March 23, 2014 (San Remo, Italy) – Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) earned the biggest win of his career taking the final sprint to the line at Milan San Remo, 299km, the “Spring Classic”, with Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Trek Factory Racing grabbing second and Ben Swift (Gbr) Team Sky 3rd.

An early break of seven riders had as much as a 10 min lead but their lead was dropping steadily as the break was whittled down to only three riders with about 60km to go as rain battered the peloton.

At the Cipressa the rain abated while Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre-Merida was dropped but Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team and Jan Barta (Cze) Team Netapp-Endura soldiered on as the peloton closed in on them.

A brave attack by Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana with about 25km go was also reeled in as he hit the Poggio with 9km to the finish.

More attacks began first by Grégory Rast (Sui) Trek Factory Racing and then by Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Bardiani CSF who joined him but nothing would stick as 20-30 riders came to the finish with Kristoff emerging as the winner in the final sprint. The top Canadian at the 105th Milan San Remo was Svein Tuft (Orica GreenEdge) in 89th with Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale finishing 104th working for his team.

Results

1  Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha  6:55:56
2  Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Trek Factory Racing
3  Ben Swift (Gbr) Team Sky
4  Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Esp) Movistar Team
5  Mark Cavendish (Gbr) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
6  Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF
7  Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
8  Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre-Merida
9  Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN – Qhubeka
10  Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale
11  Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin Sharp
12  Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team Sky
13  Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team
14  Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Garmin Sharp
15  Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
16  Yoann Offredo (Fra) Fdj.fr
17  Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Esp) Movistar Team
18  Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo
19  Grégory Rast (Sui) Trek Factory Racing
20  Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek Factory Racing
21  Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling
22  Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida
23  Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Belisol
24  André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol
25  Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
26  Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Team Europcar  0:06
27  Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Garmin Sharp  0:07
28  Davide Appollonio (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale  0:34
29  Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky
30  Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Lampre-Merida  0:40
31  Thomas Leezer (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team  0:54
32  Nicki Sörensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
33  Luca Paolini (Ita) Team Katusha  1:12
34  Arnaud Demare (Fra) Fdj.fr  1:22
35  Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Belisol
36  Mauro Finetto (Ita) Yellow Fluo
37  Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team  1:33
38  Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team  1:35
39  John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano  1:54
40  Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale  2:09
41  Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team  2:38
42  Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol
43  Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Bardiani CSF  3:14
44  Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team  3:15
45  Jan Bakelants (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
46  Oscar Gatto (Ita) Cannondale
47  Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale  3:22
48  Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team  3:36
49  Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica GreenEdge  3:50
50  Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN – Qhubeka  4:10
51  Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
52  Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Trek Factory Racing  5:08
53  Marc Demaar (Ned) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
54  Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano
55  Jack Bauer (Nzl) Garmin Sharp  5:23
56  Thor Hushovd (Nor) BMC Racing Team  5:29
57  Robert Förster (Ger) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
58  Dayer Uberney Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team
59  Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Yellow Fluo
60  Mickael Delage (Fra) Fdj.fr  5:34
61  Marco Marcato (Ita) Cannondale  6:03
62  Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Cannondale  6:06
63  Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli  6:20
64  Manuel Belletti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli  6:23
65  Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Sky
66  Diego Rosa (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
67  Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Team Netapp – Endura
68  Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling
69  Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo
70  Hayden Roulston (Nzl) Trek Factory Racing
71  Nicolas Roche (Irl) Tinkoff-Saxo
72  Sébastien Hinault (Fra) IAM Cycling  7:49
73  Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Team Giant-Shimano
74  Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team  7:51
75  Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Team Katusha  0:14
76  Pavel Brutt (Rus) Team Katusha
77  Kiel Reijnen (USA) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
78  Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica GreenEdge
79  Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team
80  Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
81  Robert Wagner (Ger) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
82  Johan Le Bon (Fra) Fdj.fr
83  Maximiliano Ariel Richeze (Arg) Lampre-Merida
84  Jos Van Emden (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
85  Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Fdj.fr
