It seems pretty interesting that the peloton than contending for the win in Milan-Sanremo has never included more than 26 riders in the past 6 editions. Even at the foot of the Poggio, the peloton is considerably reduced. Maniè or no Maniè. Rain or no rain, it seems that we will never see a 62-man peloton packed together to contend for the win on the Via Roma, as it was back in 2004.
Any hope that in a near future, attackers can control this hilly classic again? I think the attackers should first of all believe in it. I think it's laughable to see Wellens pacing Greipel to bring him back to the head of the peloton, knowing that he would drop on the Poggio anyway. Next, the race needs more "big engines", since Cancellara is past his prime and can no longer harden the race like before. If prime Dumoulin or Malori target it in the future, why not? For the rest, I'm not entitled to speak on this section.
I've made a list of all post-war bunch sprints at Milan-Sanremo (consider a bunch as 16+man group):
1950: 53 riders (winner Bartali)
1954: 60 riders (winner Van Steenbergen)
1958: 69 riders (winner Van Looy)
1959: 90 riders (winner Poblet)
Poggio added after this edition
1980: 30 riders (winner Gavazzi P)
Cipressa added in 1982
Between 1987 and 1993 finish on the Corso Cavaloti
1997: 40 riders (winner Zabel)
1998: 18 riders (winner Zabel)
2000: 37 riders (winner Zabel)
Turchino removed after this edition
2001: 19 riders (winner Zabel)
2002: 44 riders (winner Cipollini)
Turchino re-added after this edition
2004: 62 riders (winner Freire)
2005: 39 riders (winner Petacchi)
2007: 28 riders (winner Freire)
Maniè added after this edition + finish in Lungomare
2009: 34 riders (winner Cavendish)
2010: 25 riders (winner Freire)
Route cut short in 2013 from Cogoleto to Sanremo without Turchino and Maniè due to weather conditions.
Maniè removed in 2014
2014: 25 riders (winner Kristoff)
Via Roma returned after that edition
2015: 26 riders (winner Degenkolb)
In 63 years only 16 editions of Milan Sanremo finished in a bunch sprint.
If we have a look at the final result, we may notice that most of the top26 riders were expected and rather hard men, except a couple of sprinters (Bouhanni, Cimolai, ...) and the two surprising CCC. If Gallopin can top10, and Wellens top15, it shows that the race was pretty hard.
1. 191 DEGENKOLB John GER TGA TEAM GIANT - ALPECIN 6.46'16" 0'00"
2. 1 KRISTOFF Alexander NO KAT TEAM KATUSHA 6.46'16" 0'00"
3. 171 MATTHEWS Michael AUS OGE ORICA GREENEDGE 6.46'16" 0'00"
4. 231 SAGAN Peter SVK TCS TINKOFF SAXO 6.46'16" 0'00"
5. 132 BONIFAZIO Niccolo' ITA LAM LAMPRE - MERIDA 6.46'16" 0'00"
6. 81 BOUHANNI Nacer FRA COF COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 6.46'16" 0'00"
7. 241 CANCELLARA Fabian SUI TFR TREK FACTORY RACING 6.46'16" 0'00"
8. 134 CIMOLAI Davide ITA LAM LAMPRE - MERIDA 6.46'16" 0'00"
9. 143 GALLOPIN Tony FRA LTS LOTTO SOUDAL 6.46'16" 0'00"
10. 162 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald NO MTN MTN - QHUBEKA 6.46'16" 0'00"
11. 145 ROELANDTS Jurgen BEL LTS LOTTO SOUDAL 6.46'16" 0'00"
12. 235 BRESCHEL Matti DEN TCS TINKOFF SAXO 6.46'16" 0'00"
13. 221 SWIFT Ben GBR SKY TEAM SKY 6.46'16" 0'00"
14. 186 LANGEVELD Sebastian NED TCG TEAM CANNONDALE - GARMIN 6.46'16" 0'00"
15. 148 WELLENS Tim BEL LTS LOTTO SOUDAL 6.46'16" 0'00"
16. 71 BOLE Grega SLO CCC CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE 6.46'16" 0'00"
17. 206 MARTENS Paul GER TLJ TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 6.46'16" 0'00"
18. 45 COLBRELLI Sonny ITA BAR BARDIANI CSF 6.46'16" 0'00"
19. 57 VAN AVERMAET Greg BEL BMC BMC RACING TEAM 6.46'16" 0'00"
20. 151 VALVERDE BELMONTE Aleja ESP MOV MOVISTAR TEAM 6.46'16" 0'00"
21. 37 SCARPONI Michele ITA AST ASTANA PRO TEAM 6.46'16" 0'00"
22. 77 PATERSKI Maciej POL CCC CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE 6.46'16" 0'00"
23. 121 CHAVANEL Sylvain FRA IAM IAM CYCLING 6.46'16" 0'00"
24. 153 IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI Jon ESP MOV MOVISTAR TEAM 6.46'16" 0'00"
25. 195 DUMOULIN Tom NED TGA TEAM GIANT - ALPECIN 6.46'16" 0'00"
26. 244 FELLINE Fabio ITA TFR TREK FACTORY RACING 6.46'16" 0'00"
Back in 2004, however:
1 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank 7.11.23 (40.892 km/h)
2 Erik Zabel (Ger) T-Mobile Team
3 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone
4 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
5 Max Van Heeswijk (Hol) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
6 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone
7 Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Lampre
8 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick.Step-Davitamon
9 Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
10 Peter Van Petegem (Bel) Lotto-Domo
11 Erik Dekker (Hol) Rabobank
12 Mirko Celestino (Ita) Saeco
13 George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
