Milan-San Remo race organisers RCS Sport have released the provisional start list for the 107th edition of La Classicissima featuring the likes of World Champion Peter Sagan (Tinkoff), former winners Alexander Kristoff (Katusha), Fabian Cancellara (Trek-Segafredo), Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) and Filippo Pozzato (Southeast-Venezuela).
2015 champion John Degenkolb will miss the race as he continues to recover from injuries sustained in a training ride accident when he and his Giant-Alpecin teammates were hit by a car in Spain.
The 18 WorldTours teams will line up in Milan's Piazza del Duomo on March 19 alongside seven Pro-Continental wild card teams; Androni Giocattoli–Sidermec, Bardiani–CSF, Bora–Argon 18, CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice, Cofidis, Southeast–Venezuela and Team Novo Nordisk. The 2016 edition of the race is almost identical to the 2015 percoroso with traffic work at Genova-Voltri reducing the length of the race from 293 to 291 kilometres.
Twice fourth and once a runner-up, Sagan will start the race as one of the favourites for victory and would be the first world champion since Eddy Merckx in 1975 to win the race in the rainbow bands. 2008 winner Cancellara will start with a strong team backing his final bid for victory, including Niccolò Bonifazio, fifth at last year's race.
Kristoff and Matthews, second and third in 2015, will start the race with favourite status as both riders have enjoyed winning starts to the season. Kristoff will be missing Luca Paolini but will Michael Morkov and Jacopo Guarnieri. Matthews' bid to become the third Australian to win Milan-San Remo is boosted by an Orica-GreenEdge squad of Luka Mezgec, Chris Juul Jensen and Sam Bewley with Michael Albasini as a wildcard.
BMC's Belgian duo of Greg Van Avermaet and Philippe Gilbert, Etixx-QuickStep's Fernando Gaviria, Cofidis' Nacer Bouhanni and Astana's Vincenzo Nibali add further depth to field of starters.
20 teams and the main names as of March 14:
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
WorldTour teams: AG2R La Mondiale: Jan Bakelants Astana Pro Team: Vincenzo Nibali, Alexey Lutsenko BMC Racing Team: Greg Van Avermaet, Philippe Gilbert Cannondale Pro Cycling: Ramunas Navardauskas, Matti Breschel Dimension Data: Mark Cavendish, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg Etixx-Quick-Step: Tom Boonen, Fernando Gaviria Rendon, Zdenek Stybar FDJ: Arnaud Démare IAM Cycling: Heinrich Haussler, Leigh Howard Lampre-Merida: Diego Ulissi, Davide Cimolai, Rui Costa Lotto Soudal: Tony Gallopin, Jurgen Roelandts Movistar Team: JJ Lobato, Orica-GreenEdge: Michael Matthews, Michael Albasini Team Giant-Alpecin: Tom Dumoulin, Zico Waeytens Team Katusha: Alexander Kristoff Team LottoNl-Jumbo: Sep Vanmarcke, Moreno Hofland Team Sky: Geraint Thomas, Michal Kwiatkowski, Ben Swift, Elia Viviani Tinkoff Team: Peter Sagan Trek-Segafredo: Fabian Cancellara, Niccolò Bonifazio
Pro-Continental teams: Androni Giocattoli–Sidermec: Bardiani–CSF: Stefano Pirazzi Bora–Argon 18: Sam Bennett CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice: Simone Ponzi Cofidis: Nacer Bouhanni Southeast–Venezuela: Filippo Pozzato Team Novo Nordisk: Javier Megias Leal
Provisional starters
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Tinkoff Team
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
1
Peter Sagan (Svk)
2
Adam Blythe (GBr)
3
Daniele Bennati (Ita)
4
Manuele Boaro (Ita)
5
Maciej Bodnar (Pol)
6
Oscar Gatto (Ita)
7
Roman Kreuziger (Cze)
8
Matteo Tosatto (Ita)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
AG2R La Mondiale
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
11
Jan Bakelants (Bel)
12
Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu)
13
Axel Domont (Fra)
14
Patrick Gretsch (Ger)
15
Hugo Houle (Can)
16
Matteo Montaguti (Ita)
17
Christophe Riblon (Fra)
18
Jesse Sergent (NZl)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
21
Marco Bandiera (Ita)
