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Two-time runner-up Peter Sagan was in good spirits this morning, but he was denied again today finishing 4th | 
Last year's winner, Vincenzo Nibali (ITA - Bahrain Merida). There was no heroic breakaway today. | 
Cofidis arriving |
Teams presentation | 
Caleb Evan said pre-race that MSR is all about saving your energy for the bunch sprint. He clearly didn't save enough today because he was dropped before the finish. | 
Peter Sagan acknowledging the crowd |
2017 winner, Michal KWIATKOWSKI (SKY) was 3rd today | 
Red hot Julian ALAPHILIPPE (FRA/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP) signing-in. We'll see him again later. | 
Elia Viviani was hoping for a rare Italian MSR win in theTricolore, but he too was dropped before the finish which featured no pure sprinters |
Fernando GAVIRIA (COL/UAE TEAM EMIRATES) signing-up before finishing 16th | 
Last year's winner, Vincenzo NIBALI (ITA/BAHRAIN - MERIDA) and current world champion, Alejandro VALVERDE (ESP/MOVISTAR). They were also next to each at the finish, 8th and 7th respectively. | 
Dropping the flag on this year's Milan-Sanremo under beautiful clear skies |
The rollout from Milan | 
Dodging the tram tracks on the way out of town is not easy | 
Peter Sagan enjoying the neutral start under sunny skies |
Matteo Trentin (ITA - Mitchelton - Scott) hitched a ride for part of the 291 km race | 
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The early break never succeeds at this race |
The break hits the coast | 
This year's iconic shot of the peloton at Campo Ligure | 
The picturesque coast line |
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Like last year, this is where the break went up in smoke. Flares were set off again this year by "fans" at Capo Berta with around 40 km to go. The fire later spread to the neighboring woodlands. |
Zdeněk ŠTYBAR (DECEUNINCK - QUICK - STEP ) driving the pace on the Cipressa, the penultimate climb, with the focus on Philippe GILBERT | 
Julian ALAPHILIPPE (FRA/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP) attacks on the Poggio, the final climb | 
Julian ALAPHILIPPE (FRA/DECEUNINCK - QUICK - STEP) catches and passes Alberto BETTIOL (EF EDUCATION FIRST) |
Julian ALAPHILIPPE (FRA/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP) checking to see who he's drawn out | 
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Julian ALAPHILIPPE (FRA/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP) driving the pace as other favorites claw back on before the descent |
Michal KWIATKOWSKI (POL/SKY) attacking unsuccessfully near the top of the Poggio | 
Matteo Trentin (ITA - Mitchelton - Scott) put in a dig at the base of the Poggio and got a small gap | 
After a little cat and mouse, the Poggio break launches into a bunch sprint with no pure sprinters present |
The sprint caught Peter Sagan off guard and he looked sluggish trying to catch Julian ALAPHILIPPE (FRA/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP). Sagan post-race: "I felt quite well today, not at my usual form, but better than the previous weeks. The finale of this year's Milano-Sanremo played out as I had expected. A big group reached the bottom of the Poggio and then a strong pace was set at the front with a number of attacks. I knew I had to be there, so I jumped in and closed the attacks when they happened. We split the peloton and we were about ten riders at the top of the Poggio. The bunch wasn't able to bring us back in the descent, so it was a very reduced sprint. I would say it was a strange, very slow one and the final attacks were launched quite late. I was squeezed in and when I found space to sprint, it wasn't enough. Thanks to my BORA-hansgrohe teammates for their great work today and congratulations to Alaphilippe for his victory." | 
Julian ALAPHILIPPE (FRA/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP) wins the 2019 Milan-Sanremo in 6:40:14, 2nd Oliver NAESEN (BEL/AG2R LA MONDIALE), 3rd Michal KWIATKOWSKI (POL/SKY), 4th Peter SAGAN (SVK/BORA - HANSGROHE), 5th Matej MOHORIC (SLO/BAHRAIN - MERIDA), 6th Wout VAN AERT (BEL/JUMBO - VISMA), 7th Alejandro VALVERDE (ESP/MOVISTAR), 8th Vincenzo NIBALI (ITA/BAHRAIN - MERIDA), 9th Simon CLARKE (AUS/EF EDUCATION FIRST) and 10th Matteo TRENTIN (ITA/MITCHELTON - SCOTT) | 
The finish scene |
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The toll after 291 km as one man celebrates |
The winning team celebrates its perfect execution | 
“I am so, so proud of my team! Tim controlled the escapees since the start of the day, while Yves, Styby and Philippe protected and brought me into position on the Poggio. Before the race I asked them to make sure I was fifth wheel tops at the foot of the climb and they took care of it”, said the fourth reigning Tour de France KOM champion to triumph at the prestigious “La Primavera” when asked about the incredible amount of work laid down by his Deceuninck – Quick-Step, who left an indelible mark over the first Monument of the season. “At the finish, everybody was crying and I was so happy and delighted to be able to share this memorable moment of immense joy with them.” | 
Your 2019 Milan-Samremo winner, Julian ALAPHILIPPE (FRA/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP) realizes his first monument and his seventh win of the year: “I came with the goal of winning this race. I’m just as proud of my win as I am of the work of my team today. What they’ve done for me is absolutely exceptional. I rode for the victory at the end bearing their dedication in mind. I recovered in the downhill after I sped up on the Poggio but I still thought it would be complicated to win considering the quality of the riders I was away with. I made a little effort to close the gap on Matteo Trentin as I knew he was very fast. Then I stayed calm and remained next to Peter Sagan. When Matej Mohoric launched the sprint, I knew I had to take his wheel straight away. Had he taken 20 metres, it would have been game over. I capped it off the nicest way I could. It’s pure joy.” |
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Your 2019 Milano-Sanremo podium: 2nd Oliver NAESEN (BEL/AG2R LA MONDIALE), 1st Julian ALAPHILIPPE (FRA/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP) 6:40:14, 3rd Michal KWIATKOWSKI (POL/SKY) | 
2nd Oliver Naesen, said: “Second in Milan-Sanremo is an unbelievable result for me. It’s my first podium in a monument. It’s something I will cherish. Alaphilippe was untouchable today. He was the strongest on the Poggio. He launched the sprint from very far away with a headwind against very fast riders like Kwiatkowski, Sagan and Trentin. He’s for sure the rightful winner. I had a lot of confidence going into this race but I was confident to make the top ten. I was hoping for a podium but I didn’t really expect it. It means I’m ready for a big win because the cobbled classics in Belgium, my home country, suit me even more than Milan-Sanremo.” 3rd Michal Kwiatkowski, said: “It’s a good result to be on the podium but being so close to the victory leads to thinking about what I could have done better. I dreamt to win today but Julian was the strongest rider today. I think everybody saw what he did on the Poggio. Having the legs to sprint the way he did after that is absolutely impressive. It was a nice feeling for me to be with the best riders in the front group. I’m really happy that Team Sky gave me the opportunity to go for another one.” |
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The charismatic winner has an eye for the camera |
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