Dates March 20 Distance 294 km (182.7 mi) Winner Marc Gomez (France) | Stages 1 Winning time 7h 04' 12" Second Alain Bondue (France) | |
The 1982 Milan-San Remo was won by relatively unknown French cyclist Marc Gomez who won after joining the early breakaway. That year was the first year the Cipressa climb was included in the race. Race organiser Vincenzo Torriani had decided the race needed to be harder, requiring another climb in its final stages.
The race
From the beginning of the race a group of about 20 riders attacked, instigated by Claudio Bortolotto. By the time the race crossed the reached the bottom of the Cipressa there were only Gomez, Bortolotto and Alain Bondue left in the breakaway with an advantage of seven minutes. Gomez then attacked on the Cipressa gaining the summit a handful of seconds ahead of the other two, Bondue managed to bridge the gap while Bortolotto tired and was eventually caught by the group containing the race favourites Francesco Moser and Moreno Argentin. Bondue let Gomez lead up the Poggio (the final climb) as he knew that Gomez would have to drop him in order to win. On the technical descent of the Poggio, Bondue slipped allowing Gomez to get a gap, this only proved decisive after Bondue slipped again. As he rode down the Via Roma in San Remo he received muted applause from the Italian tifosi that had surely been waiting for an Italian winner.