RCS rethinks Milan-San Remo

By Tim Maloney, European editor

Before Saturday's Milan-San Remo, Cyclingnews caught up with Angelo Zomegnan of organizing body RCS and asked him about about the ProTour rule that forced world champion Oscar Friere to wear the ProTour leader's jersey and leave his rainbow jersey in the suitcase. "It's unbelievable!" said Zomegnan. "First of all, I think it's impossible to think that the world champion's jersey, that had been around since 1927, could be replaced by the [ProTour] jersey. It seems to me that [the UCI] is trying to kill the world champion's jersey and replace it with the ProTour jersey. We have already discussed this possibility with the UCI last October and warned them about it." We also asked Zomegnan about the rumors of possible changes to the Milano-Sanremo course, but he didn't comment at that moment.

However, after the race Saturday, Zomegnan told reporters, "RCS is considering adding another major climb in the finale of Milan-San Remo. A race as long as this [294km] and it's decided in the final meters, does that seem normal? So If you think about it, in 10 years nothing much has happened or not much, except for Bettini's break two years ago in the Poggio, and the attack by the same Bettini this year in the descent from the Cipressa."

The ascent that looks most likely to succeed should RCS decide to add to Milano-Sanremo is know as the Pompeiana, a 5 km ascent up to 300m. above Riva Ligure that would enter the Sanremo percorso after 279km, climb to Pompeana, then loop up to Castellaro above the autostrada and descend down and re-enter the original route just two kilometers further along for a total of 9km. Other rumors have alleged that the start for Milano-Sanremo could be moved 20km south of Milano to Pavia, but all are still unconfirmed.