Alex Aranburu on Milano-Sanremo leadership: "It's not impossible to win there"

Milano-Sanremo is a race that suits many riders, and in the eyes of Alex Aranburu it's close to the perfect race, suiting his classics-like style of racing, with the inevitable aggressive racing over the final hills yet the sprinter-friendly nature of the race.

After being infected with Covid earlier in the season - which he has now revealed - he has had a rough start to the season: "It wasn't easy. I was away with Covid, which made me start [the season] later than planned. Still, with the bad side, I think I have been improving. In Tirreno-Adriatico I was finding myself feeling better each day. In Milano - Torino the sensations weren't bad," he said. Having missed the sprints in the Italian stage-race, he finished an 11th place in the hilly stage to Bellante which was a good sign that he was carrying enough form to be competitive in the days that suit him. His start to the season at the opening weekend also saw him finish a decent 13th place in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, which is evidence that Aranburu is relatively ready for the classics season ahead, despite having some more form to gain.

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Aranburu has finished seventh in both past editions of Milano-Sanremo and has expressed how he's keen on the race, well suited to the rolling hills and the flat finale it presents. He's changed teams this year, but the role remains the same, although Ivan Cortina and Gonzalo Serrano's presence assures that the team won't solely rely on the Basque for results in La Classicissima.

"I'll have to be well positioned in both climbs, in Cipressa and Poggio. Spend as least as possible so that in the end I can go get my result. I was two times seventh, so it's not impossible to win there although winning is a big word because it's always very hard," he added."

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With the cobbled and Ardennes classics also laying ahead, Aranburu has several goals for this spring: "The classics are good for me, they have good 'coverage'. I can give Movistar good results, where I've found a great environment. We'll see what the future holds, however I'd love to arrive at [Tour des] Flandres well where I have never been, and Liège and Amstel. I'll give the best of myself," he concluded.

Movistar Team for Milano-Sanremo: Alex Aranburu, Ivan Cortina, Gonzalo Serrano, Will Barta, Max Kanter, Abner González and Iñigo Elosegui.