“Milano-Sanremo is the Monument I believe I can win the most” - American dark horse eyes opportunity in the shadow of Pogacar and Van der Poel

For all the focus on Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel, the shape of Milano-Sanremo often leaves space for a different kind of contender to emerge.

It is a race that rarely rewards the strongest rider outright, and just as often punishes those who cannot convert strength into position at the decisive moment. That is the space Luke Lamperti believes he can operate in.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s Monument on the EF Education–EasyPost website, the American made clear where his confidence lies. “For me, Sanremo is the Monument I believe the most that I can win in my career,” he said.

That belief is not built on dominance, but on understanding exactly what the race demands.

Milano-Sanremo has become increasingly selective in recent years, shaped by repeated attacks on the Cipressa and Poggio, most notably from Pogacar. But even in those harder editions, the race often resets just enough to bring a small group back together before the finish.

That is where Lamperti’s profile becomes relevant. “You have to be there in position and be on a good day and be able to follow the best guys to fight for the win,” he said.

It is a simple description, but one that captures the core of the modern race. Surviving the key climbs is only part of the equation. Being correctly positioned before them, and still having enough left afterwards, is what ultimately decides who gets the opportunity to win.

Lamperti has already experienced that challenge first-hand. “I did Sanremo in 2024, my first year as a pro. It was super good. I did the positioning into the Cipressa and got there in a good position. I don’t know how I finished, but it was a really good experience. I really enjoyed it.”

That emphasis on positioning is not incidental. In a race where the entrance to the Cipressa can define everything that follows, it is often the riders who arrive there smoothly, rather than those who expend energy fighting for wheels, who remain in contention.

Lamperti also arrives with form and confidence on his side, part of a team that has started the season strongly across multiple races. “I am confident. The whole team is going well. We’re coming here, having won a stage at Tirreno and won a stage at Paris-Nice. We have the ball rolling and momentum, so hopefully we can continue that into this weekend.”

That momentum matters in a race where outcomes are rarely controlled by a single team. Unlike more predictable one-day races, Milano-Sanremo rewards opportunism as much as planning.

EF Education–EasyPost are leaning into that uncertainty rather than trying to impose a rigid structure. “We’re not going there with the main favourite, but we have a really good team, and there are a lot of different ways that we could win the race.”

That approach reflects the reality of the race. With so many variables in play, from positioning to wind to timing of attacks, flexibility often proves more valuable than a single defined plan.

Lamperti’s opportunity sits in the space created by the sport’s biggest names.

Pogacar will almost certainly look to make the race as hard as possible, most likely on the Cipressa. Van der Poel, as recent editions have shown, has the capacity to follow and still contest the finish. Riders such as Filippo Ganna have also demonstrated they can survive that initial selection. But the race is rarely decided at that exact moment.

If Pogacar cannot fully distance his rivals, and if the group behind is reduced but not eliminated, the final kilometres often become a question of who has managed their effort most efficiently across nearly 300 kilometres. That is the scenario Lamperti is targeting.

He is not the fastest pure sprinter in the field, nor the most explosive climber. But in a race that increasingly sits between those extremes, his combination of positioning, endurance and finishing speed places him in a category that has become more relevant with each passing edition.

Milano-Sanremo remains, in Lamperti’s own words, a race where “everything has to go in your direction”.

That applies to the favourites as much as it does to the outsiders. Pogacar must time his attack perfectly. Van der Poel must match it without overextending. Teams must deliver their leaders into position at exactly the right moment.

For riders like Lamperti, the challenge is slightly different. It is about staying close enough to those decisive moves without being drawn into them too early, and arriving in the final kilometres with just enough left to take advantage if the race hesitates. That is what makes him a credible outsider rather than just another name on the startlist.

In a race defined by fine margins and small windows of opportunity, the gap between controlling the outcome and reacting to it is often minimal. And if those margins open even slightly on Saturday, Lamperti has already made clear he intends to be there to take advantage.