14 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) FDJeux.com
15 Josu Silloniz Aresti (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
16 Fabio Baldato (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi
17 Guido Trenti (USA) Fassa Bortolo
18 Marcus Zberg (Swi) Gerolsteiner
19 Cristian Moreni (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi
20 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
21 Andreas Klier (Ger) T-Mobile Team
22 Michele Gobbi (Ita) De Nardi
23 Inigo Landaluze (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
24 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
25 Allan Davis (Aus) Liberty Seguros
26 Oskar Camenzind (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems
27 Martin Elmiger (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems
28 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner
29 Serhiy Honchar (Ukr) De Nardi
30 Axel Merckx (Bel) Lotto-Domo
31 Mickael Pichon (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere
32 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Gerolsteiner
33 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner
34 Rolf Aldag (Ger) T-Mobile Team
35 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
36 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC
37 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr) Ag2R Prevoyance
38 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto
39 Oscar Pereiro Sio (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems
40 Franck Renier (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere
41 Benjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
42 Anthony Geslin (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere
43 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance
44 Pedro Horrillo Munoz (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon
45 Sergio Barbero (Ita) Lampre
46 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi
47 Guido Trentin (Ita) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone
48 Rafael Casero Moreno (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
49 Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Ceramiche Panaria-Margres
50 Robert Hunter (RSA) Rabobank
51 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
52 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere
53 Bingen Fernandez Bustinza (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone
54 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco
55 Gabriele Balducci (Ita) Saeco
56 Simone Masciarelli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie
57 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Phonak Hearing Systems
58 Steffen Wesemann (Ger) T-Mobile Team
59 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile Team
60 Jérome Pineau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere
61 Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Liberty Seguros
62 Marco Velo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
Any hope that in a near future, attackers can control this hilly classic again? I think the attackers should first of all believe in it. I think it's laughable to see Wellens pacing Greipel to bring him back to the head of the peloton, knowing that he would drop on the Poggio anyway. Next, the race needs more "big engines", since Cancellara is past his prime and can no longer harden the race like before. If prime Dumoulin or Malori target it in the future, why not? For the rest, I'm not entitled to speak on this section.
I've made a list of all post-war bunch sprints at Milan-Sanremo (consider a bunch as 16+man group):
1950: 53 riders (winner Bartali)
1954: 60 riders (winner Van Steenbergen)
1958: 69 riders (winner Van Looy)
1959: 90 riders (winner Poblet)
Poggio added after this edition
1980: 30 riders (winner Gavazzi P)
Cipressa added in 1982
Between 1987 and 1993 finish on the Corso Cavaloti
1997: 40 riders (winner Zabel)
1998: 18 riders (winner Zabel)
2000: 37 riders (winner Zabel)
Turchino removed after this edition
2001: 19 riders (winner Zabel)
2002: 44 riders (winner Cipollini)
Turchino re-added after this edition
2004: 62 riders (winner Freire)
2005: 39 riders (winner Petacchi)
2007: 28 riders (winner Freire)
Maniè added after this edition + finish in Lungomare
2009: 34 riders (winner Cavendish)
2010: 25 riders (winner Freire)
Route cut short in 2013 from Cogoleto to Sanremo without Turchino and Maniè due to weather conditions.
Maniè removed in 2014
2014: 25 riders (winner Kristoff)
Via Roma returned after that edition
2015: 26 riders (winner Degenkolb)
In 63 years only 16 editions of Milan Sanremo finished in a bunch sprint.
If we have a look at the final result, we may notice that most of the top26 riders were expected and rather hard men, except a couple of sprinters (Bouhanni, Cimolai, ...) and the two surprising CCC. If Gallopin can top10, and Wellens top15, it shows that the race was pretty hard.
