As it happened: Milan-San Remo decided by a sprint photo finish

Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of Milan-San Remo

Buongiorno from Pavia. Cyclingnews in on the ground at the start to bring you all the pre-race information and then full race coverage. 

The sun is out in Pavia and we’re expecting spring weather all day. That should make it a fast and aggressive race.

Cyclingnews' Stephen Farrand is at the race start, and will be sharing the latest news from the build-up

We're edging closer to the start of the race in Pavia now.

There'll be a 5.7km neutral zone to start the day.

175 riders from 25 teams are set to roll out and take on the 288km challenge.

Today's race map...

Sign-on is complete and we're almost underway.

The riders now just waiting for the start to be given in Pavia.

Reigning champion and world champion Mathieu van der Poel makes his season debut in white shorts.

Here we go. The neutral start is given.

Coming closer to the end of the short neutral zone now and the flag will soon drop to commence the start of the race proper.

288km to go

The flag drops and here we go!

Attacks fly straight away with Eolo, Corratec, Bardiani unsurprisingly among the teams at the front.

It's lined out at the rear of the peloton under the high pace.

While the attacks fly at the front, riders including Jasper Philipsen and Tadej Pogačar hang around at the rear of the peloton.

280km to go

Still riders battle to make the break as the race along boosted by an early tailwind.

No moves yet as riders from Bardiani, Polti, Corratec still lead at the front of the peloton.

271km to go

The battle to get away continues.

A group of around 10 riders have a small gap now.

It looks like this might be the break of the day!

Multiple riders from Corratec, Polti, Bardiani in there...

The peloton has let the move go up the road.

265km to go

2:20 for the move.

Here's the makeup of the breakaway...

Davide Bais, Mirco Maestri, Andrea Pietrobon (Polti-Kometa), Alessandro Tonelli, Samuele Zoccarato (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè), Valerio Conti, Davide Baldaccini, Kyrylo Tsarenko (Corratec-Vini Fantini), Lorenzo Germani (Groupama-FDJ), Romain Combaud (DSM-Firmenich PostNL), Sergio Samitier (Movistar)

It's the sixth year in the row that Tonelli has made it into the break here at Milan-San Remo. Maestri has been out there three times before, too – in 2017, 2018, and 2023. Zoccarato was in last year's breakaway as well.

Lidl-Trek, Alpecin-Deceuninck, and Intermarché-Wanty at the head of the peloton now.

259km to go

Those teams bringing the break's advantage down to 1:35.

A fast start to the race today.

It looks like the break's advantage will be held at around 1:30 for now.

Van der Poel drops back to his team car for a chat with his directeur sportif.

It's calm and relaxed at the rear of the peloton as the world champion passes Michael Matthews on his way back to the group.

The pair discuss one another's hairstyles as they ride along. 

249km to go

Germani is dropping back from the breakaway already.

The peloton seems to be slowing down a little now. The gap is back out to just over two minutes.

244km to go

Germani is back in the peloton now.

The break of the day.

Van der Poel stops to get a bike change.

236km to go

Another stoppage for Van der Poel now and it looks like another bike swap.

231km to go

1:40 for the breakaway now.

Alpecin and Lidl still leading the way at the head of the peloton.

A 45kph average speed so far today after around 80 minutes of racing.

222km to go

The gap to the break fluctuates between 1:30 and two minutes.

A look at the head of the peloton.

The breakaway group has 2:30 now.

212km to go

We're around a quarter of the way into the race.

The gap is slowly getting bigger as the kilometres pass by.

200km to go

2:50 for the break at the moment.

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'You need to have the best legs on the final two climbs'

190km to go

2:20 now for the break and no change in the overall race situation.

And now the gap dips under two minutes once again.

180km to go

Carlos Canal (Movistar) and Yuhi Todome (EF Education-EasyPost) crash in the peloton.

The pair hit the deck but are quickly getting back up and running.

The breakaway riders out on the road.

172km to go

2:50 for the move now. The gap hasn't grown past three minutes so far.

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It's still just over two minutes for the breakaway – 2:15 now.

162km to go

And it's still the same mix of teams working at the head of the peloton.

We're edging towards the mid-point of the race at 144km to go.

The Passo del Turchino is also coming up shortly.

The riders have been climbing for some time as they head towards the Ligurian coast, though it has all been on very shallow gradients.

153km to go

2:05 for the break as the riders come towards the start of the Turchino proper.

Lunch time for the riders as they pass through the feed zone.

Onto the Tuchino now and the break leads by 1:55.

No major incident over the Turchino.

144km to go

Passing the halfway point and Patrick Bevin (DSM-Firmenich PostNL) is the first abandon of the race.