22
Giorgio Cecchinel (Ita)
23
Marco Frapporti (Ita)
24
Francesco Gavazzi (Ita)
25
Franco Pellizotti (Ita)
26
Daniele Ratto (Ita)
27
Mirko Selvaggi (Ita)
28
Davide Vigano (Ita)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Astana Pro Team
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
31
Vincenzo Nibali (Ita)
32
Valerio Agnoli (Ita)
33
Lars Boom (Ned)
34
Eros Capecchi (Ita)
35
Andriy Grivko (Ukr)
36
Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz)
37
Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa)
38
Gatis Smukulis (Lat)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Bardiani CSF
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
41
Simone Andreetta (Ita)
42
Enrico Barbin (Ita)
43
Nicola Boem (Ita)
44
Mirco Maestri (Ita)
45
Sonny Colbrelli (Ita)
46
Stefano Pirazzi (Ita)
47
Lorenzo Rota (Ita)
48
Alessandro Tonelli (Ita)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
BMC Racing Team
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
51
Greg Van Avermaet (Bel)
52
Damiano Caruso (Ita)
53
Alessandro De Marchi (Ita)
54
Jean Pierre Drucker (Lux)
55
Philippe Gilbert (Bel)
56
Daniel Oss (Ita)
57
Manuel Quinziato (Ita)
58
Danilo Wyss (Swi)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Bora-Argon 18
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
61
Shane Archbold (NZl)
62
Jan Barta (Cze)
63
Cesare Benedetti (Ita)
64
Sam Bennett (Irl)
65
Patrick Konrad (Aut)
66
Gregor Muhlberger (Aut)
67
Rüdiger Selig (Ger)
68
Paul Voss (Ger)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Cannondale Pro Cycling Team
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
71
Matti Breschel (Den)
72
Simon Clarke (Aus)
73
Kristjan Koren (Slo)
74
Sebastian Langeveld (Ned)
75
Moreno Moser (Ita)
76
Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu)
77
Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned)
78
Dylan Van Baarle (Ned)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
CCC Sprandi Polkowice
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
81
Victor De La Parte Gonzalez (Spa)
82
Felix Grossschartner (Aut)
83
Jan Hirt (Cze)
84
Adrian Honkisz (Pol)
85
Bartlomiej Matysiak (Pol)
86
Maciej Paterski (Pol)
87
Simone Ponzi (Ita)
88
Davide Rebellin (Ita)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
91
Nacer Bouhanni (Fra)
92
Borut Bozic (Slo)
93
Jerome Cousin (Fra)
94
Christophe Laporte (Fra)
95
Cyril Lemoine (Fra)
96
Julien Simon (Fra)
97
Geoffrey Soupe (Fra)
98
Anthony Turgis (Fra)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Dimension Data
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
101
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor)
102
Mark Cavendish (GBr)
103
Stephen Cummings (GBr)
104
Nathan Haas (Aus)
105
Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (Rsa)
106
Serge Pauwels (Bel)
107
Youcef Reguigui (Alg)
108
Kristian Sbaragli (Ita)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Etixx - Quick Step
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
111
Tom Boonen (Bel)
112
Fernando Gaviria Rendon (Col)
113
Yves Lampaert (Bel)
114
Fabio Sabatini (Ita)
115
Zdenek Stybar (Cze)
116
Matteo Trentin (Ita)
117
Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel)
118
Julien Vermote (Bel)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
FDJ
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
121
Arnaud Demare (Fra)
122
Mickael Delage (Fra)
123
Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu)
124
Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra)
125
Kevin Reza (Fra)
126
Anthony Roux (Fra)
127
Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra)
128
Arthur Vichot (Fra)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
IAM Cycling
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
131
Martin Elmiger (Swi)
132
Leigh Howard (Aus)
133
Heinrich Haussler (Aus)
134
Sondre Holst Enger (Nor)
135
Roger Kluge (Ger)
136
Jarlinson Pantano Gomez (Col)
137
Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat)
