Fourth last year and the best of those who finished just behind the winning breakaway, Peter Sagan is for many the big favourite for this Sunday’s Milan-Sanremo.
The Slovakian has had a superb early season, clocking up five wins in all; the first two came in the Tour of Oman, then he followed that up with success in the GP Citta di Camaiore.
More recently, he took his first head-to-head sprint against Mark Cavendish in Tirreno-Adriatico, then followed that up with a very different type of victory on the gruelling penultimate stage to Porto Sant'Elpidio.
There he proved strongest at the end of a Ardennes Classic-like clash against some of the world’s top climbers, proving his versatility.
Nothing is guaranteed in Milan-Sanremo, not least because he will be closely watched by all of his rivals, but it is evident that Sagan is in superb form. He has the strength to deal with attacks on the podium, and the speed to win a sprint to the line afterwards.
His Liquigas-Cannondale team has today confirmed a strong team to back him in the race, with Strade Bianche winner Moreno Moser acting as a second captain and thus giving the team another option should tactics require that.
The nephew of Francesco Moser, who won the race in 1984, has also been riding very well this year and while he is making his debut in the race, he too is a danger.
Fastman Elia Viviani will join the two and could provide a strong leadout for Sagan inside the final kilometre; in addition, Damiano Caruso, Maciej Bodnar, Alessandro De Marchi, Kristijan Koren and Paolo Longo Borghini have also been confirmed
Sagan was recently tipped by double Sanremo winner Sean Kelly as the rider he felt was set for a very strong Classics campaign.
“In the Tour of Flanders he was very, very impressive,” Kelly said, referring to last year’s Ronde van Vlaanderen, where the Slovakian narrowly missed out on joining the winning three man breakaway. “With a bit more experience - and I think he will have gained that - he is the one that we will maybe see as being very much up there in a lot of the Classics.”
Cannondale team directeur sportif Mario Scirea has said that the team was carefully selected to maximise the chances of success in Sunday’s Classic.
“We chose the men who are in condition, and the most suited to the work that will be done in the race,” said Scirea. “We are aware that a rider like Sagan allows us to aim for the best result, but our opponents have the same thought.
“We will have our eyes on him, and will have to be tight as a team. Sanremo is a tough race and a very tactical one. We will have to be ready to deal with many variables and be good in handling them. In short, it will be an exciting and difficult challenge.”
Cannondale Pro Cycling for Milan Sanremo:
Peter Sagan, Moreno Moser, Elia Viviani, Damiano Caruso, Maciej Bodnar, Alessandro De Marchi, Kristijan Koren and Paolo Longo Borghini.
See footage below from the team launch earlier this year in Hollywood: