Initially the Pompeiana, a climb of five kilometres with an average gradient of five per cent, was included in the course, but because of weather and bad road conditions the organiser rerouted La Primavera two weeks ago.

Bauke Mollema is one of the riders who isn’t too happy with the change but he won’t let himself get distracted by it. “It’s unfortunate, but I still think I can put in a good result. In recent years, we haven’t always seen a bunch sprint in San Remo. If a small group makes it to the finish, I hope to be there and I hope that my sprint allows me to get in the mix.”

Sports Director Erik Dekker shares a similar view. “We don’t have the biggest favourites, but with Bauke, Jonathan Hivert and Lars Petter Nordhaug, we have three guys we can deliver to the Poggio climb with confidence. They are very sharp and quick.”

Dekker expects a predictable race without the Pompeiana and with hopefully better weather conditions than last year. “The scenarios and options are limited now,” he said. “With the Pompeiana it would have been a different story. The current route holds few secrets for us.”

Team Belkin line-up for Milan-San Remo:

Jos van Emden, Jonathan Hivert, Rick Flens, Tom Leezer, Bauke Mollema, Lars Petter Nordhaug, Maarten Tjallingii and Robert Wagner.