MILAN – SAN REMO: FINISH LINE MOVES BACK TO VIA ROMA

Classic course takes in Turchino, the Capi, Cipressa and Poggio climbs with race shortened by one kilometre at the finale to make the race even more unpredictable. Via Roma finish line last time was in 2007 with Oscar Freire as winner. Merckx raised arms in victory seven times on via Roma. Milan, November 28, 2014 – The Milan – San Remo goes back to its traditions to set up a spectacular finale on the classic Via Roma finish line, which has played a key role in the history of this monument race. Also known as the “La Primavera”, the Milan – San Remo is organised by RCS Sport/La Gazzetta dello Sport and will be held on March 22. It will run a very similar course as the 2014 edition – with the key points on Passo del Turchino, Capo Mele, Capo Cervo, Capo Berta, Cipressa and Poggio di Sanremo – but has a substantial change for the finale. Compared to the Piazzale Calvino finish, which had 3 kilometres from the Poggio descent to the finish line and has been used for the last few editions, the Via Roma finish line will shortens this distance to “only” 2km. This change will make the race even more open and unpredictable – until the final moments – with the attackers having more chances to anticipate the fast wheels of the peloton. The total distance will therefore go from 294km to 293km from 2015. COURSE NOTES The last winner on the Via Roma was the Spanish rider Oscar Freire, in 2007. Eddy Merckx is the record holder, with 7 victories in this “Classicissima di Primavera”, winning the race in 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975 and 1976, with each of these on the Via Roma finish line – showing how the finale of this race can be open to many solutions. HISTORY OF SAN REMO FINISH LINE

• from 1907 to 1948 finish in Corso Cavallotti • from 1949 to 1985 finish in Via Roma • from 1986 to 1993 finish in Corso Cavallotti • from 1994 to 2007 finish in Via Roma • from 2008 to 2014 finish in Piazzale Italo Calvino

Info:

SHIFT Active Media Manolo Bertocchi Cycling Press Office RCS Sport Tel: (+44) 01225 448333 Tel: (+44) 7979 241227 E-mail: manolo@shiftactivemedia.com Tw.: @Shiftactive - @ItalianManolo

RCS Sport Stefano Diciatteo RCS Sport Press Office Coordinator Tel: (+39) 02 25848758 Mob: (+39) 335 5468466 E-mail: Stefano.diciatteo@rcs.it Tw.: @rcssport - @stedicia