Bouhanni checks out Milan-San Remo finale

Nacer Bouhanni has taken advantage of a pre-season warm-weather training stint in Nice to look over the final 50 kilometres of Milan-San Remo, which will include a return to its traditional finish on the Via Roma. Accompanied by new Cofidis teammates Geoffrey Soupe, Steve Chainel and Dominique Rollin, the French sprinter rode the course from the Capo Berta into Sanremo over the Cipressa and Poggio.

“I already knew the course and have climbed the Poggio several times, but it’s always good to look over the finale, to go and see the new finish on the Via Roma. It helps you get your bearings,” Bouhanni told L’Équipe.

Cofidis should receive an invite to the Italian Classic given the presence of Giro d’Italia points champion and triple-stage winner Bouhanni in their ranks, and the Frenchman’s targeting of the race. “I’ve got Sanremo very much in my mind. I want to reach a first peak in my form between Paris-Nice and Ghent-Wevelgem,” Bouhanni confirmed.

The Frenchman will continue with his warm-weather training in Nice until the end of this week, before heading home to the Vosges for a few days and then moving on to Cofidis’s final pre-season training camp at Oliva, near Valencia.

“All went well when we were there in December, we started to build up the kilometres. It was a camp where getting to know everyone was the goal. Next time we’re in Oliva we will start to work on the sprint train,” said Bouhanni, who is due to start his season at the Majorca Trophy on 29 January.