138
Jonas Van Genechten (Bel)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Lampre - Merida
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
141
Diego Ulissi (Ita)
142
Matteo Bono (Ita)
143
Davide Cimolai (Ita)
144
Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por)
145
Marko Kump (Slo)
146
Sacha Modolo (Ita)
147
Manuele Mori (Ita)
148
Luka Pibernik (Slo)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Lotto Soudal
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
151
Jens Debusschere (Bel)
152
Tony Gallopin (Fra)
154
Adam Hansen (Aus)
155
Jurgen Roelandts (Bel)
156
Marcel Sieberg (Ger)
157
Jelle Vanendert (Bel)
158
Tim Wellens (Bel)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Movistar Team
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
161
Andrey Amador Bikkazakova (Crc)
162
Alex Dowsett (GBr)
163
Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa)
164
Nelson Filipe Santos Simoes Oliveira (Por)
165
Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa)
166
Jasha Sütterlin (Ger)
167
Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa)
168
Giovanni Visconti (Ita)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Orica-GreenEdge
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
171
Michael Matthews (Aus)
172
Michael Albasini (Swi)
173
Sam Bewley (NZl)
174
Mathew Hayman (Aus)
175
Daryl Impey (Rsa)
176
Christopher Juul Jensen (Den)
177
Jens Keukeleire (Bel)
178
Luka Mezgec (Slo)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Southeast-Venezuela
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
181
Filippo Pozzato (Ita)
182
Julen Amezqueta Moreno (Spa)
183
Manuel Belletti (Ita)
184
Matteo Busato (Ita)
185
Samuele Conti (Ita)
186
Andrea Fedi (Ita)
187
Jakub Mareczko (Ita)
188
Daniel Felipe Martinez (Col)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Team Giant-Alpecin
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
191
Tom Dumoulin (Ned)
192
Nikias Arndt (Ger)
193
Roy Curvers (Ned)
194
Koen De Kort (Ned)
195
Simon Geschke (Ger)
196
Tom Stamsnijder (Ned)
197
Albert Timmer (Ned)
198
Zico Waeytens (Bel)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Team Katusha
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
201
Alexander Kristoff (Nor)
202
Sven Erik Bystrom (Nor)
203
Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita)
204
Marco Haller (Aut)
205
Sergey Lagutin (Rus)
206
Michael Morkov (Den)
207
Simon Spilak (Slo)
208
Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Team LottoNL-Jumbo
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
211
Enrico Battaglin (Ita)
212
Moreno Hofland (Ned)
213
Tom Leezer (Ned)
214
Paul Martens (Ger)
215
Maarten Tjallingii (Ned)
216
Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel)
217
Jos Van Emden (Ned)
218
Sep Vanmarcke (Bel)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Team Novo Nordisk
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
221
Scott Ambrose (NZl)
222
Kevin Demesmaeker (Bel)
223
Joonas Henttala (Fin)
224
David Lozano Riba (Spa)
225
Javier Mejias Leal (Spa)
226
Andrea Peron (Ita)
227
Charles Planet (Fra)
228
Martijn Verschoor (Ned)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Team Sky
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
231
Geraint Thomas (GBr)
232
Peter Kennaugh (GBr)
233
Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol)
234
Salvatore Puccio (Ita)
235
Luke Rowe (GBr)
236
Ian Stannard (GBr)
237
Ben Swift (GBr)
238
Elia Viviani (Ita)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Trek-Segafedo
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
241
Fabian Cancellara (Swi)
242
Eugenio Alafaci (Ita)
243
Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita)
244
Marco Coledan (Ita)
245
Fabio Felline (Ita)
246
Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita)
247
Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr)
248
Grégory Rast (Swi)
Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*