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Mario Cipollini at the start of Milan-San Remo (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
George Hincapie (BMC Racing Team) (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Number 1 belongs to Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) is quizzed before the start (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Svein Tuft (Garmin-Transitions) (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Mates George Hincapie and Mark Cavendish embrace at the start (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) looked relaxed and happy at the start of Milan-San Remo (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Bernhard Eisel (HTC-Columbia) (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Oscar Freire (Rabobank) before the 2010 Milan-San Remo (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Transitions) (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Fumiyuki Beppu replaced Lance Armstrong at RadioShack (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Will Filippo Pozzato's Ridley be first across the line in San Remo? (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Svein Tuft (Garmin-Transitions) went for medium profile wheels (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Allan Davis (Astana) could be a dangerous outsider (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Karsten Kroon checks he's got the right stuff with a BMC soigneur (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky) has opted for deep section carbon wheels for Milan-San Remo (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
These De Rosa bikes await the Carmiooro-NGC team (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Petacchi's special Wilier Triestina gets some last minute lubrication (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Plenty of saddle height for RadioShack's Gregory Rast (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Milan's Castello Sforzesco was buzzing this morning as it played host the 199-strong peloton for the 101st Milan-San Remo.
With the riders gradually emerging from the team buses, their mechanics were still busy putting the final touches on the bikes that will carry their owners on the 298-kilometre journey to San Remo. With smooth Italian roads to look forward to, deep-dish carbon wheels were the choice du jour .
Cyclingnews was on hand to grab some pictures of the bikes of race favourites Filippo Pozzato (Katusha), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) and defending Champion Mark Cavendish, as well as a number of teams that could perhaps pull off a surprise coup.
Latest Videos From Click here to view a gallery of images from the start of Milan-San Remo on Saturday morning.