Milano-Sanremo 2026: ‘Major blooper’ causes confusing start to men's race as breakaway leaders go wrong way – ‘Bit of a fluff to start the day’

React to this story

The breakaway group of leaders at the 2026 Milano-Sanremo were forced to turn around after going the wrong way round a roundabout. Inside the first two kilometres of the race, a group of 12 riders followed the lead vehicles left on a roundabout, but it was the wrong direction. That meant they had to turn around and join the peloton from the back. Robbie McEwen called it a "major blooper".

Watch: Riders forced to U-turn after going WRONG WAY in 'confusing' start

Video credit: TNT Sports

There was a chaotic start to the iconic 2026 Milano-Sanremo race on Saturday as the opening breakaway group went the wrong way at a roundabout and were forced to turn around.

Inside the first two kilometres of the 298km-long race, a group of 12 riders had raced into an early lead.

But at the first roundabout, the group – made up of three Bardiani CSF-7 Saber and a few from Novo Nordisk and Polti-VisitMaltay - went left as they followed the lead vehicles and the police escort. The only problem was that the course was organised in way that meant they should have gone right.

Milano - Sanremo

Merckx hails 'best in the world' Pogacar but shuts down 'unimaginable' comparisons

23/03/2026 at 15:51

”All that work. Which way were they meant to go? Confusion to start Milano-Sanremo,” Rob Hatch said on TNT commentary. ”I tell you what, it’s going to be a long, long 298km if you’ve got to turn around.”

It meant that those riders had to narrowly funnel past standstill public traffic - waiting for the riders to go past before proceeding - before turning round, cycling back the way they came and rejoining the race route, now behind the rest of the peloton.

”The lead vehicle has misread. It is early in the morning. Maybe some people haven’t had their caffeine by the way of a cappuccino,” former Australian road cyclist, Robbie McEwen, said on TNT Sports commentary.

Van der Poel insists it's 'a matter of time' until Pogacar wins Milano-Sanremo

Video credit: TNT Sports

McEwen, who finished fourth in the famous Italian race in 2007, said that the course was marked differently, which could have lead to the confusion.

”Normally, these roundabouts at Milano-Sanremo, they usually tape [the wrong exits] right off, and you know you can’t go across there,” he said.

”That’s something I haven’t seen before where the course isn’t taped off with that plastic safety tape to really make sure riders don’t go the wrong way. Bit of a fluff to start the day.”

After the riders who had gone the wrong way joined the race and new group of leaders had established themselves, McEwen reflected on the incident.

”There will be a few really disappointed riders that made that very first break, took the wrong way and, at no fault of their own, they followed the race convoy, so someone’s done a major blooper there,” the 53-year-old explained.

”And they just won’t get themselves in the break. They’ll never know, maybe, the feeling of being in the day-long break that animates Milano-Sanremo.

"For an Italian rider, that is the opportunity of a lifetime to be up the road. So I feel really disappointed for those who made the break and have not been able to get back up there again.”

Tadej Pogacar is aiming to win his first Milano-Sanremo having narrowly missed out before. The Slovenian has a glittering trophy cabinet already, but the race in northern Italy is the one missing from his collection.

Standing in his way, though, is a stacked peloton. Mathieu van der Poel is seeking his third Milano-Sanremo title, while Filippo Ganna, Tom Pidcock and Isaac del Toro are also contenders.

You can watch and stream cycling on TNT Sports and discovery+.

Milano - Sanremo

Pidcock 'hurt to be so close' as Pogacar claims Milano-Sanremo

21/03/2026 at 21:53

Milano - Sanremo

How close is Pogacar to completing cycling?

21/03/2026 at 21:17