Wout van Aert returns to defend his Milan-San Remo title with last year’s runner-up Julian Alaphilippe and Mathieu van der Poel among his chief rivals. Photo: POOL BETTINI/LaPresse
Belgium’s Wout van Aert returns to defend his Milan-San Remo title with last year’s runner-up Julian Alaphilippe among his rivals in the 112th edition of the one-day classic over 299km across north-western Italy today.
Van Aert won a sprint finish ahead of Frenchman Alaphilippe last August in a race delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic, claiming his first victory in one of cycling’s ‘Monument’ races.
The Jumbo-Visma rider has been warming up in Italy this month, finishing fourth at Strade Bianche, before powering to second place overall in the Tirreno-Adriatico stage race with an impressive time-trial finale win.
