San Remo Cycling — Cipressa & Poggio Loop

These are the two most famous short climbs in professional cycling, and riding them from San Remo felt like stepping into a spring classic. The route follows the coast west from San Remo for about 17 km -- flat riding along the Via Aurelia, hugging the Ligurian Sea. A warm-up, nothing more, with the anticipation building the whole way.

The Cipressa starts with a sharp right turn in San Lorenzo al Mare. It is 5.6 km at 4.1% average, but the character of the climb is what stays with you -- the road winds through olive groves and small villages, with the sea views opening up behind you the higher you go. When I rode this I kept thinking about the riders who have attacked here after 260 km from Milan. The summit comes almost suddenly, and the descent is fast.

Between the two climbs there are about 5 km of flat coastal road. When I was here I used this to recover and eat, knowing the Poggio was coming. The Poggio di San Remo is shorter at 3.7 km at 3.7% average, but with ramps to 8% it demands respect. The early hairpins are where the pain starts, and the upper slopes are the steepest. This is where Nibali launched his solo attack, where Mohoric went clear on the descent, where Pogacar accelerated away from the peloton.

The descent from the Poggio drops directly into San Remo -- narrow, technical, with blind corners that require concentration. The day I was here I came down carefully, but you could feel the speed that the professionals carry on this road. Via Roma at the bottom is the finish of Milano-San Remo, and arriving there on a bike made the whole day feel complete.

At 44 km with 424 metres of climbing, this is a half-day ride -- but the history packed into those kilometres is extraordinary.