Decisive Poggio Climb could be dropped from Milan - San Remo race after Horrific Landslides 

The Poggio climb, so often the decisive climb in determining the winner of Milan-San Remo, is at risk of being left out of next year’s 111th edition of the race due to landslides

In early December, heavy rain on the Ligurian coast saw multiple landslides on the Poggio climb that forced local authorities toclose the road. It was claculated, there would need to be €10 million worth of repairs in order to reopen the road fully and guarantee its use at Milan-San Remo in March.

The Mayor of San Remo, Alberto Biancheri was quoted as saying at a meeting about the road's condition 'that the Milan-San Remo cannot be held anymore'.

The summit of the Poggio comes just 5.4 kilometres from the finish of the race, which in 2015 returned to its traditional location on Via Roma.

Coming so late in the race, the climb inevitably attracts attacks, some solo, others of maybe two or three riders. Some are reeled in, often in the closing couple of hundred metres as the race comes down to a select sprint.

So far, some repairs have been made allowing the road to partially reopen but not to the extent needed for the race to use it as part of its course. Instruments in the ground have measured the movement of the slopes since the heavy rain.

The threat of Milan-San Remo not running could be local politics, of course, a play from authorities to force race organiser RCS to stump up the money for repairs.

Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s Julian Alaphilippe won the 2019 edition of La Primavera after making the front group that went clear on the Poggio. The Frenchman had attacked on this last climb of the Monument to rip the race apart before sprinting for victory ahead of Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), Vincenzo Nibali (Trek-Segafredo) and Movistar’s Alejandro Valverde.

However, Gran Fondo Guide follower Alpine Cols challenged the latest news saying "I cycled up the Poggio two days ago and the road was completely clear with no restrictions".

I cycled up the Poggio two days ago and the road was completely clear with no restrictions (other than a 16T weight limit). If it’s dangerous the danger is not obvious.

— Alpine Cols (@AlpineCols) January 4, 2020