Milan-Sanremo organizers RCS Sport have made significant changes to the route of their historical classic. Having replaced the Le Manie with the new Pompeiana climb, the race now has three tough climbs in the finale and will be significantly tougher for the sprinters.

After the 2012 edition of the Milan-Sanremo, rumours circulated that organizers RCS Sport planned to change the race finale to make the course tougher and more favourable to late attacks. They chose to stay with their current course for the 2013 race but from next year, the race will see changes.

Prior to the 2008 edition, a road closure forced RCS to send the riders up the Le Manie climb but they have stuck with that idea ever since. Coming almost 100km from the finish, the climb has mostly played a role in the gradual elimination of riders and not been suitable to attacks.

There will be no Le Manie on next year's course. Instead, RCS have decided to an extra climb in between the two late-race ascents Cipressa and Poggio. The Pompeiana climb will make things significantly tougher in the finale and make the race much less suitable to sprinters.

3.5km after the descent of the Cipressa, the riders leave the Aurelia road and begin the start of the climb of the Pompeiana.
 
The climb, which is 5km long with an average gradient of 5% and a maximum of 14% at its steepest point, begins steadily at 6-7% before narrowing slightly, flattens and kicks with a very hard 500m section consisting of a pair left/right bends with a gradient between 10-14%.
 
A gradual slop follows on with a narrow track up to top of the climb, 20.7km from the finish, and then up to Castellaro. Here the twisty technical descent begins that takes the riders down to Arma di Taggia where the route re-joins the Aurelia and the historical race route. From here, there is just 4.4km of racing to be done before the start of the crucial Poggio climb.

The finish will be the same as used in the most recent editions and the race will come to its conclusion on the Lungomare Italo Calvino in Sanremo.

At the end of this year's race, 2009 winner Mark Cavendish claimed that the days when he could win the race were probably over as the Le Manie made the race too tough for him. With the new parcours making things even more difficult, the former world champion will probably stick to those words.

This year's edition of the race was held in snowy and dramatic conditions and saw Gerald Ciolek take a surprise win ahead of pre-race favourite Peter Sagan.