86  Dries Devenyns (Bel) Team Giant-Shimano
87  Bob Jungels (Lux) Trek Factory Racing
88  Jaco Venter (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka
89  Svein Tuft (Can) Orica GreenEdge
90  Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano  0:11:42
91  Jan Barta (Cze) Team Netapp – Endura
92  Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Belisol
93  Roger Kluge (Ger) IAM Cycling
94  Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica GreenEdge
95  Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team Europcar
96  Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
97  Marco Coledan (Ita) Bardiani CSF
98  Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin Sharp
99  Karsten Kroon (Ned) Tinkoff-Saxo
100  Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica GreenEdge
101  David Boucher (Fra) Fdj.fr  0:14:33
102  Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team Netapp – Endura
103  Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Movistar Team
104  Merhawi Kudus Ghebremedhin (Eri) MTN – Qhubeka
105  Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Garmin Sharp  0:17:59
106  Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Androni Giocattoli
107  Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
108  Rick Flens (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
109  Christopher Jones (USA) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
110  Rafael Andriato (Bra) Yellow Fluo
111  Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek Factory Racing
112  Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
113  Eugenio Alafaci (Ita) Trek Factory Racing
114  Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF  Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) MTN – Qhubeka
DNF  Louis Meintjes (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka
DNF  Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) MTN – Qhubeka
DNF  Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka
DNF  Steve Chainel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF  Patrick Gretsch (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF  Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF  Omar Bertazzo (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF  Marco Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF  Antonio Parrinello (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF  Gianfranco Zilioli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF  Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF  Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF  Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF  Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
DNF  Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
DNF  Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani CSF
DNF  Nicola Boem (Ita) Bardiani CSF
DNF  Marco Canola (Ita) Bardiani CSF
DNF  Filippo Fortin (Ita) Bardiani CSF
DNF  Stefano Pirazzi (Ita) Bardiani CSF
DNF  Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
DNF  Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team
DNF  Peter Velits (Svk) BMC Racing Team
DNF  Danilo Wyss (Sui) BMC Racing Team
DNF  Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Cannondale
DNF  Damiano Caruso (Ita) Cannondale
DNF  Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale
DNF  Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Cannondale
DNF  William Bonnet (Fra) Fdj.fr
DNF  Arthur Vichot (Fra) Fdj.fr
DNF  Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin Sharp
DNF  David Millar (Gbr) Garmin Sharp
DNF  Stefan Denifl (Aut) IAM Cycling
DNF  Martin Elmiger (Sui) IAM Cycling
DNF  Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) IAM Cycling
DNF  Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) IAM Cycling
DNF  Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Merida
DNF  Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre-Merida
DNF  Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-Merida
DNF  Luca Wackermann (Ita) Lampre-Merida
DNF  Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Belisol
DNF  Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Belisol
DNF  Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol
DNF  Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (CRc) Movistar Team
DNF  Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Esp) Movistar Team
DNF  Enrique Sanz (Esp) Movistar Team
DNF  Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar Team
DNF  Iljo Keisse (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
DNF  Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
DNF  Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
DNF  Mark Renshaw (Aus) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
DNF  Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
DNF  Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica GreenEdge
DNF  Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica GreenEdge
DNF  Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEdge
DNF  Bryan Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF  Jerome Cousin (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF  Tony Hurel (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF  Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF  Bryan Naulleau (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF  Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Team Europcar
DNF  Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
DNF  Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
DNF  Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Team Katusha
DNF  Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Katusha
DNF  Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Team Katusha
DNF  Angel Vicioso Arcos (Esp) Team Katusha
DNF  Iker Camano Ortuzar (Esp) Team Netapp – Endura
DNF  David De La Cruz Melgarejo (Esp) Team Netapp – Endura
DNF  Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Team Netapp – Endura
DNF  Erick Rowsell (Gbr) Team Netapp – Endura
DNF  Paul Voss (Ger) Team Netapp – Endura
DNF  Dario Cataldo (Ita) Team Sky
DNF  Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky
DNF  Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Team Sky
DNF  Geraint Thomas (Gbr) Team Sky
DNF  Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff-Saxo
DNF  Michael Morkov (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
DNF  Lucas Euser (USA) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
DNF  Davide Frattini (Ita) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
DNF  Daniele Colli (Ita) Yellow Fluo
DNF  Francesco Failli (Ita) Yellow Fluo
DNF  Simone Ponzi (Ita) Yellow Fluo
DNF  Matteo Rabottini (Ita) Yellow Fluo
DNF  Fabio Taborre (Ita) Yellow Fluo