still end in a small-group sprint or be won by a late attack; that duality is central to what makes milan san remo 2026 unpredictable.
Immediate reactions
Matteo Tosatto, sports director for Tudor Pro Cycling, said: “I think UAE have a new plan, perhaps a different plan to last year, when they attacked on the Cipressa. ” Tosatto added that team composition and coastal wind may push Pogačar to delay his big move until the Poggio rather than repeat a Cipressa attack.
Max Sciandri, Movistar Team sports director and long-time Milan–San Remo rider, noted the race tempo and weather: “It’s going to be a super fast race, it has to be fast, but the headwind is increasing, so it’s not going to be easy, even for Pogačar. ” Sciandri’s view underlines how conditions can force teams into different choices and complicate any single dominant plan.
What’s next
Teams will finalise tactics at the sports director meeting in Pavia, then execute on race day where the Cipressa and the Poggio loom as the two decisive moments. If a repeat of last year’s Cipressa move comes, strong support and vigilance will be required; if teams opt to keep things together, the Poggio remains the canonical launching pad for a winning move. Expect tight margins on the descent into Sanremo and a sprint or solo move decided by seconds.
Watch for how UAE Team Emirates-XRG deploys its roster, how Alpecin-Premier Tech protects Mathieu van der Poel in the finale, and whether mid-race wind or an on-form wild-card rider can upset the favourites. The tactical choices made between the capi, the Cipressa and the Poggio will determine who lifts the trophy in milan san remo 2026.
