In two day's time, Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) will search to repeat his Milano-Sanremo win. The Swiss hard man warns that he is going stronger than last year and that he is ready.
"At Tirreno-Adriatico I managed myself well," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "Also, I have experience and a lot of mental strength. I trust myself."
Cancellara is cycling's top time trialist, three times winning the world title, but he has also captured some important one day wins: Sanremo in 2008 and Paris-Roubaix in 2008.
Illness and crashes plagued his spring campaign last year, but he says that he is back stronger.
"Last year was a black spring, now there is sunshine. The experience helped me because I learned a lot. Above all, I grew a lot as a man and this is fundamental. A career is short, and then you have to confront your life."
Sun? The forecasters predicted rain and 14°C for Saturday's race.
"If it rains then the race will be very hard because on the Turchino we will be braking and re-accelerating the continuously.
"Favourites? [Tom] Boonen and [Filippo] Pozzato have an extra gear. Tom's critical point will be on Le Mànie. If he passes it well then he will be truly dangerous. Pippo [Pozzato] will not have [Robbie] McEwen at his side, so Katusha has to make a hard race.
"But there are many riders going strong and who can win Sanremo: [Juan Antonio] Flecha, [Edvald] Boasson Hagen, [Daniele] Bennati. Also [Michele] Scarponi, [Stefano] Garzelli and [Alessandro] Petacchi are not so bad. At Tirreno, Oscar [Freire] looked tired, but if he is up front at the finish..."
Cancellara won Sanremo two years ago with a solo attack at two kilometres to race, holding off the charge of Pozzato and Philippe Gilbert.