Milan-San Remo 2018: The route, the starters - Classics kick-off at Milan-San Remo

The longest professional race leads from the centre of Milan over 291 kilometres to the San Remo beach strip on the Ligurian coast. At the Passo Turchino, the peloton crosses the Appennines - followed by the coastal road Via Aurelia over many waves - and finally over the two longer climbs Cipressa and Poggio. The 2018 route remains the same as last year:

There will be 25 teams of seven racers at the start. The number of starters has been reduced by one man per team compared to last year. The favourites include sprinting all-rounders such as world champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), 2017 green jersey winner Michael Matthews (Sunweb) and former winners Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates), John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) and Michael Kwiatkowski (Sky). Marcel Kittel is planning to start in the sprinter's classic for the first time.

The teams at a glance

18 World Tour teams

• AG2R LA MONDIALE (FRA)
• ASTANA (KAZ)
• BAHRAIN-MERIDA (BRN)
• BMC (USA)
• BORA-HANSGROHE (GER)
• DIMENSION DATA ( RSA)
• EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC (USA)
• GROUPAMA-FDJ (FRA)
• KATUSHA-ALPECIN (SUI)
• LOTTO-SOUDAL (BEL)
• LOTTONL-JUMBO (NED)
• MITCHELTON-SCOTT (FROM)
• MOVISTAR (ESP)
• QUICK STEP FLOORS (BEL)
• SKY (GBR)
• SUNWEB (GER)
• TREK-SEGAFREDO (USA)
• UAE TEAM EMIRATES (UAE)

7 teams with wildcard

• Androni Giocattoli (ITA)
• Bardiani-CSF (ITA)
• Cofidis (FRA)
• Gazprom-Rusvelo (RUS)
• Nippo-Vini Fantini (ITA)
• Novo-Nordisk (USA)
• Wilier-Triestina (ITA)
  

The official start list with all riders can be found shortly before the start of the race on the Organiser page.

Cycling fans in Germany can only watch the live broadcast on the pay-TV programme Eurosport 2 from 2pm.