The riders pass through the town of Novi Ligure a little earlier on.

The riders heading into Genoa now as they hit the coast.

133km to go

1:45 for the break now.

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Around three hours left to run today...

It's still Alpecin and Lidl working on the front. Cofidis are lined up behind them.

The race is a few minutes ahead of the quickest schedule so far. Around two hours and 40 minutes left to run, then.

118km to go

2:30 for the break.

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We're coming closer to the 100km to go marker now.

110km to go

2:30 for the breakaway.

The riders at the head of the peloton.

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Davide Bais stops from the break with a puncture but he's back up and running now.

97km to go

Bais is back in the breakaway group, 2:10 up on the peloton.

Plenty of blurry shots on Getty today. The riders have been speeding along and there hasn't been much action to photograph so far.

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It's still the same 10 men out in the break – packed with riders from Polti, Bardiani, and Corratec.

75km to go

2:45 is the latest time gap.

Under 20km to the first of the three Capi climbs...

One of those famous shots of the riders racing along the coast – the Capo Noli – south towards San Remo.

63km to go

2:35 is the gap now.

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Ineos Grenadiers, Bora-Hansgrohe, Jayco-AlUla, and Lotto-Dstny among the teams who have moved up in the peloton.

56km to go

Seconds dropping off the break's lead as it comes down to 2:10.

The break has started the Capo Mele.

Just over five hours of racing done so far.

UAE Team Emirates move to the front of the peloton on the way up.

EF and Alpecin also up there.

1:30 and counting for the break now as they head down the other side and onto the Cervo.

The pace and tension certainly much higher than it was.

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UAE, Alpecin, Groupama all at the front on the Cervo.

45km to go

The gap to the break still holding at 1:30. It's a high pace but they're not flying just yet.

UAE Team Emirates at the front on the Mele.

Tom Paquot (Intermarché-Wanty) has hit the deck in the peloton.

40km to go

Meanwhile, the break are on the Capo Berta now.

 Baldaccini is dropped from the break.

And now another crash in the peloton which sees Tim van Dijke and Cedric Beullens go down.

UAE Team Emirates continue to push.

Christophe Laporte is dropped! The first major casualty of the day.

That's quite surprising.

Former race winner Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X Mobility) is also dropped.

The break are over the top of the climb with 1:30 in hand and now we head to the Cipressa.

Still nine left in the break following Baldaccini's departure from the move.

The Cipressa is coming...

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32km to go

1:20 for the breakaway.

4km to the start of the hill. Here's a look at it. What will go down on the way up?

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Israel-Premier Tech, Ineos Grenadiers, and Lidl-Trek among the squads up front.

27km to go

43 seconds for the break as they begin the Cipressa.

EF and Ineos lead the peloton up. No sign of Pogačar's UAE squad.

Now a few men are moving up.

Tsarenko drops from the break.

Alessandro Covi on the front now to work for Pogačar.

Del Toro and Wellens also coming up.

Up in the break things are falling apart as the Bardiani men lead it.

Del Toro pushing a very high pace. 25 seconds to the break.

Pedersen, Stuyven, Ganna, Bettiol, Van der Poel, Pidcock lined out behind the UAE men.

24km to go

Splits in the peloton further back!

Six left up front – Samitier plus the men from Bardiani and Polti.

Jonathan Milan among those off the back, though he has already done some work for Mads Pedersen.

Del Toro is done and drops away, 2km from the top.

Wellens takes over but the pace has slowed.

Maybe 40 men left in the lead peloton.

Wellens pushes on now.

22km to go

The remains of the break just 12 seconds up now.

Around 9:35 up the Cipressa for the peloton.

Down the other side of the hill now and it's a select group leading the way just seconds down on the breakaway.

Samitier crashes on the descent!

He ran wide and collided with a barrier on the outside of a corner and one of the Polti men couldn't avoid the crash.

Breakaway over, then, though Bais tries to keep it going with another push.

16km to go

Bais has 10 seconds.

Still only around 30-40 in the peloton.

A spell of calm now before it all kicks off again.

One last look at the breakaway while the group was still all together before the Cipressa.

Pogačar, Van der Poel, Matthews, Pidcock, Ganna, Kooij, Pedersen, Stuyven, Cosnefroy, Girmay, Bettiol, Alaphilippe all up there in the peloton.

The descent off the Cipressa.

Just over 2km to go until the start of the Poggio now.

A larger group coming back to the lead peloton now.

11km to go

Bais still 7-8 seconds up.

Lidl-Trek lead the way as Bais is caught.

Here's the Poggio. 500 metres to go!

10km to go

Here we go. The final test!

Tudor hit the front as the Poggio begins.

