Milan-San Remo predictions and cycling betting tips: Mighty Mathieu primed for Via Roma repeat

Where to watch Milan-San Remo

Milan-San Remo will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 2 and Discovery+ with coverage starting at 8.30am on Saturday March 22.

Best bets

Mathieu van der Poel to win Milan-San Remo
1pt 7-2 Paddy Power, Hills

Filippo Ganna to win Milan-San Remo
1pt each-way 7-1 General

Milan-San Remo Predictions

With Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico climaxing last Sunday, the cycling season is up and running for real and Milan-San Remo marks the first of the five annual one-day Classics.

At 289km, La Classicissima remains the longest day of racing on the calendar and features some of the premier riders on the planet.

Tadej Pogacar leads the betting and served notice at Strade Bianche, recovering from a crash to blow the field away on the rolling white roads of Tuscany.

For Pogacar, Milan-San Remo has become an obsession. He has finished fifth, fourth and third in the last three years but there are doubts regarding his chances. Why? Because the route might not be tough enough.

The world champion will need a long-range attack but could be marked out of the race, which often ignites on the closing climb, the Poggio. From there, the peloton drops into San Remo and towards the finish on Via Roma.

Instead, look to the man who preceded Pog in the rainbow bands, Mathieu van der Poel. The Dutchman's Worlds success was part of a stellar 2023 that included winning this race, and he backed it up in 2024 with a third Tour of Flanders title and by defending his Paris-Roubaix crown.

Van der Poel attacked on the Poggio before soloing to the finish in 2023 and after another strong winter in cyclo-cross and victory in the underappreciated Le Samyn earlier this month, he is the rider to watch.

His Alpecin-Deceuninck colleague Jasper Philipsen is the defending champion but will need another sprint, while an each-way contender could be home hope Filippo Ganna.

Ganna set a Strava record on the Poggio last year, but a pothole derailed his chances and he will be aiming to make amends.

The Italian's time-trialling ability means he can ride away from the pack and he comes in hot after finishing second in Tirreno-Adriatico.

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