Same, same, but different? This is the question that arises before the 2nd edition of the Sanremo Women race, the women's race in the traditional spring classic in cycling. The route is the same as last year, as the organiser RCS has just announced. The starting point remains Genoa, the capital of Liguria. From there, the route always runs along the coast, largely on the Via Aurelia coastal road. A few kilometres after the start, the route of the women's competition joins the men's course at Voltri, which follows the same roads for around 140 kilometres after the descent from Passo Turchino. Like the men's race, the finish is on the Via Roma in San Remo.
The women's calls for their race to stand out from the race calendar in terms of length, just like the men's, went unheard. The 156 kilometre distance is roughly the norm for the important one-day races for women. The 298 kilometres for the men are significantly longer than any other cycling race. Some women had also wished for a distance beyond the 200-kilometre mark.
The same final as for the men
The finale will take in the three Capi - Capo Mele, Capo Cervo and Capo Berta - before the climbs up the Cipressa and Poggio should ensure a selection in the peloton. Although the course will remain the same as last year, some are hoping for a different scenario to the comeback of the women's race at Milan-San Remo in 2025, when Dutch rider Lorena Wiebes, who is currently highly superior in the women's sprints, won in a sprint against a larger field. The Italian Elisa Longo Borghini failed last year with an attack shortly before the finish. According to a press release from the organisers, she said ahead of the new edition: "I think the race could be more selective compared to last year because we all know the course better now, especially the final." In other words: the same route, but perhaps a different race course.
Andreas Kublik
Editor