1. 191 DEGENKOLB John GER TGA TEAM GIANT - ALPECIN 6.46'16" 0'00"
2. 1 KRISTOFF Alexander NO KAT TEAM KATUSHA 6.46'16" 0'00"
3. 171 MATTHEWS Michael AUS OGE ORICA GREENEDGE 6.46'16" 0'00"
4. 231 SAGAN Peter SVK TCS TINKOFF SAXO 6.46'16" 0'00"
5. 132 BONIFAZIO Niccolo' ITA LAM LAMPRE - MERIDA 6.46'16" 0'00"
6. 81 BOUHANNI Nacer FRA COF COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 6.46'16" 0'00"
7. 241 CANCELLARA Fabian SUI TFR TREK FACTORY RACING 6.46'16" 0'00"
8. 134 CIMOLAI Davide ITA LAM LAMPRE - MERIDA 6.46'16" 0'00"
9. 143 GALLOPIN Tony FRA LTS LOTTO SOUDAL 6.46'16" 0'00"
10. 162 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald NO MTN MTN - QHUBEKA 6.46'16" 0'00"
11. 145 ROELANDTS Jurgen BEL LTS LOTTO SOUDAL 6.46'16" 0'00"
12. 235 BRESCHEL Matti DEN TCS TINKOFF SAXO 6.46'16" 0'00"
13. 221 SWIFT Ben GBR SKY TEAM SKY 6.46'16" 0'00"
14. 186 LANGEVELD Sebastian NED TCG TEAM CANNONDALE - GARMIN 6.46'16" 0'00"
15. 148 WELLENS Tim BEL LTS LOTTO SOUDAL 6.46'16" 0'00"
16. 71 BOLE Grega SLO CCC CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE 6.46'16" 0'00"
17. 206 MARTENS Paul GER TLJ TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 6.46'16" 0'00"
18. 45 COLBRELLI Sonny ITA BAR BARDIANI CSF 6.46'16" 0'00"
19. 57 VAN AVERMAET Greg BEL BMC BMC RACING TEAM 6.46'16" 0'00"
20. 151 VALVERDE BELMONTE Aleja ESP MOV MOVISTAR TEAM 6.46'16" 0'00"
21. 37 SCARPONI Michele ITA AST ASTANA PRO TEAM 6.46'16" 0'00"
22. 77 PATERSKI Maciej POL CCC CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE 6.46'16" 0'00"
23. 121 CHAVANEL Sylvain FRA IAM IAM CYCLING 6.46'16" 0'00"
24. 153 IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI Jon ESP MOV MOVISTAR TEAM 6.46'16" 0'00"
25. 195 DUMOULIN Tom NED TGA TEAM GIANT - ALPECIN 6.46'16" 0'00"
26. 244 FELLINE Fabio ITA TFR TREK FACTORY RACING 6.46'16" 0'00"
Back in 2004, however:
1 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank 7.11.23 (40.892 km/h)
2 Erik Zabel (Ger) T-Mobile Team
3 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone
4 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
5 Max Van Heeswijk (Hol) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
6 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone
7 Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Lampre
8 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick.Step-Davitamon
9 Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
10 Peter Van Petegem (Bel) Lotto-Domo
11 Erik Dekker (Hol) Rabobank
12 Mirko Celestino (Ita) Saeco
13 George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
14 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) FDJeux.com
15 Josu Silloniz Aresti (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
16 Fabio Baldato (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi
17 Guido Trenti (USA) Fassa Bortolo
18 Marcus Zberg (Swi) Gerolsteiner
19 Cristian Moreni (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi
20 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
21 Andreas Klier (Ger) T-Mobile Team
22 Michele Gobbi (Ita) De Nardi
23 Inigo Landaluze (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
24 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
25 Allan Davis (Aus) Liberty Seguros
26 Oskar Camenzind (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems
27 Martin Elmiger (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems
28 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner
29 Serhiy Honchar (Ukr) De Nardi
30 Axel Merckx (Bel) Lotto-Domo
31 Mickael Pichon (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere
32 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Gerolsteiner
33 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner
34 Rolf Aldag (Ger) T-Mobile Team
35 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
36 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC
37 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr) Ag2R Prevoyance
38 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto
39 Oscar Pereiro Sio (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems
40 Franck Renier (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere
41 Benjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
42 Anthony Geslin (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere
43 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance
44 Pedro Horrillo Munoz (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon
45 Sergio Barbero (Ita) Lampre
46 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi
47 Guido Trentin (Ita) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone
48 Rafael Casero Moreno (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
49 Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Ceramiche Panaria-Margres
50 Robert Hunter (RSA) Rabobank
51 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
52 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere
53 Bingen Fernandez Bustinza (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone
54 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco
55 Gabriele Balducci (Ita) Saeco
56 Simone Masciarelli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie
57 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Phonak Hearing Systems
58 Steffen Wesemann (Ger) T-Mobile Team
59 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile Team
60 Jérome Pineau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere
61 Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Liberty Seguros
62 Marco Velo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo