The 115th edition of Milan–San Remo in 2024 saw a slight change in its starting point, now beginning from Pavia, just outside Milan. However, the renowned route leading to San Remo remained largely intact, featuring iconic landmarks such as the Passo del Turchino, the three Capi, the Cipressa, and the pivotal Poggio.
The race commenced at 10 a.m. local time, and within the first 20 kilometers of the 288-kilometer route, the breakaway of the day was established. This breakaway, comprising 11 riders, was initiated by aggressive riding from Italian wildcard squads including Polti–Kometa, VF Group–Bardiani–CSF–Faizanè, and Team Corratec–Vini Fantini.
As the race progressed towards the 200-kilometer mark, the pace slightly eased off, with the maximum gap reaching 2:50. Despite minor incidents like bike changes and a crash involving Carlos Canal and Yuhi Todome, the road to the Passo del Turchino passed without significant drama.
By the time the break reached the halfway point of the race, their lead over the peloton was just over two minutes. Despite efforts from the chasing teams, including Lidl–Trek and Alpecin–Deceuninck, the break's advantage held steady.
Approaching the Capi climbs of the Mele, Cervo, and Berta, the peloton saw a reshuffle with new teams moving up. UAE Team Emirates made their presence felt on the climbs, particularly with Tadej Pogačar pushing the pace uphill.
Despite losing some members, the break managed to maintain a lead of around 1:30 over the peloton. However, the pace intensified as they approached the Cipressa climb, with notable favorites positioning themselves at the front.