Ineos Grenadiers also up there as riders begin to drop.

Ineos and UAE up there.

8km to go

All the big names right up there close to the front.

Now Tim Wellens takes over.

A huge pace at this point.

Wellens, Pogačar, Van der Poel, Bettiol, Ganna at the front.

7km to go

Wellens really flying here.

It's all lined out behind him.

No big splits yet.

1.2km to the top!

Still Wellens pushes.

Pogačar goes 6.5km from the line!

Bettiol and Ganna follow Van der Poel behind Pogačar.

Then a gap to Pedersen.

Pedersen, Matthews, Pidcock...

More come across.

Pogačar couldn't get away.

He goes again!

200 metres from the top.

5.5km to go

Van der Poel leads the chase.

Over the top and Pogačar leads the way!

Pogačar and Van der Poel have a few seconds.

Ganna leads the chase.

Pidcock chasing now.

He leads the chase across.

Pogačar, Van der Poel, Pidcock, Mohorič, Ganna, Pedersen, Stuyven, Bettiol, Sobrero...

4km to go

Pogačar, Van der Poel, Pidcock now leading.

Only a small gap behind.

Pogačar has led all the way down the descent.

2.5km to go

A regrouping at the bottom.

Mohorič makes an attack at the bottom!

2km to go

Van der Poel leads the chase.

Mohorič has a few seconds on the flat.

They're making it back to Mohorič.

1.5km to go

Back together now.

Sobrero counters!

Pidcock chases solo.

1km to go

An Italian leads the way...

Sobrero and Pidcock chased by Van der Poel.

Pidcock hits the front!

Can he pull this off?

He has a gap!

Stuyven leads out Pedersen!

Pedersen hits the front but so do Matthews and Philipsen!

Three fastmen sprint it out to the finish line!

Finish

Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) wins Milan-San Remo

Philipsen just ahead of Matthews at the line. Pogačar came through for third place.

It looked like Matthews might've had that. He was so close...

A look at that photo finish!

Stuyven and Pedersen launched the sprint just as Pidcock was brought back within sight of the line.

However, the Lidl-Trek sprinter was quickly overpowered on the other side of the road by Matthews and Philipsen.

Today reportedly a 46.133kph average speed, which would beat the 1990 edition – 45.806kph – for the quickest Milan-San Remo ever.

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Here's what Tadej Pogačar had to say after sprinting to third today...

"We had a plan and we stuck to it. But we missed a little bit – just like maybe 10% – on the Cipressa and after. So in the end, the team had to wait too long on the Poggio. So it was not too hard. I tried two times to attack – I had incredible legs – but this year was not hard enough for it to be a climber's race. I think I did everything I could to be third place – in this situation, I couldn't have done much better but it was close.

"I think actually that today was one of the easiest races ever. We rode a really super easy tempo the first few hours. But anyway, it was like I said before the race – everything needs to be perfection. And there was not everything perfect. But yeah, we did really good and I think a podium was the most we could do."

Here's Philipsen after the finish...

"It's incredible. I cannot realise it. A Monument is something you dream of. Milan-San Remo is maybe one of the only Monuments I can win and I'm really proud. Also what Mathieu did in the final was an incredible job and I'm really proud and happy that we could manage and play it out as a team.

"We break the records every year, it seems like. Last year was also one of the fastest editions so yeah, the speed is going faster and faster every year. I was feeling actually quite good and I had a feeling today that it could be my day. I had rally good legs from the start and I was feeling good. I had the belief in it but of course everything needs to fall in place. On the Poggio the favourites looked at each other and I managed to come back and Mathieu was there. He really did a big team job and I thank him a lot for what he did.

"I was a bit afraid that Mads was still really strong. I didn't expect Michael Matthews to be that good. I didn't have to do one sprint all day, but after 300km the sprint really feels strange and different, so I was happy I just had this final 5cm left to beat him."

Michael Matthews speaks after taking a third career Milan-San Remo podium finish...

"It's hard. I'm obviously happy with the podium, but being so close, it's bittersweet. I think tomorrow morning, I'll be happy with my performance. But this moment right now, being this close to a Monument after so many podiums... It's hard. I think I did everything perfectly. I wouldn't change anything.

"I think the way I bounce back [from illness] I'm really proud of myself. I think that Paris-Nice obviously didn't go according to plan but this is my favourite race of the year. It's always a race that I love to perform at, and it always puts a smile on my face at the start line. So to be here in San Remo on the podium. It's really special.

"Obviously [UAE] were difficult but I think they probably weren't as strong as we all thought through the race. But that suited me better and I could get through the climbs with better legs and the finish. I'm not exactly sure what happened to them but we rode our race and we came up with the podium. So we're happy."

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